This class is an exploration of movement fundamentals for the purpose of developing and strengthening individual creativity and artistic expression in dance. Class work is designed to: 1) Give individuals a basic understanding of anatomical structure and kinesiological principles as a foundation for developing technical skills needed to create articulate and expressive movement; 2) Provide an embodied experience of time and energy principles as related to dance; 3) demystify dance as an art form and make it accessible and relevant to all.

Beginning theory and practice of scenography. Study of materials and techniques used in stage scenery. Also an introduction to the theories and equipment used in theater lighting and sound. Lab required. Fall.

Introduction to acting. Designed to develop the actor's imagination, observation and concentration through sense awareness, relaxation, pantomime and theater games. Techniques will be introduced with the purpose of bringing the actor’s body, voice and mind together onstage to fully communicate choices through strong psychological and physical action. Also an introduction to building the foundation of a good voice. Training in breathing, physical structure and relaxation.

This course is an introduction to movement fundamentals and is designed for actors, athletes, musicians, visual artists, and anyone desiring to improve fine motor skills, flexibility, coordination, posture, or body image. The goal is for students to develop somatic awareness so that they can recognize their own habitual movement patterns and learn to explore new movement options, with an emphasis on decreasing effort and increasing sensitivity. The course uses somatic methodologies and modern dance techniques to enhance students' understanding of basic anatomical and kinesiological principles, expand their range and quality of movement, and improve individual performance skills. And the course also offers an experience of movement as a creative form without the perceived stereotypical definitions and limitations of dance.

A presentation of theater from the audience's rather than the performer's perspective. Designed to acquaint non theater students with live theater as a meaningful and enjoyable event. Approached from the student's present exposure level. Lecture, group discussions and field trips to live performances required.

This course builds on the basic physical preparation for the actor and explores different dance forms and styles which are commonly used in theatrical productions. A variety of dance techniques and somatic methodologies will be studied, including ballet, ballroom, jazz, yoga, martial arts.

This course will offer students the opportunity to develop technical skills to improve flexibility, coordination, and strength and to use those skills to increase their range of abilities in creating and performing dance. Modern dance techniques will serve as the foundation for students to build a movement vocabulary, and students will be expected to develop their own movement material in improvisation and composition exercises. Choreographic elements, form, and styles will be explored to guide students in the creative process and performance will be an on-going focus within the class. The goal is for the students to be able to clarify and fulfill all movement so they can physically express their ideas and emotions in movement which is authentic and meaningful, i.e., dance.

This course is a practical seminar for those intending to major in theater. Content includes the integration of various aspects of theatrical production, an introduction to theater as a profession, portfolio and résumé development, and assistance in application to the major. Spring of sophomore year.

In this course students will read and discuss classic, modern or contemporary plays from a specific culture or genre. The class may perform a minimum of one public reading. The topics will vary from semester to semester. For a detailed description on the course topic, please go to: https://www.csbsju.edu/theater/curriculum/new-course-descriptions. May be repeated up to six times for credit. Course offered for A-F grading only.

Continuation of THEA 117 with more advanced levels of theory and performance. Includes intensive scene and monologue work, with emphasis on text analysis and rehearsal techniques designed to expose the emotional and relational content of the scenes and monologues. Further work on the voice including the development of tone, resonance, range, power, articulation and projection.

A minimum of 50 hours' work in acting or stagecraft involving a crew responsibility. Prerequisite: Instructor's permission. May be repeated for up to 6 credits. Topics: Acting, scenography, costume, stage management, dramaturgy, publicity/marketing, dance. Course offered for S/U grading only.

A basic comprehensive study of the process a stage costumer employs from character analysis to costume execution. Practical application and production-work are emphasized through laboratory experience. Spring.

Supervised reading or research at the lower-division level. Permission of department chair required. Consult department for applicability towards minor requirements. Not available to first-year students.

Alternative Fashion Trends of the late 20th century: How politics and music helped shape the alternative fashions of the last century. This class will examine how the hippy and psychedelic fashions of the 1960’s, punk fashions of the 1970’s/1980’s, grunge/Goth fashions of the 1980’s/1990’s and rap/hip-hop fashions of the 1990’s were influenced by the music and politics of their time. The course will also relate these fashions to the mainstream clothing of the time period they originated in and how these fashion trends continue today in fashions of the 21st century. Course offered for A-F grading only.

Courses offered during summer term.

“I’m hip. I surf the web. I text. LOL: Laugh out loud. OMG: Oh my God. WTF: Why the face?” This line, spoken by Ty Burrell as the character Phil Dunphy on the sitcom Modern Family, embodies the content of this course. WTF will explore comedy, from its origins to today. We will examine texts, audio content, drawings, radio, television, film and the internet to determine what is funny, why is it funny, is it funny to everyone, are their rules about what is funny and who made those rules. We will focus on marginalized voices to determine if comedy is universal, or if it is cultural or gender specific. We will use the survey of comedy to reflect back onto ourselves and explore how we got our own sense of humor and how it shapes who we are as people.

Continuation of THEA 210 Dance Studies for more advanced students, taught concurrently with THEA 210. Prerequisite: THEA 210 or permission of instructor. May be repeated for up to 6 credits.

This course uses the theories, practices, and skills learned in THEA 219 for advance, intensive scene study of various dramatic genres. Because the work will focus on different genres each time the course is taught, this course is repeatable for credit.

From a costume design perspective, this course explores the evolution of clothing from Adam and Eve to Lady Gaga. The class will draw from film, art history, world history, sociology, living history and theatrical design. It will explore the changes over time in clothing caused by practical needs as well as the influence of fashion.

Analysis, through representative dramatic texts and theories, of the development of literary and theatrical elements in the major dramatic forms and modes from the Greeks to the late 19th century. Content will also include early Asian theater forms. Fall.

