LAT - Theatre Arts

Through a series of speeches, students learn to improve their diction, articulation, vocal performance, gestures, poise, and organization of ideas. 3-5 quarter hours Counts in the Oral Communication or Fine Arts Area of General Education Requirements.

Introductory course focusing on the nature of theatre, analysis and interpretation of dramatic literature, dramatic style, and theatrical convention. Includes a study of the development of the physical stage. 5 quarter hours. Counts in the Fine Arts or Humanities Area of General Education Requirements.

A survey course in Children's Theatre. Students evaluate children's scripts, participate in the Children's Theatre Touring Company, observe various methods of directing plays for children, and discuss the philosophical base of theatre for children. 5 quarter hours. Counts in the Fine Arts Area of General Education Requirements.

Students receive practical experience in the use of drama in the classroom. The Demonstration School provides opportunities to work on techniques and ideas of creative dramatics with children. A comparative study of informal play making and formal children's theatre discussed and developed in class. 5 quarter hours. Counts in the Fine Arts Area of General Education Requirements.

An introductory course which examines the nature of puppetry and introduces students to a wide range of puppet construction techniques. Students design learning activities and shows for all age groups. May be used as a Humanities elective. 5 quarter hours. Counts in the Fine Arts Area of General Education Requirements.

This course teaches students to examine the visual data on a movie screen as they would a canvas and describe the various elements that contribute to the visual (and emotional) effect, understanding and using the vocabulary of visual literacy, such as montage, mise en scene, aspect ratio, and editing by eyeline matching. The tools at the disposal of any film artist are studied, including various elements of composition and framing, lighting and camera movement, focus, film stock, manipulation of point of view, and duration of shots, as well as broader contributions from decor, costuming and performance. This course may be used as an elective to fill the General Education requirement in fine arts. Prerequisite(s): none 5 quarter hours

This course examines film dramatizations and documentary studies that relate the conduct of business to standards of ethical behavior. Films studied demonstrate dilemmas in starting and operating a business; fair play in human resources and labor relations; corporate power and accountability; treatment of whistle blowers; honesty in high finance and the stock market; and responsible professional conduct of lawyers, doctors and journalists. Students will build on class discussions to identify problems and identify solutions in these works, helping to clearly formulate and articulate their own values. This course may be used as an elective to fulfill the General Education requirement in fine arts or humanities. Prerequisite(s): none 5 quarter hours

This course examines the images and voices of minorities, including people of color, as represented in American film, from the earliest silent films and home-made "race" films through the Blaxploitation era to the present, reclaiming the history and history of African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans and Asian-Americans while tracing the impact of performers like Paul Roberson, Anna Mae Wong, Dolores Del Rio, Lena Horne, Dorothy Dandridge, and Sidney Poitier. This course may be used as an elective to fulfill the General Education requirement in fine arts. Prerequisite(s): none 5 quarter hours

This course studies various attempts to limit freedom of speech in popular film, on both the national and local levels. Students follow how interest groups organized to protest the depiction of racial stereotypes and the frank portrayals of sex and power in Hollywood's Pre-Code era, as well as propaganda films of the Nazi and Soviet periods and recent non-traditional treatments of religious subjects and greater openness about same-sex subjects. The class traces changing patterns of censorship through landmark films, including "I'm No Angel" (1933), "The Miracle" (1948), "Last Temptation of Christ" (1988), "Boys Don't Cry" (1999), and "Battle Royale" (2001). This course may be used as an elective to fulfill the General Education requirement in fine arts or humanities. Prerequisite(s): none 5 quarter hours

The goal of this course is to understand the social, economic, and historical contexts that have shaped our picture of the American family in its many configurations, and to question the ideals and realities that underlie this picture. Both in class and at home, students will study Hollywood depictions of the Ideal Family, as well as the specific circumstances that change the dynamics within particular families such as single-parent and immigrant households. This course will also examine how popular film genres challenge the strength of the family even as they confirm it. This course may be used as an elective to fulfill the Fine Arts and Humanities General Education requirement and may also be applied to a Fine Arts major. Prerequisite(s): none 5 quarter hours

An examination of the role of women in the theatre, placed in a historical and contemporary context. Largely a survey course focusing on plays by, for, and about women. Prerequisites: LAT220 and LAT221. 5 quarter hours. Counts in the Fine Arts or Humanities Area of General Education Requirements.

A comprehensive survey of the history of the theatre as examined through the aid of plays and background materials. Aspects of the theatrical production of each period discussed, as well as trends in production traced from the origin of theatre to the Renaissance. Prerequisite: LAT220. 5 quarter hours. Counts in the Fine Arts or Humanities Area of General Education Requirements.

This course will provide a hands-on introduction to digital short film production, and it will provide opportunities for visual and aural expression through the pre-production, shooting, and post-project editing and analysis. Students will learn how to articulate visual concepts through mastery of professional digital equipment and software. Counts in the Fine Arts Area of General Education Requirements. Prerequisite(s): none. 5 quarter hours

This course traces how popular films form an image of the teacher in the public eye. Starting from a historical review with excerpts from influential films like Goodbye, Mr. Chips and The Blackboard Jungle, the course covers educators in early childhood, middle school and special needs situations, in settings ranging from the one-room schoolhouse to the inner city public school. Films like To Be and To Have, The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T, Conrack, The Miracle Worker, and Stand and Deliver also show models for creating environments that support learning; dealing with classroom discipline and external social problems; developing strategies for alternate styles of learning. This course may be used as an elective to fulfill the General Education requirement in fine arts. Prerequisite(s): none 5 quarter hours

This course is designed to present an in-depth examination of the communication process which involves theoretical perspectives, interpersonal communication and communication in the workplace. 3-4 quarter hours.

Working closely with theatre faculty, students may pursue independently an accepted area of study within the spectrum of theatre arts. 1-6 quarter hours.

A theatre arts offering of unique and special current interest. Students may register for this course more than once, since topic varies each term. 1-6 quarter hours.