|
|
Theatre Arts Director, Division of Performing Arts: Alan MacVey
Chair: Alan MacVey
Professors: Eric Forsythe, Alan MacVey, Kim Marra (Theatre Arts/American Studies)
Professors emeriti: Cosmo A. Catalano, David Schaal, David Thayer
Associate professors: Loyce Arthur, Art Borreca, John Cameron, Merrel Dare Clubb, Tisch Jones, Sydne Mahone, Bryon Winn
Assistant professor: William Moser
Lecturers: James Albert, Meredith Alexander, James P. Birder, Ralph Hall, Judy Leigh-Johnson, Carol MacVey, David McGraw
Undergraduate degree: B.A. in Theatre Arts
Undergraduate nondegree program: Minor in Theatre Arts
Graduate degree: M.F.A. in Theatre Arts
Web site: http://www.uiowa.edu/~theatre Undergraduate Programs The department offers a Bachelor of Arts and a minor in theatre arts. It also participates in the major in performing arts entrepreneurship, which is offered through the Division of Performing Arts in cooperation with the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center of the Tippie College of Business. For more information, see Performing Arts Entrepreneurship in the Catalog. The undergraduate major in theatre arts is based on the belief that the best way to develop future artists is to expose them to rigorous professional practice within the framework of a liberal arts and sciences education. Department of Theatre Arts students take workshop courses in acting, directing, design, technical theatre, stage management, and playwriting and complement them with classes in dramatic literature, history, and criticism. Students also are encouraged to explore a range of courses throughout the University. Two dozen productions are staged each year, providing additional opportunities to learn the theatre craft and to develop a personal artistic vision. The department also educates students who plan to enter other fields in which understanding of the arts and experience with theatre skills are useful. See "Opportunities for Nonmajors" in this section of the Catalog. Bachelor of Arts The Bachelor of Arts in theatre arts requires 33 s.h. in the major. The following courses constitute the basic experience for all undergraduate theatre arts students. Registration in some courses required for the major requires special permission. Contact the Department of Theatre Arts for details. Students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 2.00 for all courses taken in the major. Students who transfer to The University of Iowa from other accredited two- or four-year institutions must demonstrate that they have successfully completed course work equivalent to the basic requirements of the theatre arts department and the University before they may undertake advanced-level electives. Consult the director of undergraduate studies for more information. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS Students must complete a course's prerequisites before registering for the course. Playscript Analysis (049:060) should be completed as soon as possible; it is prerequisite to several 100-level courses. Courses 049:025, 049:043, 049:060, and 049:112 or 049:113 normally are completed within the first three semesters of study in the major. Theatre Crafts (049:044) is prerequisite to all production courses; 049:045 Production: Run Crew is prerequisite to 049:046 Production: Crew Chief and 049:047 Production: Construction. Students who complete 049:002 or 049:003 before declaring a major in theatre arts must consult the undergraduate director before registering in 049:112 or 049:113. All of these:
| 049:112 History of Theatre and Drama I |
3 s.h. |
| 049:113 History of Theatre and Drama II |
3 s.h. |
| Theatre courses numbered 100 or above |
6 s.h. |
Required production courses: Students must earn a total of 3 s.h. from the following production courses; 049:045 is prerequisite to 049:046 and 049:047.
| 049:045 Production: Run Crew |
1-2 s.h. |
| 049:046 Production: Crew Chief |
2 s.h. |
| 049:047 Production: Construction |
1-2 s.h. |
Optional production courses: With the instructor's approval, 1 s.h. of the 3 s.h. production requirement (above) is waived for students who enroll in one of the two following courses plus 049:045 during the same semester.
