2022-2023 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Courses
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TA 203 - The Play and its Stages
A critical approach to the dramatic text based on historical and material conditions of performance. Considers the changing ways that meanings are made through styles and conventions of performance (including set, costume, mask and vocal delivery), which are specific to historical and cultural moments. Playwrights considered may include Sophocles, Shakespeare, Racine, Molière, Chekhov, Ibsen, Brecht, Genet and Beckett. Scene work.
Course Designation/Attribute: AP
Anticipated Terms Offered: Offered periodically
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TA 205 - The Political Play
This course explores plays and playwrights dealing with a wide range of political topics written within the past 30 years. The plays will be analyzed through both a dramaturgical and historical context. A number of issues will be considered including aids, race, war, the holocaust, the Middle East, sexuality, and illness. Above all, we will analyze and discuss what it is that makes a play political?
Course Designation/Attribute: GP
Anticipated Terms Offered: Offered periodically.
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TA 208 - Jazz Dance Practice and Theory
This course will cover a fundamental understanding of the terminology and principles of jazz dance technique. The course will emphasize an awareness of alignment, jazz dance vocabulary, musicality, various theatrical styles, jazz dance history and most importantly the roots of jazz.
Course Designation/Attribute: AP
Anticipated Terms Offered: bi-annually
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TA 211 - Performance Philosophy
This course will serve as an introduction to an exciting new academic field called Performance Philosophy. Performance Philosophy is an international network of performers and researchers exploring the relationship between Philosophy and Performance, and is represented with a steadily increasing number of publications, performances, conferences and websites.
Approaching the works as artists, we will consider, engage, and confront selected works of philosophers Nietzsche, Plato, Sophocles, Hamlet, Samuel Beckett, the authors of the Cloud of the Unknowing and the Tao Te Ching, Robert Sardello, John Cage, Jean Baudrillard, Gilles Deleuze and Allan Kaprow, not to write more discourse, but through this ‘contagion’ create vital new art works.
The course meets all day Fridays, with a seminar in the morning and the studio for developing new work in the afternoon. Though this course is offered as an elective in Theatre, the course is open to V&PA majors and to all Philosophy majors who have enough experience in an artistic discipline to sustain a working project throughout the semester. Students will have an opportunity to develop independent projects or work collaboratively on a site-specific performance piece under the direction of the instructor. Admission by interview.
This course may be repeatable for credit.
Prerequisites: Permission required. Permission obtained through interview with professor.
Anticipated Terms Offered: periodically
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TA 212 - Actor as Thinker
A conceptual approach to acting theory and its application. Student develops a greater understanding of script analysis, characterization, style and the relationship of the actor to the audience. A basic course for all students who intend to continue in acting and directing, and a prerequisite for TA 213 - Studio and TA 219 - Directing Seminar . Limited to 15 students
Prerequisites: TA 112 .
Anticipated Terms Offered: Offered every year
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TA 214 - Shakespeare in Action
This acting course concentrates on the major works (Hamlet, Macbeth, Twelfth Night, Romeo and Juliet, etc.), giving the actor an introduction to Shakespeare. The actor is encouraged to maintain the same approach and techniques used in other scene work, while adding the challenge of verse and heightened language. The focus of the class is to take a Shakespearean play and create the illusion of the first-time performance.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Offered periodically
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TA 216 - Stage Management
This course explores the many duties of a stage manager. Many different skill sets are presented and analyzed including managing rehearsals, working with actors, directors, and designers. Students also gain experience at managing the performances on stage while working box office and front of house staff. Students may be assigned work on a V&PA production.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Offered Periodically.
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TA 217 - Teaching Creativity: The Main South Workshop
A class where a small group of students will learn the basic skills of teaching theatre. Clark students will run a weekly session with 12-15 students from a Worcester high school creating a theatre workshop. The students will learn how to teach improvisation, acting, and playwriting. Clark students will be mentored in curriculum and instruction techniques. By Permission Only
Prerequisites: TA 112
Anticipated Terms Offered: fall & spring
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TA 219 - Directing Seminar
Introduces the principles of directing for the stage through theory, practical application and discussion. Students study problems of interpretation and concept; the role of the director as creative and interpretive artist; and relationship to designer, stage manager and actors. Additional lab time is required.
