Texas Christian University

Department of Theatre
THEA 11103-050: ART OF THE THEATRE
Fall, 2023
Credit Hours: 3
MWF 1:00-1:50 PM
Rees-Jones Hall 112

Instructor: Dr. Harry B. Parker

Office: ELH 208
Office Phone: (817) 257-6681
Office Hours: Mon & Wed 4:00-5:00 PM,
or by appointment
E-mail: [email protected]

The best way to talk with me is to visit me during my office hours, or to set up with me, via email, a
specific appointment for a meeting. Should Zoom meetings be required at any time in the semester,
that link will be provided to you via your TCU email account.

Required Textbook: The Art of Theatre, Then and Now

by William Missouri Downs, Lou Anne Wright, Erik Ramsey (4th Edition) (Cengage)

TCU Mission Statement:

To educate individuals to think and act as ethical leaders
and responsible citizens in the global community.

TCU Department of Theatre Mission Statement:

To develop in our students artistic excellence, intellectual growth, and a spirit of empathy through
professional theatre training within a liberal arts education.

TCU Department of Theatre Core Values:

- Artistic and academic excellence and achievement
- Individual and collaborative artistic expression
- Inclusion and diversity of people, ideas, perspectives, and cultures
- Active study of the past to help us form the future
- Value and power of the theatre for social growth
- Self-discipline and an optimal work ethic
- Mentorship and commitment to personal development

TCU Department of Theatre Core Skill Sets,

To Prepare Students for Professional Careers in Theatre and Many Other Fields:
 - Theatre Performance and Production Skills:
o Theatre performance skills including acting, singing, dancing, and directing,
among many others
o Theatre design and technology skills including scenery, costumes, lighting, props, and
sound, among many others

Leadership and Management Skills:

o Problem Solving
o Time Management
o Meticulous Organization
o Divergent Thinking

Communication and Interpersonal Skills:

o Active Listening and Interpersonal Communication
o Public Speaking
o Humility, Vulnerability, Empathy
o Mentorship and Empowerment of Others

Transformative Skills
o Textual Analysis
o Research
o Abstract Conceptualization
o Artistic Expression

COURSE PURPOSE
This course exposes students who are majoring in Theatre to important concepts in both the theory and
practice of Theatre. It is designed for future professional practitioners of Theatre.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. Students will analyze the paradoxes in defining Art and Theatre, in order to better evaluate their
commitment to creating them.

2. Students will distinguish the structure of plays in Western culture, classifying them by genre and
structure.

3. Students will discover and identify the importance and functions of various Theatre careers,
including acting, directing, playwriting, design and production careers.

4. By meeting theatre professionals, as well as Theatre TCU faculty, students will uncover and
appraise the current trends in professional theatre practices in our area.

TCU CORE CURRICULUM STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOME (this course fulfills TCU’s Core
Curriculum requirement in Fine Arts – FAR)
Through a study of Theatre, students will develop a deeper understanding of the human condition and its
connections to what is good and beautiful in our world.

TCU CORE ACTION STEP

As Theatre artists, students will explore the theoretical and the practical components of Art and Theatre,
developing a working knowledge of dramatic literature, theatre careers, and current trends in professional
theatre practices.

RELATED ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

How is the theatre defined? How does it function? Why is it important?

ATTENDANCE & TARDINESS

Three absences are allowed in this class, without penalty. Students who miss four or more class meetings
will have their final course grade lowered by one letter grade. The instructor reserves the right, at the
instructor’s discretion, to incur additional grading penalties if excessive absences (more than five) occur.

Tardiness must be avoided. A student will be considered tardy if the class attendance has been taken, and
the class’ lecture, discussion, or activities have started. Three tardies will be considered the equivalent of
an absence.

If you are facing health issues, please be in contact with me ASAP so that we might make appropriate
arrangements. If you are required to miss class due to a health quarantine, those absences will be excused
PROVIDED that the quarantine is documented by health professionals.

