THEATRE (Div. I)

Chair, Professor JEAN-BERNARD BUCKY

Professor: BUCKY. Associate Professor: EPPEL. Assistant Professor: HAMILTON. Lecturers: BROTHERS, CATALANO.

As a reflection of the theatre's historical relationship to literature and the arts, stage production is studied in the context of the literary and artistic movements which have informed theatrical endeavor. The major in Theatre emphasizes the collaborative nature of the discipline by drawing upon courses offered by faculty of the Language, Literature, Music, and Art Departments. Although students will be equipped to proceed to graduate and professional schools in Theatre, the major is primarily directed toward those interested in studying the theatre as an artistic phenomenon and as an interpretive tool. Because a deep understanding of theatre requires training and experience with the synthesis on stage, the major includes curricular study of production and performance, as well as continued participation in departmental stage production.

The production arm of the Department of Theatre, operates under the supervision of the departmental faculty. Major departmental productions as well as laboratory and experimental productions of all kinds are mounted on both the MainStage of the Adams Memorial Theatre, and the DownStage Theatre. Participation in acting or technical work is open to all members of the Williams College community. Students majoring in Theatre will be asked to consult regularly with departmental advisers in devising the sequence of courses and production participation which will constitute their major.

The course numbering system for the Department of Theatre follows the numbering system of the College as a whole with two exceptions. Theatre 101, 102, Introduction to Theatre, are limited in their enrollment to first-year students and sophomores except in special cases by permission of the instructor. The reason for this departure is to keep these courses to a manageable size so that they can continue in their present format as both lecture and laboratory.

MAJOR

Theatre 101, 102 Introduction to Theatre

Theatre 201 The Design Response

Theatre 203 Interpretation and Performance

Theatre 401 Seminar for Senior Majors

and

Two courses from Theatre 309-320 Studies in Dramatic Literature

and

Two courses from:

Theatre 204 Interpretation and Performance

Theatre 207 The History of Dance

Theatre 302 Scenic Design

Theatre 303 Stage Lighting

Theatre 304 The Peacock and the Doll

Theatre 305T Costume Design

Theatre 306 Advanced Acting

Theatre 307 Stage Direction

Theatre 308 Directing Workshop

Theatre 323 Theatre of Images

Theatre 397, 398 Independent Study

and

Two courses from any one of the following groups (a, b, or c):

a. English 201 Shakespeare's Major Plays

English 202 Modern Drama

English 204 The Feature Film

Spanish 303 Spanish Theater of the Golden Age

(Courses in this group to be chosen so that they do not duplicate in essential content the body of dramatic works dealt with in Theatre 309-320 taken to satisfy the major requirement.)

b. ArtS 100 Drawing I

ArtS 230 Drawing II

c. Music 106 Opera

Music 107 Verdi and Wagner

Production requirement for the major: All Majors in Theatre are required to participate in a minimum of eight productions in addition to the laboratory requirement for Theatre 102. Participation in at least three of the eight must be in technical production, and one must be in Stage Management. Assignment to productions is normally made in consultation with the Department.

Theatre majors are strongly urged to include dance and fencing in fulfilling their Physical Education requirements.

THE DEGREE WITH HONORS IN THEATRE

Students who intend to apply for the degree with honors must consult with the department early in their junior year. At that time proposals for a specific course cluster chosen to constitute an honors program must be submitted to the department for its approval. A recommendation for graduation with honors will be made on the basis of consistently superior performance in all aspects of the major and fulfillment of the honors requirements with distinction.

The honors program consists of two elective courses outside the Theatre Department, clearly related to the execution of a thesis or a project in directing, performance, design, or writing for the theatre, and completion of the project in Theatre 491 or 492 or the thesis in Theatre 493 or 494. A Winter Study Project (W030 or W031) may be taken to augment the work completed in one of these Theatre courses, but it is not required.

Courses elected in fulfillment of the honors program are not applicable to the normal major requirement.

Of interest to advanced students:
THE NATIONAL THEATRE INSTITUTE

The Department of Theatre is affiliated with the National Theatre Institute, which offers additional theatre study through its resident semester program. The Institute is fully accredited by Connecticut College and is a member of the Twelve-College Exchange. Limited numbers of Williams students can therefore be selected to take a full semester of intensive theatre study at the NTI, located at the Eugene O'Neill Memorial Theatre Centre in Waterford, Connecticut. During the semester, students from participating colleges live and work as members of a theatre company gaining experience with professional theatre artists in a workshop environment. Early application is essential.