Prerequisites: TA 212 or instructor permission.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Offered every year
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TA 220 - Film Study for Acting Training
This is an acting course that is not for actors. (Well, not just for actors.) Are you a Screen Studies major and writing about film performance? Would you like to understand the Acting process from an insider’s view? You will look at and understand film performance in a completely new way. Are you a liberal arts student that has taken Creative Actor? That’s great, but Improv is only half the story. You still have no knowledge or technique to approach a script. Are you a photography student that works with live models? How do you talk to them to get the look you are after? (Hint: just telling them what you are looking for will not do it.) Are you interested in Directing on stage or on any of the various screens? Good actors work from the inside out. You need to understand their process to work with them. Same is true if you are a writer and are thinking you might want to try your hand at a screenplay or a script for the theatre. In other words if you ever think you are going to get anywhere near actors or much less thinking about being one, you need this course. This is not a how to act on film course. This is a how to act period, course. It uses film to elucidate the acting process to achieve excellence in your performance and your understanding and ability to write and talk about it. You then can apply it to either stage, screen, image or article.
This is a performance class. You have to be there. Your attention and participation is mandatory. Getting the notes will never be sufficient. Besides approved religious observances, you will be allowed one absence. Missed classes after that will result in loss of a letter grade.
You will be asked to choose a role from a dramatic work to apply all in class acting exercises and out of class textual analysis. If you have not chosen a role by the second week, one will be assigned to you.
Grades will be determined by the student’s engagement with and discussion of the class material (lectures and exercises mostly based on material from the e-textbook FLIXACTING by Joe Olivieri and Catherine Telford and Respect for Acting by Uta Hagen) and the quality of their performance and supplemental written work. ‘A’ students will demonstrate excellence in all three areas. Excellence in two will result in a ‘B.’ Excellence in none will result in a ‘C’ or lower.
Students are also required to attend at least three cultural events on or off campus this semester. At the beginning of the semester, you will be given a list of possibilities highlighted from the Higgins School of Humanities Calendar of Events as well as other sources. You may be asked to write a paper or give a brief report/analysis on your experience.
Anticipated Terms Offered: annually
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TA 221 - Avanced Improvisation
An extension of Creative Actor, students are challenged to experience and experiment with different forms of Improvisation. Students will put on shows, watch professional improvisation, and synthesize this knowledge into their definition of improvisation for the stage. Creative Actor is a pre-requisite.
Prerequisites: TA 112
Anticipated Terms Offered: annually
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TA 226 - Advanced Production Projects
Introduces the business and practical execution of theater productions. Students learn techniques in organizing and managing different areas and departments. Requirements include participating in a supervisory position on a department show. Positions in outside theaters accepted for credit.
Spring 2018 Costume Design
This is a sewing fundamentals class in which you will learn how to hand sew, operate a sewing machine, prepare fabric for garment construction, read a pattern, identify various basic stitches, cut garments using patterns, and construct garments with both sewing machine and hand sewing techniques. The culmination of learning these skills will be making a sewing project (you will chose your pattern and fabric and the instructor will approve it or direct you to a more appropriate choice), during the class time with the assistance of the instructor.
Pre-requisite for this class is the costume design and history course or permission from the instructor. Various levels of sewing ability are able to be in this class from absolute beginner to amateur, since each project will be individually geared. The class is capped at 8 students because of sewing machine availability.
This is a studio class, most class work will be done in class.
