Classes at VWU are small and interactive. Courses within the theatre program include: Acting, Tech nical Theatre, Rehearsal and Performance, Script Analysis, Theatre History, Directing, and special topics such as Improvisation, Business of Broadway, Stage Management, and Theatre Practicum. Students are advised to take additional electives and theatrical production experiences that will not only enhance their educational goals, but also provide them with resume-building skills and experiences.
Theatre Courses (TH)
100 Theatre: A Hands-On Introduction (4)
Students complete experiential modules in major production areas such as acting, tech, directing, and dramaturgy. Emphasis is given to the collaborative roles involved in creating, staging, and producing theatre. Offered every fall.
101 Rehearsal and Performance (1-2)
Students perform in, stage manage, or provide technical support for a mainstage or studio play directed by a faculty member. Students are selected by audition and/or interview. Must be taken for 4 credit hours to fulfill the General Education requirement.
210 Acting I (4)
An introduction to basic principles of acting in a workshop setting Offered intermittently.
220 Technical Theatre (4)
An in-depth study of the concepts, methods, materials, and equipment used in theatrical lighting, set design, stagecraft, costuming, makeup and safety. Students will gain practical knowledge through workshop and lab experiences. Students will receive additional in-depth experience by serving on technical crews for VWU theatre productions. Offered every fall.
224/324 Theatre Practicum (2 or 4)
Students gain experiential knowledge and skills in a chosen production area. Students will choose from the following production areas: stage management, production management, publicity and promotion, dramaturgy, scenic/lighting/costume/make-up design, technical direction, choreography/movement, or directing. May be taken and repeated for 2 or 4 semester hours. Prerequisite: consent. Offered every semester.
250 Script Analysis (4)
A study of dramatic literature in relation to questions of style, theatrical convention, and interpretive theories. Prerequisite: ENG 105 with a grade of C or higher. Offered every spring.
270/370 Theatre Seminar, Advanced Seminar (4, 4)
Provides opportunities to study particular subject matter or to take advantage of special competence by faculty member in a given semester. Previous topics include musical theatre and improvisation. Topics change as needs and resources develop. May be repeated for credit as topics change. Prerequisite: varies according to the topic of the seminar. Offered intermittently.
301 Theatre History I (4) W
A study of the literature, architecture, performance styles, design, and cultural impact of theatre from the Ancient Greeks through French Neoclassicism. Prerequisite: Sophomore status or consent. Offered intermittently.
302 Theatre History II (4) W
A study of the literature, architecture, performance styles, and cultural impact of theatre from the English Restoration to the present. Prerequisite: Sophomore status or consent. Offered intermittently.
304 Exploring Theatre History (4)
Students explore select theatre topics in detail as they evolve across time periods and geographic locations so that they can understand the value of the development of topics and the potential of the past to continue to speak to us today.
Prerequisites: successful completion of ENG 105, WES 100, and WES 200. Can be taken multiple times. Offered each year.
310 Acting II (4)
An advanced study of acting in a workshop setting. Features period style. Prerequisite: TH 210. Offered intermittently.
375 Images of Women in Theatre and Film (4)
Students explore depictions of women in theatre and film over the past sixty years to gain an understanding and awareness of these media as powerful societal forces for the dissemination of gender ideology. They learn to apply feminist/gender theories and criticism to theatrical performance, dramatic literature, and films. Prerequisite: Sophomore status or consent.
Offered intermittently.
410 Contemporary Voices in Theatre (4)
Students explore the wealth of human perspectives and experiences present in contemporary theatre and performance. Using theories from across the liberal arts, students explore how historically marginalized groups express their perspective to contemporary audiences. Prerequisite: Sophomore status or consent. Offered intermittently.
412 Directing (4)
This course provides students with an in-depth exploration of both practical and theoretical aspects of directing. Topics to be covered include concept, organizational methods, script analysis, rehearsal techniques, and director-actor communication.
Each student, working closely with the instructor, will direct and produce the VWU One-Act Play Festival. May be repeated for credit with change in One Act Project. Prerequisites: junior/senior status & consent. Offered every fall.
424 Senior Theatre Practicum (4)
Fulfills the senior capstone requirement for theatre majors. Students gain advanced experiential knowledge in a chosen production area that may include acting, directing, stage management, production management, dramaturgy, and design. Students must have some experience in the chosen area. Prerequisites: senior status and consent. Offered every semester.
485 Theatre Internship (4-6)
Offers upper-level students the opportunity for instruction and experience in an off-campus, professional theatre setting. Students have a minimum of ten contact hours per week with supervisors. Involves weekly journals, evaluations from supervisors, portfolio creation, and oral defense. Prerequisites: junior/senior status and consent. Offered every semester.