CAPSTONE FOR DRAMA
MAJORS DRAMA 4393 FALL,
2009
M/W 2:30 –
3:45, RTT 303
Professsor: Steve
Gilliam sgilliam@triity.edu or
slgdesign@satx.rr.com/
Home/Studio (210)
494-7373
Office: RTT Rm. 118,
999 - 8587, Office Hours: TR, 2:00 – 5:00 or by appointment
Some
year for the economy and the arts, eh?
Fortunately, we know there will be a rebound, and that the arts will and
must thrive. Broadly speaking,
this is what your senior capstone is about É what can I do with a drama degree
and life beyond Trinity.
I
maintain that drama is one of the best liberal arts degrees a person might
receive. The overall experience
should benefit individuals by helping to develop public communications skills
necessary for a host of professions: teachers, lawyers, politicians, ministers,
and business administrators, to name a few. Theatre demands that students learn how to manage resources
and organize work forces to complete tasks within specific timeframes. Theatre students appreciate marketing,
mass media and public relations as part of opening a show. Students learn that there are
problem-solving processes necessary to create a performance role or a
production design. Students
learn the importance of discipline, commitment and practice.
The
lively art of theatre encourages active, engaged, upside-down thinking and
leadership skills that corporations and businesses need. In fact, a recent article in the NY
Times suggested that the MFA (Master of Fine Arts) degree would eventually
replace the MBA (Master of Business Arts) degree as businesses seek creative
individuals to innovate for the future.
Theatre
demands hands-on work often lost in todayÕs internet society. In the process,
we get dirty. But in taking things apart, we discover solutions, take risks and
ultimately deliver a studied objective.
Theatre
requires students to explore significant questions, to think about and engage
beauty, to discover what it means to be human, to tell great stories, and to work
as collaborators for common objectives.
All of these attributes are essential for any field.
So,
what can you do with a drama degree?
Plenty. Now, it is time for you to seriously engage is your unique
response.
COURSE OF STUDIES DESCRIPTION:
Drama
majors with senior standing will create a portfolio of Drama coursework and
production experiences, research career opportunities for the potential
application of this portfolio, and present this synthesis to the Drama faculty,
staff, and students. Applicable
guidelines are available from Drama advisors. This course meets the Senior Experience requirement of the
UniversityÕs Common Curriculum.
COURSE CONTENT:
To
begin with, this is not going to be a Òcarrot and stickÓ course. I will not
grade your assignments. What is
the sense of providing you with a grade?
This course will not be a competition in finding the right answers. Everything you do in this course is for
you. If taken seriously, the
course should assist and prepare you to find your first job. Clearly, you must take ownership of
your own future. How can I grade
this? Rather, I can facilitate the
process of self evaluation, of reflection, and ask questions about your
immediate and long-range goals.
A
significant objective of your self evaluation will be an inventory of the
skills you have accumulated to this point in your life, in part as influenced
by your liberal arts education at Trinity. At the same time, you will be asked to explore what you are
really passionate about. This reflection
will serve as a foundation to the rest of the course.
The
class will research and share potential career opportunities in drama. To personalize an understanding of
individual careers, we will invite a number of theatre professionals to class
to share their passion and insights.
The more we can explore the world of theatre, the more expansive the
opportunities. You will be asked
to find a personal ÒfitÓ within the wide array of theatre or related
careers.
At
the same time, through your assessment of skills and aspirations, you will be
asked to explore a career outside theatre.
Given
both choosen career paths, you will formulate specific strategies for achieving
an entry level position in these areas of interest. This will include the creation of formal letters of
application, resumes, presentations, interviews and the sort.
Whereas
nothing will be etched in stone by the end of the semester, the course should
take you through the process of how to make future career decisions. The culmination of this course will be
a 5-minute presentation to UTC at the end of the semester. This presentation will be essentially,
ÒThis is what I plan to do and how I am going to make it happen.Ó
PLEASE
NOTE: The syllabus is an
instrument of flexibility. At this
moment, this is the plan. As we
dig into the course, we may need to make adjustments. The objectives will, however, remain the same. How we get to them may change.
ATTENDANCE:
This
course is a guided and mutually supportive job placement commune. Everyone will contribute to the
collective. You must NOT miss
class. 2 missed classes lowers the
grade. But, most importantly,
absences rob you of the time to reflect on your future and share your thoughts
with others.
EVALUATION:
As
mentioned, I do not plan to grade individual assignments. How you prepare and the quality of your
portfolio will be apparent. Missed
classes, missed deadlines, will be reflected in your final grade, regardless of
the portfolio. You must show up to
class É physically and mentally.
The final for the course will be a written reflection of your
participation in the course and a grade you believe you should receive. I will take it into consideration when
I assign you a grade for the course.
FUNDING:
As
you should be aware, the department funds student development
opportunities. In the past, the
Chair has request a formal written proposal requesting support. If you are interested in financial
support for URTAs, other auditions including graduate school interviews or
other theatrical enrichment, see me to discuss the process and deadlines.
SOME VALUABLE
INFORMATION AND LINKS:
University/Residential Theatre Association
Application will be available online in mid -August
New York City: January 23 - January 27, 2010
Chicago: January 29 - February 3, 2010
San Francisco (Acting Only): February 5 - 6, 2010
Southwest Theatre & Film Association
SWTFA Deadlines
MidWest Theatre Auditions
http://www.webster.edu/depts/finearts/theatre/mwta/
DRAMA DEPARTMENT AND MAJOR EXPECTATIONS:
It is a departmental practice to require all
students enrolled in drama classes during the semester to attend both main
stage productions and the 2009-2010 Stieren Guest Artist lecture. This year, weÕre
presenting ÒAn Evening with Broadway actor and
director Alan MuraokaÓ on Monday, October 26th, at 7:30 pm in the Stieren Theatre.
Although not a requirement, we encourage you to attend the
following:
First Year POT show on September 18 and 19
A TUPS Lab Show, David MametÕs OLEANNA, directed by Aaron
Aguilar
on
October 23-25
Matchbox TheatreÕs ILLUMINATI, a play by William M. Razavi
on December 1 and 2