Prerequisites: TA 125
Anticipated Terms Offered: periodically
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TA 230 - Playwriting
Students learn basic techniques of stagecraft including dialogue and character development, as well as dramatic structure and the technical elements of a play. Students will write every week and complete assignments to be read in class.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Offered every year
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TA 236 - Playwriting II
This is a course for advanced playwrights who want to bring their work to a higher level. As a result, much is expected in terms of productivity and quality. Students will write a minimum of 10 new pages per week, in addition to rewrites that are suggested in and out of class. New pages will be read and critiqued in class each week. There will be an open discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the piece from the perspectives of both performer and writer. The goal is to strengthen this relationship through constant work and critique. Every month, students will give a public performance of some of the scenes written for class. By semester’s end, each student will have completed one full-length play and a complete act of another full length.
Prerequisites: Playwriting I is a prerequisite. Permission is also required.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Offered periodically
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TA 246 - The Great American Art Form: A Study of Musical Theater
A thorough investigation of the history, structure ad performance of American musical theatre. Lectures and demonstrations will be augmented with films and recordings. Students will prepare and present scenes and songs from selected musical plays, illustrating integration of libretto, score, and dance in American musical theatre.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Every three years
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TA 290 - Theatre Capstone
This is a special project which will be devised and developed in consultation with the student’s advisor. It can take many forms depending on the student’s area of theatrical study. For example, for students focusing on technical theatre, it may be a set or sound design of a mainstage production. For playwrights, the development of a full-length play. For actors, a performance in a mainstage show. For directors, the mounting of a mainstage production. For dramaturges, it may be working as an assistant director on a full-length play and/or developing a study guide for audience members.
Anticipated Terms Offered: annually
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TA 297 - Honors
Students receive variable credit for advanced research & readings in the honors program.
Anticipated Terms Offered: na
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TMHR 5203 - Employment Law
Workplace laws in the United States are ever evolving and changing. This course will look at the history of workplace legal protections; current laws, regulations and issues; and emerging legal issues. Areas of employment law that will be examined include laws about hiring, termination, promotion, workplace discrimination, workplace security, privacy and safety, wages/compensation and benefits, immigration, and labor management relations. The course will focus on U.S. federal laws and regulations.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Annually
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TMHR 5206 - Talent Development
It is critical today for human resources and organizational leaders to understand the importance of developing talent in their organizations to meet strategic goals and to recruit and retain top talent. This course examines the concepts, problems, issues and practices involved in training and developing the human resources of organizations. Through readings, assignments, case study analysis, and other projects, students will learn how to assess training and development needs, identify training objectives, design and develop training programs, and plan the delivery of programs and evaluate their effectiveness.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Annually
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TMHR 5211 - Compensation and Benefit
This course will focus on the multiple components that make up employee compensation packages, and the impact this area has on organizational performance and strategic objectives, as well as employee attraction and retention. Topics to be examined and discussed include salary (base pay, merit pay and other variable pay programs), health related benefits, pension and retirement benefits, family care benefits, educational benefits, and employee well being benefits, among others. Latest practices in the areas of compensation and benefits will be an emphasis of the course.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Annually
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TMHR 5216 - Talent Acquisition and Diversity
This course provides the strategies, concepts, and practices essential to the effective selection of personnel to accomplish a business objective, with an emphasis on recruiting, promoting, and retraining employees. The course also provides students with a knowledge and awareness of the issues, challenges, and theories surrounding the various topics within the discussion of diversity and inclusion. Students will also develop an understanding of the strategies, practices and initiatives currently being designed and employed by organizations to better understand the value and competitive business advantage associated with greater diversity and inclusion. Other topics include budget development, job descriptions, interviewing techniques, assessment, testing, background investigations, legal requirements, reporting of results to management, employee orientation, outplacement, and ethnic diversity issues.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Annually
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UDSC 245 - Going Local: Community Development and Planning
The purpose of this seminar is to introduce students to theories, debates and practical strategies regarding the development of urban communities. Students gain an enhanced understanding of the complexities inherent to the concepts of community and participation. They critically analyze “community” as a set of social relations, as a local economy, as a built environment, and as a political organization. Students begin to recognize the importance of race, gender, age, class, identity, and culture in working with communities. Finally, they examine the roles and effectiveness of the methods, models and strategies used by informal neighborhood organizations, banks, private developers, local nonprofits, and government agencies in rebuilding communities and their economies. Case examples and articles from across the United States will be used. Worcester’s neighborhoods-which provide excellent examples of physical, social, and economic development strategies-will be highlighted throughout this course.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall
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UDSC 299 - Directed Study
Undergraduates, typically juniors and seniors, construct an independent study course on a topic approved and directed by a faculty member. Offered for variable credit. May be repeatable for credit.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Every Semester
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WGS 110 - Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies
In this course we will explore the ways in which ideas about femininity and masculinity have shaped women’s lives-locally and globally, in the present and historically-and how some women have challenged, even transformed, those meanings and the social relationships that flow from those two potent ideas. Among the topics that may be considered are: beauty, war, sports, politics, women’s movements, sexuality, race, work, violence, fashion, family, globalization, feminism, creativity, religion, media and girlhood.
