Professor Tom Isbell
Office: 148 MPAC
Phone: 726-6313
Office Hours: Tuesday/Thursday 2:15-3:15
E-Mail: tisbell@d.umn.edu
Home Page: http://www.d.umn.edu/~tisbell
- COURSE OBJECTIVE: To explore and experience the adjustments necessary to act successfully with classical material, primarily Shakespearean text.
COURSE APPROACH: Students will explore acting classical material through a three-step process: Understanding (the text, the times, the social mores); Owning (the text and physicality as thoroughly as you own contemporary text and physicality); and Singing - making the heightened language sing in a way that differs from contemporary material. Students will learn imaging, and, along with scansion, apply both of those elements to classic text through scene work and monologues. There will also be discussions based on the two texts and on two of Shakespeare's plays.
REQUIRED READING:
- Barton, John. Playing Shakespeare.
- Brine, Adrian and York, Michael. A Shakespearean Actor Prepares.
- Shakespeare, William. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare.
RECOMMENDED READING:
- Kenyon, John S. and Knott, Thomas A. Pronouncing Dictionary of American English.
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 sonnets, two monologues, and one scene with students assigned from class. The rehearsal and memorization of the scene is to be done outside of class. Students who fail to meet with their partner at a scheduled rehearsal time will have points deducted from their performance score.
- 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 second time for a grade.
- Prepared monologues and sonnets (memorized and blocked) will be presented twice. After the first presentation, monologues will be discussed, worked on in- and outside of class, and presented a second time for a grade. (The only exception will be the second memorized sonnet; it will be presented exactly once, and for a grade at that time.) Students must bring copies of their sonnets and monologues (scanned and imaged) to class on all presentation and performance days or receive a deduction of a third of a letter grade.
- All students must have character shoes. Men must have slacks for performance days; women must have rehearsal skirts.
- Although monologues and scenes won't be graded for their first presentation, students are expected to thoroughly know their lines. Any dropping or paraphrasing of lines with either presentation will result in a deduction of points on the graded presentation.
- 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. There will be four quizzes covering the material in the two texts.
- A minimum of two Shakespeare plays will be assigned to be read, and students will be quizzed on the contents of those plays.
- In the early part of the semester, students will be given take-home assignments. Late papers will be accepted, but will lose one point per day overdue.
- Eating is not allowed in class. The only beverage allowed is water.
- Please turn off all cellphones at the beginning of class.
- Because the Kenyon & Knott text is a highly recommended textbook, students are expected to look up all unfamiliar words and know their proper pronunciation. If words are mispronounced during a performance presentation, points will be deducted.
- There will be no class the first week of classes, but those minutes will be made up throughout the semester while working on scenes and monologues with the instructor outside of classtime.
Assignment
Point Value
Take-home Assignments 2 each Play Quizzes 5-10 each Text Quizzes 5-10 each Sonnet Presentations 20 each Monologue Presentations 20 each Scene Presentations 20 Attitude, Improvement, Desire 10 Final Presentation 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. 23 No Class Fri. Jan. 25 No Class Mon. Jan. 28 Syllabus. Pre-Quiz. Style. Imaging Wed. Jan. 30 Imaging Fri. Feb. 1 No Class Mon. Feb. 4 Quiz #1: Shakespearean Actor Prepares: Foreword through Chapter VI. Discussion. Wed. Feb. 6 Imaging/Understanding Fri. Feb. 8 Imaging/Understanding Mon. Feb. 11 Quiz #2: Shakespearean Actor Prepares: Chapters VII through Afterword. Discussion. Wed. Feb. 13 Imaging/singing Fri. Feb. 15 Sonnet imaging/singing Mon. Feb. 18 Quiz #3: Playing Shakespeare: Chapters 1 through 3. Discussion. Wed. Feb. 20 Sonnet #1 Presentation Fri. Feb. 22 No Class Mon. Feb. 25 Quiz #4: Playing Shakespeare: Chapters 4 through 6. Discussion. Wed. Feb. 27 Work sonnets Fri. Feb. 29 Work sonnets Mon. March 3 Work sonnets Wed. March 5 Sonnet #1 Performance Fri. March 7 Much Ado quiz. Begin viewing Much Ado Mon. March 10 Finish viewing Much Ado Wed. March 12 Monologue #1 Presentation Fri. March 14 Work monologues Mon. March 17 Spring Break. No Class. Wed. March 19 Spring Break. No Class. Fri. March 21 Spring Break. No Class. Mon. March 24 Work monologues Wed. March 26 Monologue #1 Performance Fri. March 28 Henry V quiz. Begin viewing Henry V. Mon. March 31 Finish viewing Henry V Wed. April 2 Monologue #2 Presentation Fri. April 4 Work Monologues Mon. April 7 Work Monologues Wed. April 9 Monologue #2 Performance Fri. April 11 Cold Readings Mon. April 14 Scene Presentation Wed. April 16 Work scenes Fri. April 18 Work scenes Mon. April 21 Scene Work Wed. April 23 Scene Work Fri. April 25 Scene Work Mon. April 28 Scene Performance Wed. April 30 Cold Readings Fri. May 2 Sonnet #2 Performance Mon. May 5 Final Project Wed. May 7 Final Project Fri. May 9 Final Project
Final Exam: Tuesday, May 13 8:00-9:55 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.
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.