Loyola Marymount University Bulletin 2011-2012 > College of Communication and Fine Arts > Theatre Arts—Department of Theatre Arts and Dance

Theatre Arts—Department of Theatre Arts and Dance

Up one level:

College of Communication and Fine Arts

In this section:

Theatre Arts Model Four-Year Plan

Faculty

Co-chairperson: Kevin J. Wetmore, Jr.

Associate Chairperson and Production Coordinator: Katharine M. Noon

Professors: Diane Benedict, Charles E. Erven, Katharine B. Free, Beth Henley (Presidential Professor), Ron Marasco, Judith Royer, C.S.J.

Associate Professors: Katharine M. Noon, Kevin J. Wetmore, Jr.

Objectives

The Theatre Arts curriculum is planned to provide a broad quality education in the humanities and to develop in the student an appreciation of the whole self and the universality of the human experience. The Theatre Arts program promotes an environment that nurtures self-expression within all aspects of the discipline, ranging from acting and design to technical theatre and the history and theories surrounding these practices. Faculty and students collaborate to enhance creative involvement in and promote aesthetic and scholarly inquiry into the art of theatre and performance. Participation on all levels in the performing arts is central to this work. Through the production and study of both Western and world theatrical traditions, the program contributes to the cultural vitality of our students, the university, and the surrounding community. The Theatre Arts program supports the mission and goals of the university with a commitment to educating the whole person and providing students with the tools to be an active participant in the service of faith and the promotion of justice, and is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre. The program offers the Bachelor of Arts in Theatre degree, the requirements of which can serve as an excellent foundation for those students pursuing a career in theatre, film, and television, for those who wish to enrich their lives through non-career oriented study and performance, and for those pursuing MFA and PhD degrees in performance, design, history, and performance theory.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students majoring in Theatre Arts should be able to:

Strengthen their skills in observation, concentration, and imagination
Effectively apply learned acting techniques to performance and/or creative works of their own
Interpret dramatic texts and critique theatrical performance using appropriate critical language and analytical frameworks
To integrate effective use of body and voice in communication in a theatrical space
Read technical drawings, and apply a basic understanding of scenery, scenic materials, construction procedures, and standard theatrical lighting practices to theatre production
Identify the basic elements of stage direction; analyze a play script from the point of view of the director; articulate and defend a production concept; develop actor-coaching skills; and identify elements of direction that communicate story, theme, and concept
Positively contribute to the field of theatre performance, history, and production.

Students majoring in Theatre Arts are presented with the opportunity to value:

Theatre as a live, human, creative, and spiritual experience, which has the power to transform and educate as well as entertain an audience
Non-Western theatrical styles and genres
The impact design and production have on the theatrical experience, and the relationships and contributions of all collaborators and theatrical personnel and how they contribute to the creation of theatre production across a broad spectrum of styles and genres
Individual expression through exploration, analysis, and creation of dramatic writing
First-hand European theatre tradition; Stanislavski and Epic theatre performance techniques; the history, geography, and culture of Germany and Russia, through our semester study abroad program, Bonn-Moscow-Berlin.

Students majoring in Theatre Arts should know:

Basic theories, techniques, and process of dramatic writing and structure, and various approaches to translating original dramatic material from the page to the stage/screen
Basic world theatre history and dramatic literature, including exemplary works and genres
Basic performance and design genres, styles, and techniques
Basic strategies of career development and audition/interview methods.

Major Requirements (THEA)

Lower Division Requirements:

24 semester hours: THEA 100, 111, 120, 220, 240, 245, 250, and 6 semester hours of lower division Theatre coursework planned in consultation with departmental advisor.

A grade of C (2.0) or better must be earned in each course: THEA 111, 120, 220, 240, 245, and 250.

Upper Division Requirements:

30 semester hours: 9 hours of Theatre history/literature/criticism courses from the THEA 330s, 340s, 430s of which
3 semester hours must be chosen from THEA 347, 348, 349, 430, or 435; THEA 370, THEA 450, THEA 490, and 12 semester hours of upper division Theatre electives.

A grade of C (2.0) or better must be earned in each course of the 9 hours of Theatre history, literature, and criticism, THEA 370, 450, and 490.

Minor Requirements (THEA)

18 semester hours divided into 6 semester hours of lower division work, 12 semester hours of upper division theatre offerings, and participation in departmentally-sponsored events.

Minor programs must be planned in consultation with a departmental advisor. A minimum grade of C (2.0) must be obtained in each course included in the minor program.