REQUIRED CLASS ASSIGNMENTS

- Regular attendance and participation in class sessions is critical and expected. I will take
attendance at the beginning of every class period. If you must miss a class session, please contact
me ASAP – beforehand if at all possible. Some expectations for your attendance:
o Please arrive on time and be ready for class to begin promptly at 1:00 PM.
o Food and drink are not allowed in TCU classrooms, with the exception of a bottle of
water with a lid on it to help prevent spills. PLEASE DO NOT BRING COFFEE, SOFT
DRINKS, LUNCH, ETC. to class or into the classroom.
o My expectation is that your focus will be on our class during the entire 50-minute class
session. Please turn your phone off, and refrain from texting, etc. during class. You may
bring your laptop to class, but please use it to take class notes and NOT for other
purposes.
- Regular reading assignments from the course textbook
- Five quizzes, including one scheduled during the final exams period
- Required viewing at all three Theatre TCU productions this semester, plus one “Wild Card” show
produced by a DFW professional theatre:
o Bard to Broadway, Sept 21-22 at 7:30 PM, Sept 24 at 2:30 & 7:30 PM - Hays Theatre
(no shows on Sept 23)
o Once Upon a Mattress, Oct 19-Nov 5, Thur at 7:30 PM, Fri at 8:00 PM, Sat at 3:00 PM
and 8:00 PM, Sun at 3:00 PM – Stage West
o The Trials, Nov 7-10 at 7:30 PM, Nov 12 at 2:30 & 7:30 PM – Buschman Theatre (no
shows on Nov 11)
o Wild Card Show, a response paper about a local professional show of your choice. Last
date to turn in a Wild Card Show Paper is November 17.

Some Wild Card Choices for you:

HIP POCKET THEATRE (Fort Worth) (performs Fri-Sat-Sun nights)
Testing Ground 3+3, Sept 1-3
Old and In the Way, Sept 15-17
The Fly, Oct 6-17
 CIRCLE THEATRE (Fort Worth) (performs Thurs-Fri nights, 2 shows on Sat, no Sun
shows)
The Other Josh Cohen, August 24-September 16
I’m Proud of You, October 26-November 11

JUBILEE THEATRE (Fort Worth) (performs Thurs-Sun)

East Texas Hot Links, September 29-October 29

STAGE WEST (Fort Worth) (performs Thurs-Fri-Sat nights, Sun matinees)

Grand Horizons, August 31- Oct 1
[Once Upon a Mattress is required; it is not considered a “wild card”]

THEATRE ARLINGTON (Arlington) (performs Thurs-Sun)

Avenue Q, August 25-Sept 10
American Son, October 6-15
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Jr., November 3-12

DALLAS THEATER CENTER (Dallas) (various performance days)

The Rocky Horror Show (Kalita Humphreys Theatre, Dallas), September 23-October 29

THEATRE THREE (Dallas) (Thurs-Sun performances)

Lizzie, Sept 28-Oct 29

- Four short response essays (approx. 1,300-1,500 words, or 4-5 pages), one about each of the
productions you see during the semester.

ESSAYS
The format for your response essays should follow the MLA (Modern Languages Association) handbook,
located here: https://style.mla.org/mla-format/. Each paper should have a unique title, a title page,
and be typed, double-spaced, and carefully edited. It will be submitted on TCU Online.
A note about writing for this class: strong writing is required and expected. If you are concerned
about your writing skills, please discuss this with the instructor well before the first writing
assignment is due. Late essays will not be accepted, or be accepted with a severe grade penalty
at the discretion of the instructor. Please consult the calendar below for the due dates on the four
essays.

Tips on writing from Michael Kazin, Georgetown University (son of Alfred Kazin, a noted
literary critic): “He [Kazin’s father] taught me to be suspicious of every word I type. Have I
used a cliché or a lazy term borrowed from social science? Does my narrative capture the
essence of an event or an individual? Can I stand to hear it read out loud? His unspoken rule
was: Write a sentence, mistrust it, revise the sentence, mistrust it a little less, then revise it
again.” [From “Confronting a Father’s Legacy”, The Chronicle of Higher Education, December
21, 2007.]
QUIZZES
There are five quizzes in this class including one scheduled during the Final Exam period; please
consult the calendar below for the quiz schedule. If a student must miss a quiz, they must
contact the instructor in advance of the scheduled exam to arrange an alternate quiz time. All
quizzes will be administered in class through TCU Online; students must bring their (fully
charged) laptop to class on quiz days.
GRADING:
This course does NOT use the plus/minus grading system.

Final course grades will be determined on a 900 point system:

Four Essays: 100 points each = 400 points possible
Five Quizzes: 100 points each = 500 points possible

Final course grades will be determined on a 10% scale, with – in general – grades between 90-
100% earning an A; between 80-89% earning a B; between 70-79% earning a C; between 60-
69% earning a D; and 59% and lower earning an F.

Be aware that high grades should not be assumed, but must be earned. “A” grades signify
excellent work. “B” grades signify good work. “C” grades signify average work. “D” grades
signify weak work. “F” grades signify unsatisfactory work.

