Theatre (THEA)
THEA 120 – Introduction to the Theatre 3 credit hours
Study of theatre as a continuing cultural tradition. Designed to explore the role of theatre in society, and acquaint theatre majors and non-majors alike with the basic areas of theatre practice and study. Topics covered may include theater history, dramatic literature, acting, playwriting, theatre technology, and/or design. Methods of instruction include discussions, projects, and hands-on experience with mainstage productions.THEA 121 – Completing the Look: The Art of Costuming 3 credit hours
Introduction to several techniques and skills used to complete the look of a costume through the art of making masks, period underpinnings (corsets, bustles, etc.), fabric modification, millinery (hats), and armor with a focus on developing a working knowledge of the materials, methods, tools, and supplies used by costume technicians.Additional Course Fee Required
THEA 126 – First Year Seminar 1 credit hour
The First-Year Seminar provides students with a multidisciplinary experience in which they approach an issue or problem from the perspective of three different academic differences. The First-Year Seminar will consist of three 1-credit hour courses taken as co-requisites in a single semester. The successful completion of all three courses satisfies the General Studies LOPER 1 course requirement. Students may take the First-Year Seminar in any discipline, irrespective of their major or minor. Students admitted as readmit students or transfer students who transfer 18 or more hours of General Studies credit to UNK are exempt from taking a LOPER 1 course.THEA 135 – Introduction to Stage Technology 3 credit hours
Foundation to the skills and craft of technical theatre including scenery, lights, and sound. A focus on developing a working knowledge of the equipment, techniques, tools, materials, and methods basic to theatre technicians. Methods of learning include discussions, construction projects, and shop work on mainstage productions.Additional Course Fee Required
THEA 210 – Playscript Analysis 3 credit hours
Introduction to the techniques necessary to read, analyze, and understand playscripts for direction, performance, design, or research. Includes the exploration of dramatic structure, plot, character, imagery, and other elements which distinguish plays from other forms of literature.THEA 225 – Acting I 3 credit hours
Explores the basics of what it takes to stand in front of a group of people, alone and be prepared to make a point, teach or act. The foundation of acting is learned through creative play, open critiques, and in-class exercises. Study will include Script Analysis, an introduction to basic Stanislavski acting terminology and techniques, beginning rehearsal techniques, and performance analysis. Performance skills will be practiced and enhanced through the preparation of monologues and a short scene. This course provides a strong foundation for any public speaking profession as well as for future actors and teachers.THEA 226 – Acting II: Developing a Character 3 credit hours
Continued refinement of acting/performance techniques through the study and final performance of selected scenes, with a focus on character development and deeper script analysis. Students will perform various "object" exercises to give them an even stronger foundation from which to build a character. A realistic scene will have students "splash" in and out of the scene as they learn hyper-movement, the joker and inner monologues. Coursework includes the development of portraying emotional realism through the works of a modern playwright such as Strindberg, Chekhov or Ibsen.Prerequisite: THEA 225
THEA 235 – Creative Dramatics 3 credit hours
A fun, practical approach to theatre games, improvisation, and movement providing ample opportunities to participate in and learn to teach beginning theatre courses at elementary and high school levels. Possibilities for work in the community.THEA 237 – Children's Theatre 3 credit hours
Study of the objectives of theatre for young audiences through practical experience in selection, direction, and production of plays by and/or for children.THEA 240 – Stage Makeup 3 credit hours
Introduction to stage makeup design and application techniques. Design and application projects are used to familiarize the student with the essential uses of stage makeup for the actor, technician, and educator.Additional Course Fee Required
THEA 241 – Introduction to Costume Technology 3 credit hours
Study and training with basic costuming equipment, materials, and techniques. Designed to teach the basics of costume construction including: patterning, cutting, fitting, altering, and caring for costumes. Specific skills are applied through construction projects and work on mainstage productions.Additional Course Fee Required
THEA 243 – Introduction to Lighting and Sound Technology 3 credit hours
This course examines foundational skills and craft of technical theatre including lighting, sound, and projections. A focus on developing a working knowledge of the equipment, techniques, tools, materials, and methods basic to theatre technicians. Methods of learning include discussions, hands on projects, and shop work on mainstage productions.THEA 280 – Directing for the Stage I 3 credit hours