Note: WGS 110 is open to all students in all majors. The content varies by semester, reflecting the instructor’s individual field of study and expertise. As an introductory course, preference is given to incoming first-year students and students entering their sophomore year. Juniors and seniors may register only by permission of the instructor.
Course Designation/Attribute: GP
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall
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WGS 200 - Topics in Feminist Theory
Topics in Feminist Theory is designed to offer a survey of feminist theories and practices, and explores the relationship between gender, sexuality, race/ethnicity, and class.,. Focus changes with each offering, depending on faculty interest. May be repeated for credit (taken a max of 2 times).
Spring 2021 Topic: GENDER AND POWER. How does gender inequality arise, both within formal and informal institutions? What mechanisms and dynamics perpetuate such inequality? What strategies exist, both historically and in the contemporary moment, to challenge these inequalities? This course examines the relationship between gender and power both theoretically and empirically. We will examine the historical existence of gender-based inequalities and explore the ways these animate the different waves of the feminist movement in the US context. We will also explore gender-based inequality in a global perspective, drawing on theoretical frameworks developed outside of the US to further our study of the relationship between gender and power. The course will conclude with various contemporary case studies, where students will use the theoretical frameworks developed throughout the course to analyze the relationship between gender and power as it emerges on today’s political stage.
Prerequisites: WGS 110 - Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies
Course Designation/Attribute: GP
Anticipated Terms Offered: Spring
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WGS 240 - Special Topics: Women’s and Gender Studies
This course addresses current or timely topics in the area of Women’s and Gender Studies. Topics can vary from semester to semester.
Spring 2021 Topic: BLACK FEMINIST THOUGHT This course engages in critical examination of the key issues, assumptions, debates and political commitments that populate Black feminist thought. Foregrounding the centrality of Black feminism to anti-racism, resistance to gender oppression, and the emergence of the queer of color critique, this class centralizes Black women’s experiences as multiply minoritized and multiply marginalized members of our contemporary global and political landscape. We will analyze seminal theoretical texts and recent scholarship to work through the issues and questions that they raise. The overall aim of this course is to link, if not locate, contemporary feminist theories and practices with widely encompassing traditions of women’s political activism, theory, and cultural production. This class will be a capstone course, and will include a final paper showcasing students’ original research.
* If cap enrollment has been reached, please contact the instructor for permission to enroll.
** Pre-requisite of WGS 110 or seek approval from the instructor.
*** WGS students can count this toward the capstone requirement if they complete an additional assignment; see the instructor for details.
May be repeatable for credit.
Course Designation/Attribute: DI
Anticipated Terms Offered: Annually in Fall
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WGS 298 - Internship
An Academic internship is a practical work experience with an academic component that enables a student to gain knowledge and skills within an organization, industry, or functional area that reflects the student’s academic and professional interests.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Fall/Spring
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WGS 299 - Directed Study
Undergraduates, typically juniors and seniors, construct an independent study course on a topic approved and directed by a faculty member. Offered for variable credit. May be repeatable for credit.
Anticipated Terms Offered: Every Semester
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