Course Description
The integration and application of principles of theatre collaboration. Students participate in the collaborative creation of a play production while examining the ideas/principles of social justice, community, and the immigration issues in Charlotte. The process results in a final class project/presentation.
Course Context
The population of Charlotte, North Carolina has doubled since 1990 to almost 1 million residents. The immigrant population has increased 560%, making Charlotte, North Carolina one of the most popular immigrant destinations in the country. As the multi-cultural immigrant influx is new to the traditionally bi-racial culture of Charlotte, this community is at a crossroads on how it will respond to diverse newcomers. Will Charlotte be a community that is embracing of its new immigrant residents or will the community embrace much of the anti-immigrant policies currently being implemented in other high immigrant communities, like Arizona? Given the lack of community leadership and experience on this issue, the many community members are looking to the University for guidance. Sometimes in classes even with elements that engage the community, student and community voices are marginalized. In this class, we demonstrate an engagement pedagogy that challenges that power dynamic. This radical approach connects the student and community around a specific community issue: immigration in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Theatre Collaboration course uses the Chicago storefront theatre as a model of a collaborative community. In the storefront model, production costs are kept to a minimum by forgoing spectacle while emphasizing "the creative use of small spaces; the creative ability to problem-solve with limited resources; the intimate actor–audience dynamic; and the cross-trained artist." Along with investigating the concepts of social capital and social justice that include the ideas of access, inclusion, equity, and trust, students conceive, write, rehearse, and perform a devised script that is based on primary and secondary source material, mostly interviews from community members in or a part of the immigrant community. The student will then choose a section of the interview to transcribe, and the transcription will become the script for a monologue. The student will perform the transcript verbatim, using the community member’s words and speech patterns to create a character. There will be a public performance of this monologue. This experiential-based learning process, which is both interdisciplinary and co-taught, promotes mutually beneficial exchange of skills, and resources in a context of partnership, community engagement, and reciprocity. Evidence for this change is the devised play itself and the community reaction to the play. This model represents new avenues for engagement that prioritize the student and community voice, redefine the concept of public art and discourse, and posit a process of creating art as a collaborative and civic act.
- Theatre Objectives
- Devise original dramatic work
- Define and use collaborative skills
- Employ the tools of voice and body
- Create and use space evocatively
- Describe the storefront theatre model
- Translate words and ideas into visual images
- Use the language of the art form
Crossroads Objectives
- Demonstrate understanding of the demographic changes within the community and on campus.
- Define and apply concepts of social capital and social justice including access, inclusion, equity, and trust.
- Articulate and demonstrate the connection between theatre, community building, and social change.
Texts
Fires in the Mirror by Anna Deavere Smith (at bookstore) The Laramie Project by Moisés Kaufman and the Tectonic Theater (Moodle) Various readings: handouts and Moodle
Course Work
- Final Project: Students will write, design, and present an original, devised work modeled after Fires in the Mirror and The Laramie Project
- Students will interview members of the immigrant community, transcribe the interviews, and organize the transcriptions (along with articles from print media) as a dramatic work.
- Students will write a critique of Rowing to America. Instructions concerning content of the critique will be discussed and posted on Moodle.
- Students will keep a journal and are required to submit 10 entries. Students will be required to record in her/his journal:
- An entry discussing some aspect of the assigned reading, and
- A summary/response to class content and discussions.
- Further instructions: Summarizing consists of two essential skills: (1) identifying the important material in the text/lectures/discussions/activities and (2) restating the information in your own words.
- Individual research assignments will be given to students throughout the semester.
- Students are expected to attend all 4 of the department’s productions in the Spring semester.
- Your class participation grade will include an evaluation of your:
- Work on the Final Project
- Progress
- Participation in discussions
- Demonstration of collaboration skills
- Student Performance of the play for the community, especially the community members interviewed.
Grading
400-500 = A 300-399 = B 200-299 = C 100-199 = D 0-99 = F Class Participation 100 points Critique (RTA) 50 Journal 50 Interviews/Transcription 50 Research 50 Production attendance 50 Final Project 100 Final Perfromance 50
Required Attendance at Productions
You are required to attend 4 departmental productions during the semester (schedule below). You will write a critique for Rowing to America: The Immigrant Project.
Final Project
The goal of this course is the collective creation of a class project to be determined as the class evolves throughout the semester. Because the process used by the class is as important as the final result, the evaluation of the final project will thus be determined by the work of the class throughout the semester as well as the end result.
Course Outline
Jan 14: Class 1 Intro/Objectives/Syllabus Crossroads: Access, Inclusion, Equity, and Trust Theatre: Collaboration and the Storefront Theatre Model Crown Heights 1991: introduction for Fires in the Mirror Activities Jan 21: Class 2 Introducing the Form Joe Salvatore Assignment Due: Read Fires in the Mirror and The New Yorker article Jan 28: Class 3 Telling Stories Review Joe and the Interview Process Discuss reading Goal: acting (voice/speech, collaboration, interpretation, memorization) Activities: The Liars Club; Acting Nightmares Assignment Due: Journal Entry #1; Reading TBA Feb 4: Class 4 Structure and Textual Exploration/Analysis Assignment Due: The Laramie Project (on Moodle); Journal Entry #2 Feb 11: Class 5 Field Trip 1: out into the community Assignment Due: Journal Entry #3; Reading TBA Feb 18: Class 6 Preparing for the interview: Practice Interview Partners 3-5 open-ended questions Acting/Interpreting the interview Assignment Due: Reading, TBA; Critique-Rowing to America: The Immigrant Project Feb 24: Class 7 Preparing for the interview, continued Interview Partners Assignment Due: Journal Entry #4; Reading TBA March 4: Class 8 Interviews Day 1 Assignment Due: Journal Entry #5; Reading, TBA March 18: Class 9 Transcribe and Organize Assignment Due: Interviews (conducted outside of class); Transcription and notes; Reading TBA March 25: Class 10 Transcribe and Organize Assignment Due: Transcription and notes; Journal Entry #6; Reading TBA April 1: Class 11 Transcribe and Organize Production Schedule and Assignments Assignment Due: Transcription and notes; Journal Entry #7; Reading TBA April 8: Class 12: Creating Space and Work on Production Design; Rehearse Assignment Due: Production materials gathered; Journal Entry #8 April 15: Class 13 Rehearse/Build/Dress Assignment Due: Rehearsal and Scene construction (outside class activity); Journal #9; Reading TBA April 29: Class 14 Preview and Perform Assignment Due: Journal Entry #10 Assignment Due: Outside rehearsal and Design Production Theatre Department Production Schedule: Spring 2011 Moon Prince: A Rap Opera Wednesday, January 12, 10:00 AM-12:00 Thursday, January 13, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Friday, January 14, 10:00 AM-12:00 and 8:00 PM-10:00 PM Saturday, January 15, 8:00 PM-10:00 PM Sunday, January 16, 2:00 PM-4:00 PM Rowing to America: The Immigrant Project Rowe Arts | White Box Theater Thu Feb 24th, 8:00pm Fri Feb 25th, 8:00pm Sat Feb 26th, 8:00pm Sun Feb 27th, 2:00pm Rising Water Robinson Hall-Belk Theatre Wed Mar 23rd, 8:00pm Thu Mar 24th, 8:00pm Fri Mar 25th, 8:00pm Sat Mar 26th, 8:00pm Sun Mar 27th, 2:00pm