This course is designed to instruct students in the fundamentals of directing for the stage. The student's main job as a director is to interpret and communicate the playwright's main idea(s) in a cohesive and entertaining manner. Student directors will learn how to pick a script, analyze a script, hold auditions, cast, block and polish a production, and work with a design team. Students will explore a variety of directing applications through in-class exercises.THEA 295 – Theatre Practicum 1 credit hour
Practical experiences in theatrical production including, but not limited to: acting, stagecraft, scene painting, electrics, props, technical crews, publicity, and administration.Department Consent Required
Total Credits Allowed: 8.00
THEA 296 – Elements of Theatrical Design 3 credit hours
Overview of theatrical design intended to acquaint students with basic design elements and rendering techniques in relation to scenery, lighting, and costumes for the stage. Script analysis, production design requirements, the collaborative design process, and the universal language (principles) of design will be explored in depth.Additional Course Fee Required
THEA 306 – Movement for the Stage 3 credit hours
Basic understanding of how the body, as the actor's physical instrument, functions in a performance space. Techniques studied will prepare actors to react with creative and impulsive movements, while developing control and stamina through exercise, relaxation, improvisation, and imagination. In-class and environmental movement pieces will be performed throughout the semester.Prerequisite: THEA 225
THEA 307 – Voice and Diction for the Stage 3 credit hours
Students will develop the skills necessary to be easily heard and understood in any given performance situation by learning the International Phonetic Alphabet and being able to apply it to complete their training in Standard American English or Career Speech. In addition, they will learn new skills to create healthy, fully resonant voices and vocal flexibility through vocal exercises. Vocal variety and dialect work will also be covered.THEA 322 – Theatre and Stage Management 3 credit hours
Study of the principles and practices in administration and stage management for theatre producing organizations. Areas covered may include: publicity, season selection, personnel, and audience services; with particular emphasis on stage management including scheduling, rehearsals, production, and performances.Prerequisite: THEA 135
Additional Course Fee Required
THEA 325 – Advanced Acting 3 credit hours
Exploration of advanced acting principles and techniques through monologues, ensembles, and scene work. Builds on the foundations developed in Fundamentals of Acting and guides students in the practice of more complex scene analysis and characterization.Prerequisite: THEA 225
THEA 335 – Scenic Painting 3 credit hours
Students learn the techniques and procedures used by scenic artists to recreate the artwork given them by a scenic designer. This allows them to recreate the look, designs, and textures on the full-scale set.Additional Course Fee Required
THEA 350 – Survey of Dramatic Literature I 3 credit hours
Examination of play scripts as a genre in world literature. The course will follow the progression of dramatic literature from ancient times to the beginning of the 18th Century. Readings will focus on the genres of comedy and tragedy in the following periods: Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Medieval, Tudor and Stuart England.Prerequisite: THEA 210
THEA 351 – Survey of Dramatic Literature II 3 credit hours
Examination of dramatic literature with primary focus on the modern and postmodern eras of world literature. Specific emphasis will be placed on the philosophical approaches of Realism/Naturalism and Existentialism.Prerequisite: THEA 210
THEA 396 – Theatre Design Software 3 credit hours
An exploration of the most common computer aided design software used in the theatre industry. Students will exit the class with the ability to create and manipulate digital design files in ways applicable to their chosen path of study.THEA 400 – Teaching Theatre 3 credit hours
Preparation of future Theatre instructors for professional work. Learning to plan, prepare, and execute Theatre programs for high schools, continuing studies programs, and community centers. Study will include: creating courses, developing lesson plans, in-class teaching opportunities, organizing class projects, identifying teaching opportunities, coordinating extracurricular activities, and conducting self-evaluations. Will assist students in identifying and developing individual styles of Theatre pedogogy.Department Consent Required
THEA 401 – Special Topics 1-3 credit hours
Study in a specific area of theatre which will vary each time the course is offered. Topics of study may include performance, history, criticism, play development, technical theatre, as well as others.Department Consent Required
Total Credits Allowed: 6.00
THEA 413 – History of Theatre I 3 credit hours
Survey of Theatre History covering the development of the institution of theatre from pre-historical rituals through the Elizabethan period. Areas of study include: theory and criticism, literature, physical theatre, and personnel.THEA 414 – History of Theatre II 3 credit hours
Survey of Theatre History covering periods from the Italian Renaissance through the rise of Realism. Areas of study include: theory and criticism, literature, physical theatre, and personnel.THEA 415 – History of Theatre III 3 credit hours
