OFFICE HOURS: 9:15-10:15 Tuesday/Thursday

COURSE DESCRIPTION: An intensive study of Contemporary Drama. Students will gain practice in how to read plays, how to discuss plays in groups and individually, how to see plays in performance and finally, how to write about plays.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

1. To help students learn how to study and understand a play.
2. To help students work in groups and make presentations on various aspects of a play.
3. To help students develop skills to verbally discuss plays.
4. To help students cultivate skills to write about plays.
5. To assist students in articulating their own opinions about plays.

REQUIRED TEXT:

The Bedford Introduction to DRAMA, third edition by Lee A. Jacobus (1997)

ATTENDANCE

Attendance is mandatory. See p.2 of the NAU Student Handbook 1996-1998

PROCEDURES

This class is designed as a seminar. The class will read and discuss contemporary plays. To that end we will:

1. On Tuesday each student will turn in a short play analysis of the play to be discussed that week.

2. On Thursday (the last 10-15 minutes of class) students will assign themselves to a discussion team. That team will meet and plan their strategy for discussion. (See Team names below)

3. On Tuesday the class may read aloud from the play. Hopefully, these "out loud" readings will stimulate questions that can be used by the discussion teams.

4. Thursdays will be discussion days. Individual discussion teams will make their presentations. General discussion may follow the team presentations.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT INDIVIDUALS STUDENTS MUST DO OUT-SIDE WORK TO MAKE THEIR TEAM PRESENTATION MEANINGFUL. ONLY A GENIUS OR SOMEONE WHO HAS A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE IN THEATRE WILL BE ABLE TO TALK/DEMONSTRATE, ETC., "OFF THE
CUFF" ABOUT THE PLAYS THAT WE WILL STUDY. BUT DON'T FORGET, THIS IS A VERY OPEN CLASS AND THERE ARE MANY, MANY WAYS TO APPROACH DISCUSSING A PLAY DISCUSSION TEAMS.

1. The Theme Team - What is the Theme of the Play?
2. The Language Team - How is language used in this play?
3. The Character Team - How are characters depicted in this play?
4. The Playwright Team - Who are the Playwrights? What do we know about them? How does this help us to understand the play?
5. The Creative Team - almost anything can happen. Perhaps an acting scene will be presented, or a rehearsed reading, or maybe a guest is invited to speak on an aspect of the play. Here is your chance to have fun and be creative.

PLAYS THAT WE WILL READ, DISCUSSED AND STUDIED

1. Desire Under the Elms by Eugene O'Neill
2. Mother Courage by Bertolt Brecht
3. Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
4. Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
5. Endgame by Samuel Beckett
6. Buried Child by Sam Shepard
7. Top Girls by Caryl Churchill
8. Master Harold . . .and the Boys by Athol Fugard
9. 'Night, Mother by Marsha Norman
10. Fences by August Wilson
11. The Death of the Last Black Man in The Whole Entire World By Susan-Lori Parks
12. Oleanna by David Mamet
13. Angles in America: Millennium Approaches by Tony Kushner
14. From Twilght: Los Angeles, 1992 by Anna Deavere Smith

REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING FOR THE COURSE

In order to receive a grade of "C" you must:

1. Have good attendance in class - no more than three unexcused absences.
2. Be on time - You are not tardy.
3. Turn in a "Play Analysis paper" on every Tuesday.
4. Read all plays assigned.
5. Participate in class discussions.
6. Be an effective team player within the groups that you are assigned. This means that you show evidence of "work" within a group and that you participate in groups discussions by giving presentations (both verbal and written).
7. Attend two plays produced by NAU Theatre and write a short (3 pages) evaluation of each performance. Those plays are: Inherit the Wind (Performance Dates: October 9, 10 (@2:00 & 8:00), 14,15,16, & 17) and Guys and Dolls (Performance Dates: October 23,24, (@7:30) & 25(@2:00 p.m.)
8. Write two evaluations (2 pages) from the list of plays that we will read.
9. Meet with the instructor three (3) times during the course of the semester. These meetings will be spread out (@ 4 weeks, @
10 weeks and at the end of the semester). The purpose of these meetings will be to discuss your progress in this class.