Please note: Students must complete all of the assignments listed above. If a student does not
complete all of these assignments, they may face stiff penalties in grading, including failing the
course.

SUBJECT TO CHANGE
This syllabus represents my current plans and objectives. As we go through the semester,
those plans may need to change. Such changes, communicated clearly, are not unusual and
should be expected.

FALL 2023 SEMESTER CALENDAR

(SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

Mon Aug 21 SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE

Syllabus Review; Discussion of assignments, grading
Wed Aug 23 Student Introductions and Interviews
Fri Aug 25 Discussion of Introductory Readings: Jones and Goldman

Mon Aug 28 SECTION 2: DEFINING ART & THEATRE

Discussion of Chapter 1: Theatre, Art & Entertainment
Wed Aug 30 Discussion of Chapter 2: Stage versus Screen
Fri Sept 1 Discussion of Chapter 3: Theatre of the People

Mon Sept 4 LABOR DAY: NO CLASSES

Wed Sept 6 Discussion of Chapter 5: A Day in the Life of a Theatre
Fri Sept 8 Continued Discussion of Chapters 1, 2, 3, 5

Mon Sept 11 QUIZ #1: DEFINING ART & THEATRE, Chapters 1, 2, 3, 5

Wed Sept 13 SECTION 3: DEFINING PLAYS
Discussion of Chapter 4: Experiencing and Analyzing Plays
Fri Sept 15 Continued Discussion of Chapter 4: Experiencing and Analyzing Plays

Mon Sept 18 Discussion of Chapter 6: The Art of Playwriting

Wed Sept 20 Continued Discussion of Chapter 6: The Art of Playwriting
Fri Sept 22 QUIZ #2: DEFINING PLAYS, Chapters 4, 6

Mon Sept 25 DISCUSSION: BARD TO BROADWAY

Wed Sept 27 SECTION 4: DEFINING ACTING & DIRECTING
Discussion of Chapter 7: The Art of Acting
ESSAY #1 DUE: BARD TO BROADWAY
Fri Sept 29 Continued Discussion of Chapter 7: The Art of Acting

Mon Oct 2 Discussion of Chapter 8: The Art of Directing

Wed Oct 4 Continued Discussion of Chapter 8: The Art of Directing
Fri Oct 6 FALL BREAK: NO CLASSES

Mon Oct 9 QUIZ #3: DEFINING ACTING & DIRECTING, Chapters 7, 8

Wed Oct 11 SECTION 5: DEFINING THEATRE DESIGN, CAREERS &
MUSICALS
Discussion of Chapter 9: The Art of Design
Fri Oct 13 Continued Discussion of Chapter 9: The Art of Design

Mon Oct 16 Discussion of Chapter 10: A Creative Life

Wed Oct 18 Discussion of Chapter 11: The Musical
Fri Oct 20 Continued Discussion of Chapter 11: The Musical

Mon Oct 23 QUIZ #4: DEFINING THEATRE DESIGN, CAREERS &

MUSICALS
Wed Oct 25 SECTION 6: CAREERS & CURRENT TRENDS IN THEATRE
Faculty Guest: Tristan Decker
Fri Oct 27 Faculty Guest: Ian Loveall

Mon Oct 30 Faculty Guest: Brian Clinnin

Wed Nov 1 Faculty Guest: Murell Horton
Fri Nov 3 Faculty Guest: Michael Skinner

Mon Nov 6 DISCUSSION: ONCE UPON A MATTRESS

Wed Nov 8 Faculty Guest: Lydia Mackay
ESSAY #2 DUE: ONCE UPON A MATTRESS
Fri Nov 10 Faculty Guest: T. J. Walsh
Mon Nov 13 DISCUSSION: THE TRIALS
Wed Nov 15 Faculty Guest: Krista Scott
ESSAY #3 DUE: THE TRIALS
Fri Nov 17 Faculty Guest: Jennifer Engler
ESSAY #4: WILD CARD (Final deadline; may be turned in earlier)

Nov 20-22-24 THANKSGIVING BREAK: NO CLASSES

Mon Nov 27 Faculty Guest: Alan Shorter

Wed Nov 29 Faculty Guest: Penny Maas
Fri Dec 1 Faculty Guest: Kelsey Milbourn

Mon Dec 4 Faculty Guest: Aimee Hurst Bozarth

Wed Dec 6 Faculty Presenter: Harry Parker
Thu Dec 7-Fri Dec 8 STUDY DAYS

FINAL EXAM (QUIZ #5): CAREERS & CURRENT TRENDS IN THEATRE

Monday, December 11, 11:00 AM-1:30 PM