Professor Tom Isbell
Office: 148 MPAC
Phone: 726-6313Office Hours: Tuesday/Thursday 2:15-3:35 Home Page: http://www.d.umn.edu/~tisbell
E-Mail: tisbell@d.umn.edu- COURSE OBJECTIVE: To experience and formulate an organized approach to the creation of real and truthful behavior on stage. To live truthfully under imaginary circumstances. To live in the moment on stage. To be private in a public place.
COURSE APPROACH: Acting is learned by doing, by exploring. Through a series of exercises, improvisations and scene study, the Acting I student will work on both the intuitive side of acting -- freeing his/her own natural impulses -- as well as learning the basic techniques of acting -- circumstances, objectives and actions.
REQUIRED READING:
- Bruder, Melissa. A Practical Handbook for the Actor. Vintage Books.
- Hagen, Uta. Respect for Acting. Macmillan Publishing Co.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
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.
Please be on time. Two late arrivals equal one absence.
In addition to exercises and assignments, each student will present two scenes with students assigned from class. The rehearsal and memorization of each scene is to be done outside of class. Students who fail to meet with their partner at a scheduled rehearsal time will be penalized.
Prepared scenes (memorized and blocked) will be presented twice. After the first presentation, scenes will be discussed, worked on in- and outside of class, and presented a final time for a grade.
Students are expected to read along in the assigned texts and be prepared for round table discussions of each, expressing their likes, dislikes, disagreements, epiphanies, etc. All students will be graded based on their participation in the discussions. Failure to speak up will result in zero points. It helps to mark and highlight sections beforehand that you wish to speak about.
Eating is not allowed in class, and the only beverages allowed are water.
All cellphones must be turned off at the beginning of the class.
Students are expected to complete one written paper, detailing their scene character's objectives and actions throughout the course of the scene. The paper is to be 3-4 pages, typed or computer-printed, and double-spaced. Late papers will be accepted, but will lose one point for each day late.
Students are expected to see all UMD productions for the spring semester. This includes: Handing Down the Names, Life is a Dream, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Proof.
Assignment
Point Value
Neutral Scene Presentations 10 Objectives/Action Paper 5 Round Table Book Discussions 9 (3 each) Exercises 5 each Written Exam 5-10 Attitude, Improvement, Desire 10 Final Scene Presentation 25 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
Tues. Jan. 16 Syllabus. Goals & Expectations. Beginning exercises. Thurs. Jan. 18 The Big Three: Circumstances, Objectives, Actions. Impulse exercises. Tues. Jan. 23 No Class Thurs. Jan. 25 No Class Tues. Jan. 30 Practial Handbook discussion. Impulse exercises. Thurs. Feb. 1 Impulse exercises Tues. Feb. 6 Uta Hagen discussion (Part I). Impulse exercises. Thurs. Feb. 8 Objective exercises Tues. Feb. 13 Uta Hagen discussion (Part III). Objective exercises Thurs. Feb. 15 Objective exercises Tues. Feb. 20 Taking stage exercises Thurs. Feb. 22 Taking stage exercises Tues. Feb. 27 Personalization exercises Thurs. March 1 Personalization exercises Tues. March 6 Written Exam: Two Texts & The Big Three. Improvisations. Thurs. March 8 Conferences Tues. March 13 Spring Break. No Class. Thurs. March 15 Spring Break. No Class. Tues. March 20 Present Neutral Scene Thurs. March 22 Work neutral scenes Tues. March 27 Work neutral scenes Thurs. March 29 Work neutral scenes Tues. April 3 Perform Neutral Scene. Hot Seat Thurs. April 5 Hot Seat Tues. April 10 Building History improvisations Thurs. April 12 Building History improvisations. Objectives/Actions paper due. Tues. April 17 Scene exercises. Off Book. Thurs. April 19 Scene exercises Tues. April 24 Present Final Scenes Thurs. April 26 Work final scenes Tues. May 1 Work final scenes Thurs. May 3 Begin Final Scene presentations
Final Exam: Tuesday, May 8 12:00-1:55 p.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.
Academic dishonesty tarnishes UMD's reputation and discredits the accomplishments of students. UMD is committed to providing students every possible opportunity to grow in mind and spirit. This pledge can only be redeemed in an environment of trust, honesty, and fairness. As a result, academic dishonesty is regarded as a serious offense by all members of the academic community. In keeping with this ideal, this course will adhere to UMD's Student Academic Integrity Policy, which can be found at www.d.umn.edu/assl/conduct/integrity. This policy sanctions students engaging in academic dishonesty with penalties up to and including expulsion from the university for repeat offenders.
The instructor will enforce and students are expected to follow the University's Student Conduct Code (http://www.d.umn.edu/assl/conduct/code). Appropriate classroom conduct promotes an environment of academic achievement and integrity. Disruptive classroom behavior that substantially or repeatedly interrupts either the instructor's ability to teach, or student learning, is prohibited. Disruptive behavior includes inappropriate use of technology in the classroom. Examples include ringing cell phones, text-messaging, watching videos, playing computer games, doing email, or surfing the Internet on your computer instead of note-taking or other instructor-sanctioned activities.
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.