OBJECTIVES

Oral Interpretation is both a course of study and a performance workshop. The discipline of Oral Interpretation is the artistic, aesthetic, and carefully considered sharing of our personal study and understanding of a literary selection with an audience. In this class you will read assigned texts and select literature for oral interpretation. Through analysis, rehearsal and performance of different works you will experience the art of oral interpretation. The course is designed to:

1. To help you in developing an appreciation for the oral presentation of literature;

2. To introduce you to the means of selecting a work to perform;

3. To teach you how to analyze a selection;

4. To teach you how to use the body and voice in oral presentations;

5. To help you to interpret prose, poetry, and drama;

6. To help you learn more about how to listen;

7. To assist you in accepting criticism and giving advice to other readers;

8. To help you in the on-going discussion and distinction between acting and interpretation;

9. To help you in preparing (cutting, adapting) a script for presentation; and

10. To assist you in preparing for public performance

Required Text

Charlotte I. Lee and Timothy Gura, Oral Interpretation. Tenth Edition (Houghton Mifflin Co: Boston). This text is available at the College Store on Riordan Road and it is required for this class. This is an excellent text and it will serve all students who are interested in working as Actors, Directors and Teachers.

Course Requirements and Grading

Each student will be required to do the following:

Introductory Reading (non-graded) with COM 301 project*

Prose Reading Three to five minutes (not to exceed five minutes) 10%

Drama Reading Three to five minutes (not to exceed five minutes) 10%

Poetry Reading Three to Five minutes (not to exceed five minutes) 10%

Lecture Recital Ten Minutes (not to exceed 10 minutes) 25%

Oral Interpretation Program 20-25 minutes 30%

One Examination 15%

*Non-graded but required passing the course

90 ---- 100 = A (outstanding work)

80 ---- 90 = B (good, clearly above average)

70 ---- 80 = C (fully satisfactory work fulfilling all requirements)

60 ---- 70 = D (needs improvement, below average)

Final Grade

Your final grade will be based on all of the assignment listed above. In addition to the points for each assignment the instructor will consider the following:

The improvements that you make in your performances.
The improvements that you make in your written assignment
Your attendance
The positive commitment that you bring to this class
The positive contribution that you bring to all aspects of this class.

Lecture/Recital Performance One ten-minutes oral interpretation recital on a person, a theme or a subject approved by the instructor. The purpose of the recital will be to explore various aspects of that person, theme or subject through literature and performance of literature. Students will be graded on performance and the structure of the recital, its coherence and emotional/intellectual effectiveness. Prose and poetry required, the use of drama is optional. Lectures are designed to convey information, understanding, meaning and application—i.e., to teach. Lecture recitals must be entertaining as well as informational.

Oral Interpretation Program

Working with a partner, students will develop a 25-30 minute program in oral interpretational designed to enrich and entertain through a variety of materials and media. Partners may use up to five performers for their project. The program may be based on an author, a theme or a subject and it must include poetry, prose, drama, group presentation (including choral reading) and a variety of presentational forms (movement as well as reading from the lectern; memorized as well as scripted; narration as well as characterization). Written, typed programs will be required in addition to the performance and a master score will be turned in as a portion of the grade.

Writings

Each student will write two papers:

1. Written Justifications of Performance Choices and Critiques of Performances. This requirement entails a written justification of your choices, intents and purposes. The paper will follow the MLA Handbook standard for academic papers and will be at least four pages in length. This paper will cover one (1) of your readings of Prose, Drama or Poetry.

2. A critique of one of the rounds (Prose, Drama or Poetry). These written critiques will analyze the performance of two student readers. It will exam the quality of understanding that the reader brings to performance as well as the performance and ultimately the ability of the reader to communicate and move the audience. This paper will follow the MLA Handbook standard for academic papers and will be at least four pages in length. You will be assigned those who you will evaluate.

Attendance

The Theatre Division attendance policy governs attendance in this course; two unexcused absences are allowed. Additional absences result in the lowering of the student’s grade by one-half letter per absence. Eight (8) absences in a T/TH class, excused or unexcused, results in an administrative drop from the course with a grade of “F.” The University attendance policy is that attendance and missed work is the responsibility of the student not the instructor. Instructors are under no obligation to make special arrangements for students who have been absent.

Plagiarism and Cheating

Academic honesty is expected and demanded in this class. Any evidence of either plagiarism or any form cheating will result in automatic failure of this course. Further, the Professor is required by University policy to report incidents of plagiarism and cheating to the Dean for discipline and possible expulsion from the University.

General Reference

The World Wide Web Virtual Library

The Internet Public Library

The Library of Congress

Webster’s English Dictionary

Roget’s Thesaurus

MLA Style Handbook

WWW Resources

Aaron Shepard’s Readers Theatre site

Project Gutenberg. “Fine Literature Digitally Re-published”

Boston Book Review over 500 of the BBR’s in depth book reviews, essays and interviews

Banned Books On-Line. Literature some people think is dangerous or prurient

The Fiction Page a page of fiction

Guide to Literature on the Internet

Looking for some Shakespeare

Or even more Shakespeare

Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman

Information and links to the art and sullen craft of Dylan Thomas with other links to C.S.Lewis, J R. R. Tolkien, Yeats, W H Auden, James Joyce, Virginia Woolf

(If you fine other good www links send them my way and I will give you extra credit.)

Tentative Schedule of Classes; spring 2001

Class Topic or Activity

January

1/16 Introduction to Course – Syllabus Ch 1

1/18 Lecture – What is Oral Interpretation Ch 2

1/23 Interdisciplinary Project with Com 301 Race, Gender

and the Media –Introductory Readings/Discussion

1/25 Interdisciplinary Project with Com 301 Race, Gender

and the Media – Introductory Readings/Discussion

1/30 Interdisciplinary Project with Com 301 Race, Gender

and the Media –Introductory Readings/Discussion

February

2/1 Interdisciplinary Project with Com 301 Race, Gender and the Media -Introductory Readings

2/6 Introduction to Prose Ch 5/6

2/8 Prose Fiction Readings

2/13 Prose Fiction Readings

2/15 Prose Fiction Readings

2/20 Lecture Body/Voice Ch 3/4

2/22 Lecture Cutting and Scoring Ch 7/8

2/27 Drama Readings

March

3/1 Drama Readings

Meet with Professor to discuss your progress in class

3/6 Spring Break

3/8 Spring Break

3/13 Drama Readings

3/15 Drama Readings

3/20 Introduction to Poetry/Lecture

3/22 Poetry Readings Ch9/10

3/27 Poetry Readings

3/29 Poetry Readings

April

4/3 Examination --- Lecture Recitals

Papers Due for:

1. Justification of your reading

2. Critique of Readings

Lecture and Recitals & Meet with your Professor to discuss your progress in class

4/5 Lecture and Recitals

4/10 Lecture and Recitals

4/12 Lecture and Recitals

4/17 Programs

4/19 Programs

4/24 Programs

4/26 Programs

May

5/1 Public Performance

5/3 Public Performance

5/4 Last Day of Instruction

5/8 – 0730-0930 Final Exam

Student Information

Name: ___________________________________________________

Major and Minor ___________________________________________

Class Standing ___________________________________________

Phone ___________________________________________________

E-Mail Address _____________________________________________

Experience in Oral Interpretation, Speech related Performance and/or Theatre

What are your goals for this class?