THEATER 650/ACTING THEORY
Tuesdays 2:30-5:30pm
Instructor: Gil McCauley
Office Hours: Mondays 1:30- 4:30pm (or by appointment)
Office: FAC 109/Phone: 545-6815/E-mail gilmac@theater.umass.edu
"Every time an actor performs, he or she implicitly enacts a 'theory' of acting-a set of assumptions about the conventions and style which guide his or her performance, the structure of actions which he or she performs, the shape that those actions take(as a character, role, or sequence of actions as in some performance art) and the relationship to the audience."
Phillip B. Zarrrilli from Acting (Re)Considered
ACTING THEORY is intended to be a preliminary examination of performance studies literature with a focus on the craft of acting. The course is geared toward the theoretical interests and practical needs of student directors with an emphasis on "responding creatively" to the material in written form and actual performance.
REQUIREMENTS include constructive participation in weekly discussions and preparation of two written responses(2-3 pages, to be read in class) and two performed response(2-5minutes) to selected reading assignments. (Specifics with regards to written and performed responses will be detailed in class.)
BOOKS (Available at Jeffrey Amherst Bookshop)
Acting (Re)Considered, Phillip B. Zarrilli, ed.
Theory/Theatre, Mark Fortier
February 4 Introduction
February 11 Reading: Theatre, Life and Language (TT)
February 18 No Class(Monday Class Schedule)
February 25 Reading: The Actor's Presence (AR)
March 4 Reading: On Acting and Not-Acting (AR)March 11 Reading: "Just Be Yourself": Logocentrism and difference in performance theory (AR), Task and Vision (AR)
March 18 No Class(Spring Break)
March 25 Reading: Brecht and the Contradictory Actor (AR), An Epic System (AR)
April 1 Reading: Subjectivity and Theatre (TT)
April 8 Reading: Rachel Rosenthal Creating Her Selves (AR)
April 15 Reading: Resisting the "Organic": A feminist actor's approach (AR)April 22 Reading: World and Theatre (TT)
April 29 Reading: Culture is the Body (AR)
May 6 Reading: Actor Training in the Neutral Mask (AR)May 13 Wrap up and Evaluation
