Catalog 2019-2020

Theatre Arts and Dance

Teaching Faculty

Professors Muse (chair) and Rogers   
Associate Professor Horne
Murphy Fellow Vaught 
Adjunct Teaching Staff H. Payne and Smith


Description

The Department of Theatre Arts and Dance offers a major in Theatre Arts, a minor in Theatre Arts and a minor in Dance. Students choosing to major in Theatre Arts and minor in Dance may double count courses required for the major toward the completion of the minor.

Major in Theatre Arts

12 courses distributed as follows:

  • TART 135  Voice and Movement for the Theatre
  • TART 140 Beginning Acting
  • TART 210 Script Into Performance: Text Analysis
  • TART 260 Theatre Production: Scenery and Lighting
  • TART 280 Theatre Production: Costume and Make-up
  • TART 310 History of the Theatre and Drama I
  • TART 311 History of the Theatre and Drama II
  • TART 430 Stage Directing
  • TART 450 Production Design
  • TART 497 Senior Seminar
  • One additional course in Theatre Arts or Dance at the 200-level or above
  • Theatre Production Practicum (.25 credit each, all four are required, 1 course credit total) Department faculty register students with the Registrar
          TARA P21 House & Publicity, Assistant Stage-Manager, or Properties
          TARA P22 Acting, Stage-Manager, Dance Captain, Sound, or Choreography
          TARA P23 Scenery & Lighting
          TARA P24 Costume & Make-up

Senior Capstone Experience

The Senior Capstone Experience for the Theatre Arts major consists of two parts. Part one is the student's written Manifesto for the Theatre and a public presentation of the Manifesto. Part two is completion of TART 497 Senior Seminar. The capstone grade is based on the written and oral Manifesto.

Minor in Theatre Arts

7 courses distributed as follows:

  • TART 210  Script Into Performance: Text Analysis 
  • 1 course from the following: 
              DANC 160  Reading and Writing Dance: An Introduction  
              TART 135  Voice and Movement for the Theatre 
              TART 140  Beginning Acting  
  • 1 course from the following: 
              TART 260  Theatre Production: Scenery and Lighting 
              TART 280  Theatre Production: Costume and Make-up  
  • 1 course from the following: 
              TART 310  History of the Theatre and Drama I 
              TART 311  History of the Theatre and Drama II 
  • 1 course from the following: 
              TART 290  Beginning Playwriting  
              TART 430  Stage Directing  
              TART 450  Production Design  
  • One additional course in Theatre Arts or Dance at the 200-level or above
  • Theatre Production Practicum (.25 credit each, all four are required, 1 course credit total) Department faculty register students with the Registrar 
              TARA P21  House & Publicity, Assistant Stage-Manager, or Properties 
              TARA P22  Acting, Stage-Manager, Dance Captain, Sound, or Choreography  
              TARA P23  Scenery & Lighting  
              TARA P24  Costume & Make-up

Minor in Dance

7 courses distributed as follows:

  • DANC 160  Reading and Writing Dance: An Introduction 
  • DANC 325  Choreography 
  • 2 courses from the following:   
             DANC 215  Modern Dance Technique  
             DANC 216  Ballet Technique 
             DANC 217  Jazz Dance Technique   
  • 1 courses from the following: 
             TART 260  Theatre Production: Scenery and Lighting 
             TART 280  Theatre Production: Costume and Makeup 
  • DANA A30  Dance Ensemble -four semesters (.25 credit each semester) 
  • Theatre Production Practicum (.25 credit each, all four are required, 1 course credit total) Department faculty register students with the Registrar 
             TARA P21  House & Publicity, Assistant Stage-Manager, or Properties  
             TARA P22  Acting, Stage-Manager, Dance Captain, Sound, or Choreography 
             TARA P23  Scenery & Lighting 
             TARA P24  Costume & Make-up

Hendrix Players

Participation in dramatic productions is open to all Hendrix students. Students who participate in the activities of the Hendrix Players perform in plays that cover a wide range of dramatic literature, build sets and costumes, and participate in other technical aspects of dramatic performance. The activities of the Hendrix Players take place in the Cabe Theatre and Staples Auditorium.

