Course Description
A theatre appreciation course for non-theatre majors who have an interest in sports. This course will investigate representations of athletes and/or athletic events and will also discuss the ways in which sports are a form of live performance/theatre.
Athena Title
Drama and Sports
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Students will: - participate fully in class discussion and activities (which may include on-line discussions) - effectively write response papers to department production in which they demonstrate critical thinking - complete two written exams (one at the mid-point and one toward the end of the semester) - participate in an original ten-minute play (created with a group - think "teamwork") which incorporates elements of drama and sports - experience sports more critically as an important expression of American culture - understand their own study and learning habits and improve upon them
Topical Outline
A. Theatre Spaces: A look at the theoretical aesthetic and physical architecture of both entertainment and sports. B. Dramatic structure: The Expectations of a Script, The Expectations of a Game, including thoughts on protagonists and antagonists and how these character “types” relate to favorite home teams vs. rivals. C. Writing on Theatre: How to write a basic theatrical review. D. Performance: From an Acting Standpoint: techniques, theories, and history of the primary dramatic agent. For the sports figure: this includes performance on the field, as well as behaviors in the public eye. We will also consider modes and definitions of performance using the performance studies paradigm(s). E. Direction: Techniques, theories, and history of the director as an artist, in relation to those who execute the playbook. F. The Playwright: Methods, theories, and the people who write the script, in relation to those who create a playbook. G. Multimedia: The current trends involving live performers, live performances, and live theatre and sports events, and how technology shapes the reception of a performance. H. Lighting Design: The art of lighting in entertainment, including theatre spaces, nontraditional spaces, and sports venues (indoors and outdoors). I. Costume Design: The aesthetics and practical aspects of what the performer wears – including both the actor as well as the team colors, jerseys, etc., that codify a home team. J. Scenic Design: The physical environment of the sports and entertainment experience. K. The Craftspeople: Technicians, trade unions, and the profession of the technical production of a live performance event (theatre, concerts, fashion shows, operas, and sports events). L. Today's Drama and Sports: Current trends in live theatre and how various sports are represented by twenty-first-century plays and productions.