The Theater F09

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The Theater

T005A : Thursday 4:10-6:00 pm, Room E197

Course Support Number: 1313-6062

Instructors:

Teaching Assistants:

Purpose

To encounter the productions of the CalArts season in text and performance; to develop critical vocabulary and practices; to engage in conversation with the makers of the work; to conduct, evaluate and represent contextual research; to respond to art as artists; to practice critical writing; to gather sense on who we are as a community (in the School of Theater and in the Institute), as makers, co-makers and witnesses to art.

Students will be writing critically and creatively, on-line and in hard-copy, considering what they are seeing and what they are showing, in a language that helps show artists their own work and audiences their world. We will consider theater presented in a number of contexts (readings, workshops, productions) and in a range of media.

The Theater class will be highly interactive. Each session will be structured around the massive artistic energy brought forth by the School of Theater and REDCAT productions. Students will engage in direct conversations with the collaborators involved in creation of the shows, including students, faculty and guest artists.

Requirements

Attendance: More than two absences of any kind: the student receives an NX for the semester. Notify instructor and TA’s of any circumstances that will prevent or delay your participation.

Performances: Students are required to see all School of Theater season productions (see complete list below). Students are also required to see at least 2 of the off-site productions listed below, i.e. REDCAT. And finally, students are required to see at least one show within the Institute but outside the School of Theater, i.e. music or dance

All-School Meetings: Attendance at all All-School meetings is required.

Wiki Writing Assignments: 250 words, due Tuesday at 7:00 pm prior to the Thursday class. A total of 6 Wiki assignments will be required over the course of the semester.

Due Dates All assignments are due by the dates and times specified. Late assignments will not be accepted.

Readings: All required texts must be read before the specified class meeting. Readings will be posted for download and printing via the course Wiki.

Final Paper: Reflects your measured critical reaction to text (where relevant), context (research), and performance.

Grading: Participation/Attendance 50%, Assignments/Final Paper 50%

Class Schedule

Sept. 17: Introduction & Welcome
Sept. 24: A Counterpoint of Tolerance: AH! / Toward a Process for Critical Response
Oct. 1: Belarus Free Theater
Oct. 8: Cloud Eye Control / WIKI 1 RESPONSE DUE
Oct. 15: Unlocking the Secrets of Time & Space / WIKI 2 RESPONSE DUE
Oct. 22: Waiting for Lefty / NO WIKI DUE
Oct. 29: Task, Procedure & Process / WIKI 3 RESPONSE DUE BY 10/27/09 @ 7:00 PM
Nov. 5: Farm Noire / WIKI 4 RESPONSE DUE BY 11/3/09 @ 7:00 PM
Nov. 12: Hellzapoppin / WIKI 5 DUE
Nov. 19: Piedra de Sol / 3 PAPER TOPICS DUE
Nov. 26: Thanksgiving / FINAL PAPER TOPICS DUE (Tues 24th)
Dec. 3: Last Year at Marienbad
Dec. 10: Funnyhouse of a Negro
Dec. 14: FINAL PAPERS DUE

Performances

It is required that you see ALL of the CalArts performances and a minimum of TWO off-site performances.

Sept 16-18 : A Counterpoint of Tolerance: AH! at REDCAT
Sept 23-26 : Maybe Forever (Stuart/Gehmacher) at REDCAT
Sept 23-Oct 18 : Medea (Udovicki) at UCLA Live
Oct 1-3 : Discover Love (Belarus Free Theatre) at REDCAT
Oct 10 : Who Do You Think You Are? (SITI Company) at Luckman Arts Center
Oct 14-17 : Under Polaris (Cloud Eye Control) at REDCAT
Oct 21-24 : Beautiful Me (Maqoma/Vuyani Dance Theatre) at REDCAT
Oct 23-26 : Waiting for Lefty at CalArts (BB2)
Oct 28-29 : Purgatorio (Societas Raffaello Sanzio) at UCLA Live
Nov 3-4 : Once and For all We’re Gonna Tell You... (Ontroerend Goed) at UCLA Live
Nov 6-7 : To Be Straight With You (DV8 Physical Theater) at UCLA Live
Nov 11-15 : Hellzapoppin at CalArts (Mod)
Nov 11-19 : Piedra del Sol at CalArts (E400)
Nov 11-16 : Farm Noire at CalArts (BB2)
Nov 11-14 : parades & changes, replays (Halprin, Collod & Subotnik) at REDCAT
Nov 18-19 : T.E.O.R.E.M.A.T. (TR Warszawa) at UCLA Live
 Nov 18-Dec 13 : Arias with a Twist at REDCAT
Dec 1-2 : Triptych (Teatre Zar) at UCLA Live
Dec 7-14 : Funnyhouse of a Negro at CalArts (E407)
Dec 8-12 : Last Year at Marienbad at CalArts (BB2)

Required Texts

Read by 9/24 : “Toward a Process for Critical Response" by Liz Lerman ; available here.
Additional readings to be posted throughout semester via wiki.

