Syllabus

      
Throughout the syllabus below, we will read excerpts from texts by master acting teacher Uta Hagen: 

El Arte de Actuar. la Técnica de Uta Hagen (Respect for Acting), Arbol Editorial, 1990. (Available on Kindle).
or
Respect for Acting by Uta Hagen, MacMillan Publishing, 1973. ~ Many copies available at Powell’s, Amazon, etc. on line; and Kindle.

(This syllabus is not Final, thank you!)

Week 1

  • Meet & great everyone in the class through name games
  • Collaboratively determine the ground rules for the class (including the depth of the immersion experience), review the syllabus
  • Warm up exercises for the body & voice (daily class practice)
  • Foundation exercises in awareness and presence

Week 2

  • Exercises in improvisation, listening, self-awareness
  • Assign scenes from Latin American plays, to teams organized by skill level and/or cultural interest

Week 3

  • Exercises in vocal flexibility, Intention and delivery
  • Tools for scene interpretation (drama)
  • Tools for building the characters
  • Sharing first minute of scenes
  • Instructor conferences with each student

Week 4

  • Introduce vocabulary for theatre spaces
  • Discuss tools for constructive critique based on Stanislavski criteria
  • Review dramaturgical assignment
  • First viewing of full scenes

Week 5

  • Scene coaching, including: character development, blocking, intention, emotional investment, beats, relationships.

Week 6

  • Continue scene coaching
  • Final scene presentation with dramaturgical background presentation
  • Review process for monologue or poem selection
  • Discuss professional audition & rehearsal process

Week 7

  • Present monologues (or poems)
  • Environment, physical, vocal exercises
  • Character work
  • Instructor conferences with each student

Week 8

  • First sharing of full monologue
  • Monologue coaching
  • Presence & improvisations

Week 9

  • Monologue coaching, review character development, blocking, intention, emotional investment, beats
  • Begin collaborative, devised group project (created through improvisation and found text)

Week 10

  • Refining the work for performance
  • Final presentation of monologue
  • Final presentation of group project
  • Celebration!