Hendrix Dance Ensemble

Auditions for the Hendrix Dance Ensemble are held during the first week of the fall semester. The ensemble meets to rehearse on Tuesday, Thursday from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. in the Dance Studio. The work of the ensemble culminates in a faculty choreographed performance in the fall semester, a faculty and student choreographed Dance Ensemble Concert in the spring semester, and participation in the American College Dance Festival Association.


Students who successfully complete two semesters of TARA A30 fulfil two Physical Activities capacities requirements toward graduation. Note that there is a limit of two course credits from partial credit courses that can be applied toward the 32 courses required for graduation.

Accademia dell’ Arte

Hendrix is the accrediting institution for courses through the Accademia dell' Arte in Arezzo, Italy. Located in a beautifully restored sixteenth-century villa just south of Florence, the Accademia dell' Arte offers intensive work in theatre, dance, music, and film production. Courses are offered during fall, spring, and two summer semesters. Additional information and application forms are available at www.dellarte.it , or by emailing info@dellarte.it . Contact the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance chair for information about how to use Accademia dell' Arte courses for the Theatre Arts major, minor or Dance minor.

Program Course Listings

The courses for this program are organized into the following categories:

Theatre Arts Courses

TART 100

Introduction to Theatre

Engaged understanding of the nature of theatre, and of those whose creative and collaborative processes bring texts to the stage through informed choices.

Artistic Creativity AC
Expressive Arts EA
TART 135

Voice and Movement for the Theatre

Combined focus on freeing the natural voice through text reading and stage movement.

Expressive Arts EA
TART 140

Beginning Acting

Students study Stanislavski as a basis for scene work. The approach frees the actor from mechanical, self-conscious behavior on stage and enhances the awareness of the given circumstances and finding truth in the moment.

Artistic Creativity AC
Expressive Arts EA
TART 210

Script to Perform: Text Analysis

Study and analysis of dramatic texts for the purpose of transforming scripts into theatrical productions.

Expressive Arts EA
Literary Studies LS
TART 260

Production: Scenery & Lighting

Techniques of lighting, sound, scenery and property construction for the theatre.

Artistic Creativity AC
Expressive Arts EA
TART 280

Production: Costume & Make-up

Techniques of make-up and costume design and construction for the theatre.

Artistic Creativity AC
Expressive Arts EA
TART 290

Beginning Playwriting

Construction of the dramatic text through in-depth research and disciplined creativity.

Artistic Creativity AC
Expressive Arts EA
TART 295

Computer Aided Drafting (CAD)

This course allows students of all disciplines to explore the basic mechanics of 2-D drawing and 3-D modeling. Basic concepts presented in this class can be applied to most drafting and visualization programs and are particularly useful to students interested in art, architecture, film, animation, interior design, engineering, and theatrical design.

Artistic Creativity AC
Expressive Arts EA
TART M24

The Craft of Playwriting

In this course students incorporate practice, analysis, and experimentation to create a full-length piece of dramatic literature. Students explore the multi-faceted discipline of playwriting by reading established works of theatre as well as critical theory about the purpose, implementation, and moral obligation of dramatic literature. These readings serve to develop aptitude for creating work as well as constructively critiquing peers’ work. This course is open only to Murphy Scholars in Literature and Language.

TART 310

Theatre History

Study of Theatre history and dramatic texts from the Classical Era through the Eighteenth Century. Offered in alternate years.

Historical Perspectives HP
Literary Studies LS
Writing Level 2 W2
TART 311

History of Theatre and Drama II

Study of Theatre history and dramatic texts from Romanticism through Modernism. Offered in alternate years.

Historical Perspectives HP
Literary Studies LS
Writing Level 2 W2
TART 390

Advanced Playwriting

An extension of TART 290. Construction of the dramatic text through in-depth research and disciplined creativity.

Artistic Creativity AC
Expressive Arts EA
TART 391

Special Topics in Acting

A special topics course in theatrical, textual, and kinesthetic studies. This course can be repeated for additional credits as long as the section topics are different. Recent section topics include Modern Scene Study and Audition Technique, Acting Meisner. Consult the online course schedule for information about the topics currently scheduled to be taught.

Expressive Arts EA
TART 392

Special Topics in Design

A special topics course in set and costume design. This course can be repeated for additional credits as long as the section topics are different. Consult the online course schedule for information about the topics currently scheduled to be taught.

Expressive Arts EA
TART 393

Special Topics in Performance

A special topics course in performance. This course can be repeated for additional credits as long as the section topics are different. Consult the online course schedule for information about the topics currently scheduled to be taught.

