Th 2871 - Collective Creation

MW 2:00-3:15

Spring 2005

 

Associate Professor Tom Isbell
Office: 148 MPAC
Phone: 726-6313
Office Hours: T 2:15-3:15, W 11:00-12:00
E-Mail: tisbell@d.umn.edu
Home Page: http://www.d.umn.edu/~tisbell

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COURSE OBJECTIVE: To develop proficiency in playwriting and group collaboration by collectively creating an original play based on a specific historic event, book, or social justice topic; to develop proficiency in both verbal and writing skills through the discussion and writing of a play; to improve critical thinking skills through the analysis and implementation of research into a theatrical context.

COURSE APPROACH: The course will begin with an examination of theatre created through collective collaboration and discovering appropriate models. After an intensive exploration into playwriting – and collective creation, specifically – students will begin the initial readings of the selected event. Once the readings have begun, students will be assigned research topics and discussions will begin as to how best to shape the work. Each student will be assigned an area of the topic, and they will present their findings in written form to the instructor and in oral form to their peers. After all the students have presented their research, the group will begin the process of shaping the play: deciding what to choose, how best to dramatize it, what stories to tell, etc. Throughout the entire process, students will continue to examine playwriting techniques as well as collective creation models. The final stage of the course will be the completion of the first draft of the play, followed by a public reading, after which students and instructor will make final additions and deletions to the play.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

• Because this is a seminar class, attendance is mandatory. No more than two absences are allowed. Each absence beyond two will automatically lower the final letter grade one third of a letter. Chronic absentees will be dropped from the course.
• Students are expected to read along in the assigned texts and handouts and be prepared for roundtable discussions, expressing their likes, dislikes, disagreements, epiphanies, etc. Students are expected to participate in the discussions; failure to speak up will result in an overall point deduction for the course. It helps to mark and highlight sections beforehand that you wish to speak about. There will also be occasional pop quizzes to make sure students are keeping up with the assigned reading.
• Each student will be assigned a significant research topic to investigate, identifying most especially those elements, events, quotes, etc. that could most easily be dramatized.
• Each student will make a public presentation to the class outlining the findings from their research and how that material can best be incorporated into the play itself. Their objective with the presentation is to convey – accurately and succinctly – the intellectual and emotional information of their research.
• Based on the selected research, students will discuss, improvise, and collectively write assigned sections of the play. Students will also be partnered and assigned sections of the play to dramatize outside of class. They will then bring in those findings to the class itself in written form.
• In addition to the in-class discussions, students will be expected to contribute to a weekly webcrossing discussion, expressing their opinions as to how best shape the play.

Course Evaluation

Assignment	Point Value
Research presentations	5 each
Reading quizzes	5 each
Partnered dramatizations	5 each
In-class dramatizations	5 each
Participation, Attitude	10

At the end of the semester, points will be totaled and graded on the following scale:

Grading Scale

Letter Grade	Percentage
A	91-100
A-	88-90
B+	85-87
B	81-84
B-	78-80
C+	75-77
C	72-74
C-	69-71
D+	66-68
D	62-65

Course Outline

Date		Assignment
Wed.	Jan. 19	No Class
Mon.	Jan. 24	Syllabus. Expectations. Topic discussions. Initial readings assigned.
Wed.	Jan. 26	Playwiting. Play #1 discussion.
Mon.	Jan. 31	Playwiting. Play #2 discussion.
Wed.	Feb. 2	Playwiting. Play #3 discussion.
Mon.	Feb. 7	Initial research discussions
Wed.	Feb. 9	Initial research discussions
Mon.	Feb. 14	Research presentations. Group dramatization.
Wed.	Feb. 16	Research presentations. Group dramatization.
Mon.	Feb. 21	Research presentations. Group dramatization.
Wed.	Feb. 23	Research presentations. Group dramatization.
Mon.	Feb. 28	Partnered presentations. Group dramatization.
Wed.	March 2	Partnered presentations. Group dramatization.
Mon.	March 7	Outline session #1
Wed.	March 9	Playwiting. Play #4 discussion.
Mon.	March 14	Playwiting. Play #5 discussion.
Wed.	March 16	Outline session #2
Mon.	March 21	Spring Break. No class.
Wed.	March 23	Spring Break. No class.
Mon.	March 28	Written scenes due
Wed.	March 30	Written scenes due
Mon.	April 4	First draft
Wed.	April 6	Discussion
Mon.	April 11	Research presentations
Wed.	April 13	Research presentations
Mon.	April 18	Concert reading
Wed.	April 20	Rewrites
Mon.	April 25	Rewrites
Wed.	April 27	Rewrites
Mon.	May 2	Final concert reading
Wed.	May 4	Rewrites/final discussion

Final Exam:

Tuesday, May 10

2:00-3:55 a.m.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

This is a floating syllabus. Assignments, dates, and lectures may change, based on schedules, conflicts, and the progress of the class. There may also be other assignments throughout the semester. Point total possibilities will be announced when the new assignment is given.

Individuals who have any legitimate disability, either permanent or temporary, which might affect their ability to perform in this class are encouraged to inform the Instructor at the start of the semester. Adaptations of methods, materials or testing may be made as required to provide equitable participation.

    
 
      
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