How to Post Responses and Paper Topics on the Wiki

  1. To get set up, click on the "create account" link and create a new wiki account under your name. Check your email and click on the link to activate your account.
  2. Compose your response off-line (this way, in case something happens, you will have a backup).
  3. Make sure that you are logged in and go to the appropriate weekly response link.
  4. Click the “edit” tab at the top of the page.
  5. If there are already posts on the page, scroll down to the very bottom to start your entry.
  6. On a new line, type your first and last name, highlight your name and then click the big letter “A” in the formatting palette to create a header. That will create your own section on the page.
  7. Copy your response from your off-line document and paste into below your name.
  8. Click “save changes” and re-read your response.
  9. Late responses will not be accepted. If you have any difficulty entering your wiki response, email Michael or Zoe and ask for help.

Wiki 1: Due Tues, Oct. 6 by 7:00 PM

Watch the Belaruse Free Theatre workshop presentation at Friday's all school meeting. Based on their work, generate a question about each of the following:

  1. The process of how the work is/was made
  2. The relationship of the audience to the work
  3. The meaning behind the work
  4. Something you didn't understand in the work or want to understand more about
  5. How the work relates to the community of CalArts
  6. How the work relates to the philosophy of the universe

Follow the instructions and post your response: WIKI 1 RESPONSE

Wiki 2: Due Tues, Oct. 13 by 7:00 PM

In at least 250 words, please tell us what you feel are the ingredients for an ideal collaboration?

Follow this link to post your response: WIKI 2 RESPONSE

Wiki 3: Due Tues, Oct. 27 by 7:00 PM

Go see Waiting for Lefty in BB2. Afterwards, please respond to the following 2 questions:

  1. How do individuals in the play use their power?
  2. How do groups/organizations in the play use their power?


In addition, study this photo of Rosa Parks http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/90/3390-004-A84ED8FB.jpg and describe what makes it as a composition so effective at telling the story of her political act.


Follow this link to post your response: WIKI 3 RESPONSE

Wiki 4: Due Tues, Nov. 3 by 7:00 PM

Choose a very important moment/event from your life. Spend at least ten minutes to travel through your mind and remember every detail you can about that moment. Then write a series of instructions that someone else can follow to perform that moment. Follow this link and post your score: WIKI 4 RESPONSE

Suggestion: To enhance your experience of assignment, try performing each other's texts. Observe what it's like see your moment performed. Observe what it's like to perform someone else's moment.


Wiki 5: Due Tues, Nov. 10 by 7:00 PM

Read the text of Media:365constants.pdf from Suzan-Lori Parks' 365 Days 365 Plays. In consideration of our conversation around instructions and stage directions, choose one of the following questions to answer.

How do the stage directions - in written form - reflect the author’s theatrical values/intent/philosophy?

or

How might the stage directions - in performance - reflect the artist’s values/process?

Follow this link to post your response: WIKI 5 RESPONSE


WIKI 6

3 Paper Topics Assignment:

Take a production you have seen this semester.

Choose one aspect of the production and take a position on how it reflects the artistic philosophy being presented.

Discuss your position through the lens of collaboration, composition, OR ritual.

List possible sources of research (at least one online and one library book resource) that you could use to deepen the reader's understanding of your argument

Wiki 6 Response


WIKI 7 - FINAL PAPER TOPIC

A reminder, please email us your final paper topic before Thanksgiving. Have a great holiday!

Session Notes

Week 1

CalArts Theater School Website http://theatercalarts.com/home/

Amy Knowles, California E.A.R. Unit http://www.earunit.org/new/about.htm


Week 2

Ah! Opera http://ah-opera.org

Medea @ UCLA Live http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-ca-annette-bening20-2009sep20,0,6283472.story

Liz Lerman http://www.danceexchange.org/performance/criticalresponse.html


Week 3

Michel Gondry http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr89Nyx8WF8 , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zh7UFi2b9xU , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A-unBigvoY

Venn Diagram http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venn_diagram

Eagle Rock Music Festival http://www.last.fm/event/1138346+Eagle+Rock+Music+Festival+2009


Week 4

Cloud Eye Control http://www.cloudeyecontrol.com


Week 5

Word Clouds http://www.wordle.net


Week 6

Tiananmen Square Protest Image http://aroundtheedges.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/tiananmen-square-tank1-1808.jpg


Week 7

"American Masters" John Cage: I Have Nothing to Say and I Am Saying It (1990) http://www.ubu.com/film/cage_masters.html

Fluxus Event Scores Resource http://music.calarts.edu/~scheslow/fluxus/event_scores.html

Wooster Group's Hamlet http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VwDPThy_68

Happenings http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happening

Playtime, 1967, by Jacques Tati http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-7YaZS_KKI

Edie Sedgwick Excerpt Andy Warhol Documentary http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QySjJHV7th0


Week 8

Hans Ulrich Obrist: DO IT

Miranda July: Learning to Love You More

Farm Noir Blog #1
Farm Noir Blog #2
Farm Noir Blog #3

Course Support Fee

To pay your $10.00 course support fee, please go to Accounting, the Cashier’s Office, on the second floor and pay $10.00 (check or cash) into the course account (1313-6062). Then take your receipt to Barb Edwards in the Theater School Office. All course support fees MUST be paid by the end of add-drop (October 2nd).

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