Expressive Arts EA
TART M31

Murphy Tutorial in Literature

Students pursue in-depth exploration of a topic in dramatic literature. The course, taught in one-hour weekly sessions, has a low faculty-to-student ratio (1:2 or 1:3) and stresses, writing, reading, peer critiquing, and oral presentation skills. It culminates in a group activity such as a field trip, student symposium, engaged-learning project, or gathering with other tutorial pairs. This course is open only to Murphy Scholars in Literature and Language.

TART 430

Stage Directing

Study of play analysis and of the techniques of staging plays. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor

Consent of instructor
Expressive Arts EA
TART 450

Production Design

Process of unified design for the technical elements of a play. Prerequisites: TART 260 and TART 280 or consent of instructor

TART 260 and TART 280 or consent of instructor
Artistic Creativity AC
Expressive Arts EA
TART 497

Theatre Arts: Senior Seminar

A collaborative synthesis: Theory transformed into theatrical practice. Prerequisite: Senior Theatre Arts Majors or consent of instructor

Senior Theatre Arts Majors or consent of instructor
Artistic Creativity AC
Expressive Arts EA
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Theatre Production Practicum Activities

Practicum offers the student extensive experience in play production. Students interested in taking this course should not pre-register. Students should contact department faculty members during the week of orientation and registration in fall or during the first week of classes in the spring. The grade earned in each Practicum is included in the computation of the student's grade point average. Students must complete all four areas of practicum in order to receive a full course credit for the major, EA credit and Odyssey [SP] credit. Note there is a limit of two course credits from partial credit courses that can be used toward the 32 courses required for graduation.

TARA P21

House&Pub/Asst Stage Manager/Props

Practicum offers the student extensive experience in a play production. Students interested in taking this course should not pre-register. Students should contact department faculty members during the week of orientation and registration in fall or during the first week of classes in the spring.

Expressive Arts EA
TARA P22

Acting/St Man/Dance Capt/Sound

Practicum offers the student extensive experience in a play production. Students interested in taking this course should not pre-register. Students should contact department faculty members during the week of orientation and registration in fall or during the first week of classes in the spring.

Expressive Arts EA
TARA P23

Scenery and Lighting

Practicum offers the student extensive experience in a play production. Students interested in taking this course should not pre-register. Students should contact department faculty members during the week of orientation and registration in fall or during the first week of classes in the spring.

Expressive Arts EA
TARA P24

Costume and Make-up

Practicum offers the student extensive experience in a play production. Students interested in taking this course should not pre-register. Students should contact department faculty members during the week of orientation and registration in fall or during the first week of classes in the spring.

Expressive Arts EA
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Dance Courses

DANC 160

Reading & Writing Dance

An introduction to dance design and focusing on the interpretive processes of viewing through the Liz Lerman critical response process or “reading” dance and the creating/revising processes of choreographing “writing” dance using historical and contemporary dance artists and styles as the foundational “grammar.”

Expressive Arts EA
DANC 215

Modern Dance Technique

A modern dance technique class focusing on developing the basic fundamentals, theories, vocabulary and theatricality of modern dance along with a holistic approach to a life-long learning of physical health and fitness.

Artistic Creativity AC
Expressive Arts EA
DANC 216

Ballet Technique

A ballet technique class, focusing on developing the basic fundamentals of classical ballet movement and alignment, vocabulary, theories and style along with a holistic approach to a life-long learning of physical health and fitness.

Artistic Creativity AC
Expressive Arts EA
DANC 217

Jazz Dance Technique

A jazz dance technique class focusing on the introduction to and the development of various styles, vocabulary and theories of jazz along with a holistic approach to a life-long learning of physical health and fitness.

Artistic Creativity AC
Expressive Arts EA
DANC 325

Choreography

A study of the fundamentals of the craft of choreography through a variety of improvisational components, a study of contemporary choreographers, theory and process.

Expressive Arts EA
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Dance Activities

DANA A30

Dance Ensemble

A performance ensemble of choreographed dance that may accrue 1/4 course credit per semester. Acceptance is by audition. Two semesters of DANA A30 fulfill the two Physical Activities capacities requirement toward graduation. Note there is a limit of two course credits from partial credit courses that can be used toward the 32 courses required for graduation.

Artistic Creativity AC
Expressive Arts EA
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