Curriculum
The major requires a minimum of 32 credit hours of coursework to graduate. In addition, students are required to complete a portfolio—depending upon their field of study1—and a senior project of sufficient scope to demonstrate "mastery" in that same field. Students are strongly encouraged to explore training options beyond the confines of the program’s curriculum. These are not used to replace any required coursework but, upon approval, are employed to supplement and broaden one’s training.
Paul Sills’ summer Improv Workshop and the New Actor’s Workshop summer intensive are excellent, economical choices. Locally, the Indiana Repertory Theater runs beginning, intermediate, advanced, and master’s level acting workshops and the Phoenix Theatre provides a two-year course in the Meisner technique. (Entrance to the latter courses is competitive; i.e. by audition only.) We also recognize internships as invaluable para-collegiate training. Organizations such as the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, Beef and Boards in Indianapolis, The LA Film Institute in Los Angeles, and others, such as The Phoenix, Red Barn, and The Barn, have been employed students successfully in the past.
Coursework
These courses provide the foundation for competent theatre studies, providing a progressive curriculum in academics and performance.
| SPCH 2350 | 3 hours | Acting for Everyone |
| SPCH 2890 | 1 hour | Practicum (4 hours required)2 |
| SPCH 3400 | 4 hours | Directing I |
| SPCH 3450 | 3 hours | Directing II |
| SPCH 3010 | 4 hours | History, Theory and Dramaturgy of the Western Theatre I |
| SPCH 3020 | 4 hours | History, Theory and Dramaturgy of the Western Theatre II |
| SPCH 3300 | 3 hours | Acting Methods |
| SPCH 3500 | 3 hours | Scenography |
| SPCH 3550 | 3 hours | Lighting Design |
| SPCH 4800 | 3 hours | Seminar in Theatre Studies |
| SPCH 4900 | 3 hours | Seminar in Performance Studies |
| SPCH 4950 | 1-4 hours | Senior Project |
| MUPF 1010 MUPF 1020 |
1 hour | Class Lesson in Voice (for theatre majors). (2 hours required) |
| MUPF 1010 MUPF 1020 MUPF 2110 MUPF 2150 MUPF 2200 |
1 hour | Dance. One of any listed. |
The "core" course load reflects the minimum standards of academic, production, and performance instruction we feel each graduate should possess. By supplying our majors with a strong, thorough foundation, subsequent elective work is more valuable and progressive.
Electives
Electives are available from SPCH, COMM, MUPF, and ENGL captions. SPCH 4800 and 4900 may be repeated for elective credit, as long as the class is covering a different topic then previously completed. Topics/training for SPCH 4800 and 4900 are generated as much by student input/interest as by instructor discretion.
SPCH 4900 Seminar in Theatre Studies: The class is designed to allow a broad variety of special topics to be explored without requiring new SPCH captions to be continually developed for each new class. Topics regularly covered in this course include focused historical studies on various periods of theatrical history or performance styles or theory. (i.e. The Classical Theatre, Theatre Management, or 19th century American Popular Entertainment, Teaching Theatre) Prerequisite: HTD I and/or II (depending on topic). Open to all majors and others with instructor’s approval. [3 hours]
SPCH 4910 Seminar in Performance Practices: Another class designed to allow a broad variety of special topics to be explored. Topics typically covered in this course include Special Topics in Directing, Voice Production for the Actor, Stage Combat, Movement for the Actor, Audition Workshop3 , and Classical Scene Study. Prerequisite: Acting for Everyone. Open to majors/minors and others with instructor’s approval. [3 hours]
SPCH 4910 Idea to Script to Stage: With lecture, creative writing, staged readings and critical review and extensive creative writing, this course introduces students to his basic concepts and methodology of writing developed by nationally acclaimed playwright Jeffery Sweet. The course culminates in the creation of a one act play by each student, the best of which are preformed the following year as part of the season. [3 hours]
COMM 2600 History and Theory of the American Cinema: An overview of the artistic and financial history of the American cinema, and the genre’s it created, from 1893 to the present. The course involved extensive viewing of selected films and critical responses. The course culminated in an in-depth presentation of a particular genre, style, auteur, studio or movement in the American Film industry.
ENGL 3320 Shakespeare 4 hours
ENGL 4250 Modern Drama 4 hours
1Performance, Production, or Academic track.
2SPCH 2890 should be taken at least once a year for every year the student is a major.
3Audition Workshop must be taken by every major in the performance track. It has an additional perquisite of SPCH 3300.