Introduction to the art of costume design through study of contemporary designers, assigned readings and weekly critiques of sketch problems. Alternate years. Fall

This course examines the principles, practices and technology of stage lighting and sound. Emphasis is on developing basic skills and a solid understanding of lighting and sound equipment and their use in theater production. Attendance at productions may be required.

Introduction to the art of scenic design through study of contemporary designers, assigned readings and weekly critiques of sketch problems. Alternate years. Spring

Survey of theatrical activity in the West: acting styles, theater architecture, dramatic literature and theory, production techniques such as costuming, scenery and directing in the context of the historical social milieus. Content will include Western theater. Alternate years. Spring.

A continuation of 337 from late 18th century to the 21st century. Alternate years. Spring

A specialized program for the theater major to work in a theater situation away from the Saint Benedict's/Saint John's campus theaters. An internship program arranged with another college or professional company or a touring theater company. Arranged with the department chair the previous semester.

Advanced work in scenic materials which are useful to the theater practitioner. The course explores face casting and mask-making, painting techniques, sculpting, upholstering, and stage weapon construction. Attending Theater Performances may be required.

The art of improvisation has its origins in the early mists of time; according to Aristotle, the art of comedy originated in improvisation. The most famous theater form of the renaissance, Commedia dell'Arte was a highly evolved form of improvisation complete with stereotyped characters and stock comic bits. In the twentieth century British theater practitioners began to use improvisation to develop specific human skills and from that point on improvisation began to be adapted to serve a myriad of functions. Today the form is used to train applicants for job interviews, to "try out" possible solutions to difficult interpersonal situations, to develop scripts for production, to create interactive theater pieces for social action and, to create the performance art of improvisation as live theater. This course is experientially based, although it will briefly cover the history, theory, creation and uses of improvisation. Students will learn basic methods of improvising conversations, scenes, comic sketches and interactive pieces geared towards solving interpersonal miscommunication. There will be a midterm and a final public sharing of pieces created through improvisation. In order to become more familiar with the relationship between performer and audience, students are required to attend live theater productions as part of this course; a fee is required to cover the cost of the tickets and the transportation to the Twin Cities. A-F grading only.

Whether you're creating content for TikTok or acting in an industry film, this course will cover the performance tools necessary to be successful in the digital medium. Acting for the Digital Medium will engage the students love of being on camera with acting techniques and theories specific to working on camera. The study of auditions, commercial work, television and film acting, screenplay analysis and onset vocabulary and protocol will culminate in a short film.

Analysis and interpretation of English, Continental and American drama from Ibsen to the present.

This course will study and interpret ancient Greek drama both in its original context and as it is adapted and performed around the world today. The course will examine the origins and cultural context of Greek drama, as well as the performative aspects of the plays: theatrical space, stagecraft, music, and dance. It will also focus on key issues that the plays are concerned with, especially gender conflict, personal and communal identity, human violence, human and divine justice, self-sacrifice, political ambition, and the roles of women, slaves, and foreigners. In addition to studying the ancient texts, students will explore the relevance of these plays in later times, from the renaissance to today and will examine contemporary adaptations and projects based on these plays, especially ones that focus on women, immigrants, veterans of war, and violence.

Athens is considered one of the most vibrant theatre scenes in Europe. We will focus on current practices in theatre and performance mainly in Greece, but also in Europe and the United States. We will undertake a critical, historical and creative overview of theatre and performance making in periods of crisis, in Europe and the United States, and examine how contemporary Greek artists address issues such as: theatre and society, the human body/the body politic, and the stage and the city. We will also perform a slight backtrack into the ancient past and the beginnings of theatre in its birthplace. “Exploring the City through Theatre and Performance” will include visits to different theatres and other performance spaces: a theatre in a train, a 19th century proscenium theatre, underground performance spaces, together with backstage tours and talks with artists. “Exploring the City through Theatre and Performance” course is for students in the Arts and Humanities and anyone interested in theatre and performance.

Did you know London has around one hundred theatres? Fifteen of which are occupied by subsidized companies. Large commercial theatres can be found in the West End offering a variety of light entertainment, musicals and comedies. However, London’s theatre scene is not just big budget productions of Billy Elliot and the Lion King. Off-West End productions feature plays with more individual themes. The most innovative and experimental work is usually found in the ‘fringe’ theatres. Students enrolled in this course will be offered a ‘taste’ of all these modes of production, and a consideration of state subsidy for theatre within a critical framework. Students course will be introduced to a variety of texts, performances and theatrical venues that reflect the vitality of contemporary British theatre. Upon completing the course, students will be able to show an understanding of the network of relationships that constitute contemporary British theatre and be able to critically evaluate theatrical performances with an appreciation of technical terminologically and theoretical perspectives, forming an appreciation of aesthetic, academic and political debates in contemporary British theatre. This course features a co-curricular study tour to Stratford-Upon-Avon.

Supervised reading or research at the upper-division level. Permission of department chair and completion and/or concurrent registration of 12 credits within the department required. Consult department for applicability towards major requirements. Not available to first-year students.

A synthesis of all aspects of theater, including dramaturgy (theory, literature, and history), design, directing, technical production, stage management, acting (includes voice work), and movement. Students will create a production concept and all paperwork usually required before a play moves from the world of ideas into the realized production phase. Attendance at specified theater productions is required. Required for theater majors.

Working with a faculty advisor, the student plans and implements a creative project, a research project, or a thesis. This project might be in any area of theater including acting, playwriting, design, technical production, theater history, dramatic theory and criticism.

A full semester or summer placement in a variety of professional theater settings doing supervised work. The individual projects are tailored to student needs/career. Subject to approval of faculty advisor and department chair.