| 049:147 Technical Production I |
3 s.h. |
| 049:148 Technical Production: Special Topics |
3 s.h. |
One of these:
| One upper-level playwriting course (numbered 049:165 or above) |
3 s.h. |
ELECTIVES The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences maximum hours rule permits students earning a B.A. or B.S. to apply no more than 50 s.h. from one department to the minimum 120 s.h. required for graduation. Students who earn more than 50 s.h. from one department may use the additional semester hours to satisfy major requirements (if the department accepts them), and the grades they earn become part of their grade-point average. The additional semester hours are included on student's transcript, but they do not count toward the minimum 120 s.h. required for graduation. Students majoring in theatre arts may count up to 17 s.h. earned in theatre arts elective courses (prefix 049) toward the degree. They are encouraged to choose electives in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Transfer students should consult the director of undergraduate studies before registering for advanced-level electives. AUDITIONS All productions are open to anyone who wishes to audition. Each play is cast on the basis of who is best suited to the available roles. Theatre arts majors are encouraged to audition in general auditions at the beginning of the fall semester. They normally present a three-minute audition consisting of two contrasting pieces. From this audition, call-back lists are posted for major productions offered during the first semester. Additional general auditions normally are scheduled in early November and in February. Materials and information about the general auditions are available from the theatre arts office in August. Notices of auditions for all subsequent productions are posted on the department's call board. Four-Year Graduation Plan The following checkpoints list the minimum requirements students must complete by certain semesters in order to stay on the University's Four-Year Graduation Plan. Before the third semester begins: at least one-quarter of the semester hours required for graduation Before the fifth semester begins: three courses in the major (chosen from 049:025, 049:043, 049:060, 049:112, and 049:113) and at least one-half of the semester hours required for graduation Before the seventh semester begins: three more courses in the major, two semesters of production credit, and at least three-quarters of the semester hours required for graduation Before the eighth semester begins: two more courses in the major and another semester of production credit During the eighth semester: enrollment in remaining course work in the major, all remaining General Education courses, and a sufficient number of semester hours to graduate Honors Students who wish to pursue honors studies in the Department of Theatre Arts must be members of the University of Iowa Honors Program, which requires students to maintain a cumulative University of Iowa g.p.a. of at least 3.33 (contact the University of Iowa Honors Program for more information). Senior theatre arts majors who are members of the honors program, have earned a 3.33 g.p.a. in the major, and have approval from the theatre arts faculty may undertake an honors project. Projects may be analytical or creative, or an appropriate combination of the two. Projects ordinarily require an oral presentation or performance for designated faculty members as well as a research and writing component, which is due upon the project's completion. Students who wish to complete an honors project meet with the departmental honors advisor, who helps them find an appropriate advisor, prepare and gain acceptance for a written proposal, present the work, and evaluate the outcome. Theatre arts majors who are members of the University of Iowa Honors Program may take honors courses in theatre arts. Courses in the major can be designated as honors courses with permission of the faculty member who teaches the course, the department, and the honors program. Minor A minor in theatre arts requires 15 s.h. of course work in theatre arts, including at least 12 s.h. earned at The University of Iowa in advanced courses. Students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 2.00 in the minor. Advanced courses accepted for the minor include 049:021, 049:025, 049:043, 049:044, 049:060, 049:063, and any course numbered 049:100 and above. Once students have completed all prerequisites, they may choose from all theatre arts courses except 049:025 Acting I, which is reserved for students majoring in theatre arts. Students interested in acting should start the minor with 049:020 Basic Acting I and then 049:021 Basic Acting II. In rare cases, a student who has completed those may be granted permission to take 049:120 Acting II, which generally is reserved for theatre arts majors. Courses for Nonmajors Students in other majors who have an interest in the theatre arts may take courses in the department. The following courses are open to nonmajors.