Survey of Theatre History covering the development of modern theatre in the late 19th and 20th Centuries. Particular emphasis is placed on Realism/Naturalism and Postmodern Theatre. Areas of study include: theory and criticism, literature, physical theatre, and personnel.THEA 419 – Costume Design 3 credit hours
Exploration of the elements and principles of design in relation to theatrical costume design. Specific projects are used to develop the design process with explicit attention to character analysis, period research, design conceptualization, and limitations of budgets and production schedules. Application of construction skills is enhanced through production work.Prerequisite: THEA 210 and THEA 241 and THEA 296 or permission of instructor
THEA 420 – Scenic Design 3 credit hours
Introduction to the processes and techniques used to apply design elements and principles in the creation of visual environments. Study and practice in script analysis, research, design process, production styles, stage composition, conceptualization, rendering, scenic model-making, etc. will be used to develop and refine design skills. Application of design skills is enhanced through production work.Prerequisite: THEA 210 and THEA 296 or permission of instructor
Additional Course Fee Required
THEA 421 – Playwriting 3 credit hours
Instruction in the craft of playwriting and an organic approach to creating new works. Students will work on original monologues and short plays as they study the elements of drama and the technical format of writing for the stage. Playwriting, play production, competitions, and script publication will be covered.Additional Course Fee Required
THEA 423 – Advanced Theatre Practicum 1 credit hour
Significant projects in theatre production for advanced Theatre students. Designed to provide students with experience in positions or roles that fully utilize the performance and/or technical skills they have acquired. Projects may include: stage management, directing, major roles, mainstage designs, administration, or others approved by Theatre faculty.Department Consent Required
Total Credits Allowed: 6.00
THEA 425 – Acting Styles 3 credit hours
Advanced training in various acting styles and techniques. Course could include experience exploring the acting techniques in the following: Greek Drama/Chorus, Shakespeare, Comedy of Manners, Commedia dell-Arte, Theatre of the Absurd, Augusto Boal's Theatre of the Oppressed, and the Meisner Technique. Study will include vocal and physical work culminating in monologues and scenes.Prerequisite: THEA 226
THEA 436 – Advanced Technical Theatre 3 credit hours
Exploration of advanced methods and materials utilized in contemporary technical theatre. Students will become familiar with techniques in mechanical drafting, computer-aided drafting, metalworking, wood turning, foam sculpting, painting, and other technical areas.Prerequisite: THEA 135
Additional Course Fee Required
THEA 438 – Technical Direction 3 credit hours
Study of the theory and practice of technical direction for the performing arts and the role of the technical director in the collaborative production process. Course content is focused on the development of skills and techniques for scenery construction, stage rigging, technical drafting, budgeting time and resources, and management.Prerequisite: THEA 436
THEA 446 – Sound Design for the Theatre 3 credit hours
This course examines the process of theatrical sound design through experiential projects, lecture/demonstrations, hands-on production experience, and theoretical projects. Subject matter includes aesthetics of sound design and theory, electricity, acoustics, equipment, and basic sound technology.Prerequisite: THEA 135
THEA 447 – Lighting Design 3 credit hours
Examination of the mechanics, principles, and practices of lighting for the stage. Course will include: analysis of scripts for lighting design, application of design elements, introduction to lighting equipment and control systems, study of color theory, development and execution of light plots, and an overview of electricity. Hands-on training during mainstage light hang/focus, as well as various design projects will enhance the overall experience.Prerequisite: THEA 210 and THEA 296 or permission of instructor
Additional Course Fee Required
THEA 460 – Independent Study and Research 1-3 credit hours
Independent study or research of a theatre-related topic under the direction of a Theatre Department faculty member. Proposals for study or research must be submitted to the appropriate faculty advisor prior to registering for this course.Department Consent Required
Total Credits Allowed: 6.00
THEA 475 – Internship 1-12 credit hours
Practical experience in theatre conducted in cooperation with a professional or resident theatre company. Student work in acting, directing, stage management, design, technical work, or administration will be monitored and evaluated by a Theatre faculty advisor.Department Consent Required
Total Credits Allowed: 12.00
THEA 480 – Play Direction 3 credit hours
Introduction to the fundamentals of directing for the stage through application of basic principles and techniques to one-act and cutting projects. Projects combine theory and practice in play selection, script interpretation, stage movement, stage composition, interpersonal relationships, production values, rehearsals, and ultimate performance.Prerequisite: THEA 135 and THEA 210 and THEA 225
Additional Course Fee Required