• Commitment, participation, attitude 60%
• Assignments & tests 40%

NOTES:

An approach to the elements of acting based on improvisation, with some attention to working from established texts. Focus will be placed on the development of the actor's instrument. The work will include the development of individual powers of expression - vocally, physically, intellectually, imaginatively, and emotionally. May be of particular interest to students in other departments. Students with credit for FPA 150 may not take this course for further credit.

GRADING:

Commitment, Participation, Attitude (60%) Attendance, curiosity, active engaged participation, willingness to explore, depth of investigation, following creative impulses, respect for peers, cooperation, leadership, willingness to take risks.  

Assignments (40%)  

Reflection Papers (5% of final grade)
Due Dates: Feb. 8, Apr. 5
Students are to hand in reflection papers at mid-term and end of term. These papers should each be 2 – 3 typed double-spaced pages. Legible hand-written responses will also be accepted, and should reflect a similar word count. These papers are an opportunity for you to reflect on your work of the term and should document your personal discoveries, questions, observations, habits, patterns frustrations and joys. They may include feelings, sensations, emotions, thoughts, questions, images, and drawings. Emphasis on curiosity and detail. They may include descriptions of particular assignments or explorations and your response. You may also include relevant experiences and observations from your personal practice outside of class, and applying the work in rehearsal, etc. You should identify what you have discovered through our work together, what you sense is holding you back or how you hold yourself back, and what is your next step or curiosity. It is strongly suggested that you keep a work journal for yourself throughout the term documenting these themes that you can draw from in writing your reflection papers.  

Voice Body Paper (5% of final grade)    
Due Date: Jan. 16
Full details to be provided in class. You will be given a questionnaire, but are free to explore beyond/outside of these questions if necessary. This paper is about your voice and body, so please include all details that you feel are pertinent. As with reflection paper, the instructor respects your confidentiality. If you write anything you would prefer not be read, please simply black it out or cover it up. Papers will be graded on their depth of investigation and discovery. Papers are preferred in legible hand-written form, but may be typed. Minimum writing time is 1 hour, and maximum 4 hours.   

Audition Test (10% of final grade)
Due Date: Feb. 20     
Students are expected to read the required text ”Audition “ by Michael Shurtleff. Readings will be assigned each week. Students will be expected to complete these readings in a timely manner and to participate in class discussions on the assigned material each week. An open book essay on the content and material discussed will be assigned before reading break, and due on your first day back. Guidelines and format for the written assignment will be provided by the instructor.  

Monologue Text Assignment (10% of final grade)      
Due Date: Mar. 8
Students will be required to complete a written text assignment in relationship to their individual, personalized understanding of the given circumstances of their monologue and character. The format and guidelines for the written assignment will be provided in class by the instructor.   

Monologue Showings (10% of final grade)       
Due Date: Selections: Jan. 23 
Showings: Mar. 8, Apr. 10    
Students must choose a monologue to work on. It must be a two-minute (about 20 lines), age-appropriate, contemporary monologue from a published play.  A list of possible choices will be provided, but other submissions will also be considered. Students must submit their top two choices by the due date. Choices will be finalized by the instructor in consultation with the students. Each student is expected to read the entire play their selection comes from to inform their understanding of character and context. Students will show their monologue twice throughout the term. After the first showing, students will receive individual coaching and feedback on their monologue in class, in partial preparation for a final showing on the last day of class. All students are also expected to practice and develop their monologues for homework. Students will be graded on preparation, depth of investigation, discovery, risk, creative impulse, clarity, and application of the work explored in class to your performance work.

ATTENDANCE:

Attendance at all sessions is mandatory and lateness is unacceptable. Any absences or lates will affect your final grade. Three absences may result in course failure. If you are more than fifteen minutes late for class you are considered absent. Three lates are counted as an absence. If you are going to be late or absent you must notify the instructor by telephone at the number given above. Any student who is absent or late without prior arrangement with the Instructor for an excused absence (at the Instructor’s discretion) may have for each absence a half letter grade deducted (that’s 4 points out of 100) from their final grade (and 2 points out of 100 for each late).     

DRESS:

Please wear comfortable clothing you can easily move in.  Tights, sweats, or yoga pants. No jeans or skirts. No dangly jewelry. No heavy scents. Hair must be tied back away from the face. No shoes – we will work in bare feet or socks (unless orthopedics are required, in which case, please speak to the instructor). Dressing in layers is recommended.