Graduate Courses

A graduate-level study of the historical development of theater from its ancient antecedents through the postmodern era. Emphasis will be on teaching strategies for conveying the sociopolitical momentum of western civilization as reflected in (and sometimes caused by) theater production and literature.

Exploration of selected writing on theater ranging from Plato and Aristotle to the present day. Participants will undertake writing of their own using various styles and formats.

This course is designed to provide MFA directing students with methodologies for exploring dramatic literature's masterpieces, with a focus on creative solutions to the directing challenges posed by working on a variety of historical time periods.

This course is designed to help prepare the student to undertake the teaching of acting at the college level. The student will observe and participate actively in the teaching of a University of Portland acting course, as well as, having regular mentoring sessions with the course's instructor.

An advanced course in acting designed to challenge the student as an actor and director. The course uses material from Shakespeare as the acting texts for the course and addresses work on classical texts, acting style, and period context for his plays. The course includes both vocal and physical work. It also explores the directing of Shakespeare.

This course is designed to help graduate directors develop a personal creative process to conceptualization and collaboration. Besides focusing on written documentation and research for the development of a conceptual approach to a text, which culminates in a formal concept paper, students will devise performance pieces that are based on ideas of ritual, absurdism, performance art and post modern production.

This course introduces students to the MFA in Directing program, and focuses on directing technique. It addresses analysis and conceptualization of a play for production; stage composition, picturization, and movement; collaboration; and production planning.

This seminar course will examine current issues and professional practices in the field of directing. The student will be directly exposed to the ideas, practices, and experiences of currently working professional directors from a variety of backgrounds.

This course is designed to supervise students through the major steps in the production process. This course allows student directors to acquire production laboratory experience prior to the thesis production project.

This MFA course is designed to give directors a variety of analysis strategies for use in preparing a production. Participants explore the value of chronological, character, and audience-based analysis structures and apply them to dramatic literature. In particular, action-based analysis will be used for interpretation of individual scenes within selected dramas.

Study of theatrical singing and acting techniques as applicable to all varieties of theatrical music, including cabaret, music-theater, and opera. Students are expected to participate in various performances prepared by the class. Open to all students with instructor's permission. Email for an audition.

This course is meant to provide the graduate director with an opportunity to direct a one-act play in a studio setting with undergraduate actors.

This workshop/seminar course for graduate directors will focus on professional topics and directing craft. THTR 572 and THTR 573 are not sequenced and may be taken in either order.

This workshop/seminar course for graduate directors will focus on professional topics and directing craft. THTR 572 and THTR 573 are not sequenced and may be taken in either order.

This course is designed to prepare the student to undertake the design and preparation of college-level theatre courses without the benefit of pre-existing syllabi or resources. The student will be lead through the course design and syllabus writing process, starting from a brief course description to a complete syllabus and course assessment form.

This course provides a professional development opportunity through an internship with an organization outside of the University. The student seeks out and obtains an internship with the guidance and advice of the Graduate Program Director. (IP grade allowed.)

Individualized programs which focus on a specialized area in theatre. These are available only when developed through a contractual agreement between the student and a supervising faculty member.

Credit arranged.

This course is the capstone production for the graduate directing student application of the full directing process from conceptualization to finished produced production.

Graduate directing students will work under an advisor in the creation of a thesis that documents the research and directing process for their produced Thesis Production. Students will defend the conclusions arrived at in the thesis in front of the entire theater faculty. (IP grade allowed.)

Registration for any graduate student who has received the grade of IP in Thesis 599 is required while the thesis is in progress. Fee: $50.