Class meetings:

Monday/Wednesday/Friday 10:10-11:05am - Michaelhouse Performing Arts

Text:

"Spoon River Anthology" by Lee Masters. Available ONLINE.
"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson (One Act version). Available in the SJFC Bookstore.
"The Devil and Daniel Webster" by Stephen Vincent Benet (One Act version). Available in the SJFC Bookstore.
"Our Town" by Thornton Wilder. Available in the SJFC Bookstore.

Course Outcomes

Course Outcomes

• This course provides students with an opportunity to examine American culture through analyzing and performing dramatic works from the 19th and 20th century. Drama helps to distance oneself from one’s contemporary culture, and then approach the modern or postmodern culture with deeper understanding. Students will study the development of character, socio-economic trends, and historical events surrounding the selected plays in order to produce well-researched and well-rehearsed scenes. The plays that will be studied include: The Spoon River Anthology, The Lottery, The Devil and Daniel Webster and Our Town.
• Students will be encouraged to think critically about the role of drama in its cultural context and to convey original interpretations of the drama they encounter in classroom discussions, in writing assignments, and in acting selected scenes. Students will acquire the necessary vocabulary to discuss the selected dramas and their cultural relevance. Ultimately, students will strive to read, discuss, act and write about the selected dramas in ways that give their audience a deeper understanding and appreciation of an artistic expression, the political and intellectual milieu in which plays are created and performed, and its possible effects on society.
• Throughout the semester, students will be engaged in learning how to read and interpret drama, by asking difficult questions and proposing and developing original interpretations and critical judgements of what they act and experience. They will be expected to do extensive reading assignments on the particular dramas and become familiar with literary terms. Hence, their critical thinking and writing skills will be developed through a series of personal observations shared in classroom discussions and recorded in journals, as well as in more reflective responses developed through Blackboard (online) discussions; 6 formal written critiques (1-3 pages) and one longer essay (5 pages); classroom and small group discussions, and a final performance of selected scenes.

Course Content

This course will cover the following topics:

• Week 1 - What is Drama? What purpose(s) does Drama serve?
                   Introduction, Warmup, Acting Games
• Week 2 - "Spoon River Anthology" - reading, discussion of selected monologues
• Week 3 - Choose and Analyze Monologues, Character Study, Environment Study (Written Critique)
• Week 4 - Rehearse, perform and critique Spoon River Monologues (Written Performance Critique)
• Week 5 - "The Lottery" - reading, discussion
• Week 6 - Economic and Social Study of "The Lottery" (Written Critique)
• Week 7 - Rehearse, perform and critique "The Lottery" scenes (Written Performance Critique)
• Week 8 - "The Devil and Daniel Webster" - reading, discussion
• Week 9 - Moral and Historical Study of "Devil and Daniel Webster" (Written Critique)
• Week 10 - Rehearse, perform and critique "Devil and Daniel Webster" scenes (Written Performance Critique)
• Week 11 - "Our Town" - reading, discussion. Presentation of final paper requirements (Formal Essay)
• Week 12 - Choose and Rehearse Scenes
• Week 13 - Rehearse Scenes
• Week 14 - Perform Scenes (Public Performance)

Prerequisite

Please refer to the course catalogue.

Evaluation

Your grade will be determined by the following components of the course:

Attendance: Attendance will be taken each class period. Absence will affect your grade.

20% Active Participation and in-class performances (monologues and scenes)
20% Six Written Critiques (1-3 pages)
20% Formal Essay (5 pages)
20% Weekly Journal Entries
20% Final Performance

Please note that all of the percentage weights are merely guidelines and I reserve the right to vary from these guidelines.

Grading Policy

1. Attendance/Class Participation
   Regular attendance and class participation is expected in this class. (It is difficult to participate in class if you are not there.) If you are unable to attend class due to sickness, please notify the Dean of Student's Office. Excessive absence WILL effect your grade.

2. Course Assignments
   Assignments will be posted on the course website, handed out in class, or distributed via e-mail. Students are expected to check their e-mail on a regular basis. Reading assignments listed in the course should be done prior to the lecture associated with the reading.

   ALL work is due by the beginning of class. LATE WORK WILL BE GRADED ON A REDUCED SCALE:

   • Handed in after due date, 1 point off
   • Each additional class late, 1 point off

3. Academic Honesty
   It is expected that each student has read, understands and conforms to the policy on Academic Honesty as outlined in the St. John Fisher College Bulletin and the Student Handbook. These standards fully apply to all assignments and lab exercises. Any plagarism will result in an F for the assignment.

College Policy Concerning Students with Disabilities

In compliance with St. John Fisher College policy and applicable laws, appropriate academic accommodations are available to you if you are a student with a disability. All requests for accommodations must be supported by appropriate documentation/diagnosis and determined reasonable by St. John Fisher College. Students with documented disabilities (physical, learning, psychological) who may need academic accommodations are advised to make an appointment with the Coordinator of Services for students with disabilities in the Office of Academic Affairs, Kearney 202. Late notification will delay requested accommodations.