In order to receive a grade of "B" you must:

1. Complete all requirements as required for a grade of "C"
2. Write three evaluations (2 pages) from the list of plays that we will read.
3. Write a research paper on a subject of your choosing (in consultation with instructor) of no less than seven pages.

In order to receive a grade of "A" you must:

1. Complete all requirements as required for a grade of "B"
2. Write a research paper on a subject of your choosing

(in consultation with instructor) of no less than twelve pages.

STUDENT GRADES WILL BE BASED ON:

1. Attendance
2. Promptness (Poor attendance and tardiness are cause to be dropped from the class roster)
3. Class Participate on Teams - 100 points
3. Play attendance and written evaluations -100 points
4. Written evaluations of plays -100 points - must be turned in timely during the semester, not all papers at end of semester
5. Written work on your work on Teams - 100 points
6. Research paper(s) for those students who contract for the B or

A grade - 100 points
To receive a grade of "C" you must achieve 300 points
To receive a grade of "B" you must achieve 400 and for an "A" you must achieve 500 points

DAILY SCHEDULE

Week of August 24, 1998
Introduction

Desire Under the Elms by Eugene O'Neill
Desire Under the Elms
Mother Courage by Bertolt Brecht
Mother Courage
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
The Glass Menagerie
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
Death of a Salesman
Endgame by Samuel Beckett
Endgame
Buried Child by Sam Shepard
Buried Child
Top Girls by Caryl Churchill
Top Girls

Mid-Term Exam

Master Harold . . .And The Boys by Athol Fugar
Master Harold . . .And The Boys
'Night Mother Marsha Norman
'Night Mother
Fences by August Wilson
Fences
The Death of the Last Black Man in the Whole Entire World By Susan Lori-Parks
The Death of the Last Black Man in The Whole Entire World
Oleanna by David Mamet
Oleanna
Angles in America: Millennium Approaches by Tony Kushner
Angles in America: Millennium Approaches
From Twilight Los Angeles l992 by Anna Deavere Smith
From Twilight: Los Angeles 1992

Last Day of Class - All Papers Due

Final Exam - December 8, 1998
0730-0930

WHY STUDY CONTEMPORARY DRAMA?

As we study these plays we will be investigate possible there relationships between these scripts. Are their themes that seem to carry through from play to play? It is always interesting to look at new works, but perhaps we should pay more attention to the "classics" of theatre literature that have withstood the test of time and truly speak to the issues of being a human being? On the other hand, perhaps our study of modern plays, that are being produced somewhere is the world as we study them, have special meaning for today's audiences. For example, do these plays concentrate on issues of gender, race and sex that have not been explored in the past? Maybe, the "voice" that speaks through these plays is unique for today and this voice "communicates" with people in ways that it has not in the past.

Do these plays give an optimistic or pessimistic view of living in America in the l990's? Do the plays uplift the human spirit or does the playwright merely carp about our problems and give us little hope for the future? A good play should speak to a universal audience. We seem to be so compartmentalized these days we often wonder if contemporary theatre is written for special groups such as Afro-Americans, Gay and Lesbians, or for women. Do the plays that we study give us universals?

More often than not the movies give us pure entertainment with little to no intellectual challenge. Good Theatre should challenge us, however the goal of the Theatre is for plays to be accessible. Are these plays so specific that they have limited appeal to society as a whole, or do they provide us an opportunity to visit people and learn about ideas that we would not normally experience?

It is has been said on many occasions that the art of the Theatre celebrates the human condition. It entertains us and teaches us about life. The physical Theatre itself is often compared to a church where men and women can make connections with the inner self or the metaphysical aspects of being human. Do these plays achieve that goal? Have they helped you to see and understand what it means to be a living person in conflict? Does contemporary theatre help you to be more compassionate and caring about others who are, perhaps, slightly different from you? Is there a vision in these plays for a better life of understanding and of caring?

What do you feel and think?