| 033:161 The Arts in Performance |
3 s.h. |
| 049:002 Theatre and Society: Ancients and Moderns |
3 s.h. |
| 049:003 Theatre and Society: Romantics and Rebels |
3 s.h. |
| 049:042 Clothing as Nonverbal Communication |
3 s.h. |
| 049:101 Drama in the Classroom |
3 s.h. |
| 049:103 Voice/Speech/Text--Speaking in Public |
3 s.h. |
| 049:105 Movement for Performers |
2-3 s.h. |
| 049:109 Introduction to Arts Management |
3 s.h. |
| 049:110 Theatre for Social Outreach |
arr. |
| 049:111 New Ventures in the Arts |
3 s.h. |
| 049:182 Writing the Performance of Identity |
3 s.h. |
| 049:183 Black Feminist Tradition and Culture |
3 s.h. |
| 049:185 Culture, Diversity, and Identity |
3 s.h. |
| 049:190 African American Theatre I |
3 s.h. |
| 049:191 African American Theatre II |
3 s.h. |
| 049:192 Topics: Culturally Diverse Theatre |
3 s.h. |
| 049:195 Arts Leadership Seminar |
3 s.h. |
Nonmajors with backgrounds in the fine arts may take the following courses with consent of instructor.
Other courses may be open to nonmajors with consent of the instructor. Graduate Program The department offers a Master of Fine Arts in theatre arts. Master of Fine Arts The Master of Fine Arts in theatre arts requires 61-69 s.h. of graduate credit, depending on specialty area. Students normally must complete six semesters in residence (internships may be substituted). The graduate program is dedicated to creative development of theatre artists. Graduates have a solid background in major performance theories, dramatic literature, and practices of the past and present as well as in the craft of their chosen specialties. Special attention is given to understanding the role and importance of live theatre in society. Interactions among the various theatre disciplines are emphasized, both in classes and through the department's extensive production program. Particular emphasis is placed on the development of new works for the theatre. Students must make normal progress toward completion of the degree requirements to remain in the program: they must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 3.00 overall and in all course work within the primary area of concentration, and they must build a record of substantial creative work of high quality. Students who fail to make normal progress are placed on academic probation and given one additional semester to demonstrate their qualifications for earning the degree. Contact the Department of Theatre Arts for specific information on any of the M.F.A. specialty areas. Admission Students who demonstrate exceptional ability in acting, directing, dramaturgy, playwriting, design, or stage management may apply for admission to the program of study and production leading to the M.F.A. Admission is based on interview, audition, and/or a portfolio of relevant work, the undergraduate record or other proof of artistic accomplishment, and letters of recommendation.
Submission of playscripts is the most important
element in gaining admission to the Playwrights
Workshop.
Facilities
The University of Iowa has one of the finest educational theatre complexes
in the country. The Theatre
Building offers four theatres and up-to-date facilities for classroom,
laboratory, shop, and performance work.
The E.C. Mabie Theatre, a continental-style, 467-seat proscenium playhouse, is one of the finest theatres of its type in the United States. The David Thayer Theatre is a "black box" production space; its flexible seating units accommodate from 140 to 225 people and allow modification of space and audience relationships. Theatre B, which seats 144, is an open-stage theatre dedicated primarily to the production of new and experimental works. The flexible studio theatre seats 50. In addition to classrooms for acting and directing, several spaces are designed for teaching particular aspects of dramatic studies. The Cosmo Catalano Acting Studio is for study of movement and motion by acting students. The Arnie Gillette Design Studio serves as classroom and studio workshop for design students. To support its production schedule and to provide students with an appropriate range of experience, the department maintains shops for building, painting, maintaining, and storing scenery, costumes, and properties. Using these shops, students learn to work in metal, plastics, canvas, and wood. Productions The Department of Theatre Arts presents around 25 public productions each year. These include a subscription series of five plays, a festival of five new works by students, three productions by Iowa Summer Repertory Theatre (a professional company that also employs students), and other productions, many of them new plays. Special attention is given to the process of developing new works and to the collaborative process that involves writers, directors, designers, dramaturgs, stage managers, and actors. Graduates, undergraduates, faculty, and visiting guest artists work together on large and small projects throughout the year and in a special summer repertory season.
|
