Theatre and Dance
OFFICE: 202 Galbraith Hall, Revelle College
(858) 534-3791
Web site: http://theatre.ucsd.edu
Professors
Courses
The Undergraduate Program
The curriculum of the Department of Theatre and Dance is based on the
belief that a good undergraduate education in theatre or dance should
provide the student with a solid background in dramatic literature and
the aesthetics and history of theatrical performance as well as exposure
to the different artistic components of theatrical artperformance,
playwriting, design, and choreography.
In addition to providing an integrated program for students desiring
a theatre or dance major, the curriculum provides a sequence of courses
to fulfill the fine arts and/or humanities requirements for Muir College;
courses fulfilling Warren Colleges program of concentration
requirements; courses to fulfill Revelle, Thurgood Marshall, and Eleanor
Roosevelt Colleges fine arts requirements; public speaking courses
to fulfill requirements in the Schools of Engineering and Pharmacy; and
elective courses for the general student desiring experience in theatre
or dance.
Any student who has been accepted to the University of California, San
Diego is eligible to declare theatre or dance as a major, double major,
or minor. Auditions are not required. Continuing UCSD students who are
changing their major to theatre or dance must file a Change of Major form
with the UCSD Registrars Office.
Department of Theatre and Dance Advising
The Departments undergraduate faculty advisers can provide guidance
and answers to your questions concerning specific course content, transfer
coursework, honors research projects, academic success, production, auditioning
procedures, postgraduate opportunities, and departmental policy changes.
The undergraduate coordinator can answer your questions regarding major
requirements, procedural matters, class enrollment, the petition process,
and give referrals to faculty and other campus resources for specific
information.
Undergraduate student representatives are another important resource
for theatre and dance majors. The student reps organize quarterly meetings
at which students and faculty discuss departmental issues and concerns.
The department regularly communicates with our majors and minors as
well as other students involved in our classes and productions through
the campus email and listserver systems. Students are strongly urged
to check their campus email accounts for timely messages or to make arrangements
with Academic Computing Services to have campus email forwarded to any
other email account they may use. Additionally, a handbook containing
useful information is available in the department office, room 202, Galbraith
Hall.
Programs Abroad
The department encourages students to enrich their undergraduate
experience by studying abroad. Students majoring in theatre and/or
dance are encouraged
to participate in the Education Abroad Program (EAP) and to investigate
other options of foreign study through the Opportunities Abroad Program
(OAP). By petition, credits earned through EAP/OAP can fulfill UCSD
degree and major requirements. Please visit the Programs Abroad Web
site at: http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/icenter/pao for further details.
Financial aid is applicable and special study abroad scholarships are
readily
available.
The Department of Theatre and Dance will accept a maximum
of three courses per semester abroad, and students are encouraged to
take
courses abroad
that will fulfill major elective requirements. Please meet with the
undergraduate coordinator prior to the EAP/OAP application deadline.
The Theatre Major
The theatre major provides a student with a solid artistic and academic
background. The required lower-division courses equip the student with
the skills and knowledge necessary for more advanced work in each of
the areas of study. The major is structured to respond to the
needs of students who seek a broad-based liberal arts education
in theatre as well as those who plan to pursue their studies at the
graduate
level with the aim of acquiring either an M.F.A. or Ph.D. degree. Students
should meet with the departments undergraduate coordinator the
quarter in which they declare a theatre major in order to plan an appropriate
individual course of study.
The major requirements are those published in the catalog in effect
for the first quarter that a first-year student attends UCSD; transfer
students will be held to the catalog requirements two years previous
to their first quarter at UCSD. Any student in good standing may declare
a theatre major by completing a Change of Major form and delivering it
to the Registrar’s Office. A department stamp is not required.
The Dance Major
The dance major will offer students an opportunity to specialize their
training in the creative, aesthetic, and conceptual discipline of expressive
movement as a contemporary art form, within the context of a broad undergraduate
education. The primary focus of the dance major will be the study of
contemporary and ballet techniques, dance history, theory and choreographic
methods, emphasizing innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration,
and pushing forward the boundaries of dance as a contemporary art form.
It will provide the rigor of an academic program that fosters the balanced
development of the dancer's creative artistic potential, physical skills,
and intellectual growth. Our aim is to provide students with a broad
range of artistic and conceptual tools for achieving goals in a variety
of career areas and for pursuing advanced study in dance and dance related
fields. Growth is encouraged of individual artistic potential through
the integration of creative, physical and intellectual process, providing
a foundation of the creative and critical thinking needed for success
in all career paths.
The major requirements are those published in the
catalog in effect for the first quarter that a first-year student attends
UCSD; transfer students
will be held to the catalog requirements two years previous to their
first quarter at UCSD. Any student in good standing may declare a theatre
major by completing a Change of Major form and delivering it to the
Registrar’s
Office. A department stamp is not required.
The Theatre-Dance Double Major
The double major in Theatre and Dance provides students with a solid
academic base and an artistic base in both theatre and dance disciplines.
Furthermore, requirements for this double major will create stronger and
more experienced directors (for their exposure to choreography), choreographers
(for their exposure to directing), actors (for the poise and strength
they will attain from dance), and dancers (for having confronted text
and character).
Students should meet with the departments undergraduate coordinator
as soon as practical (but no later than the quarter in which they declare
the major) in order to plan an appropriate individual course of study.
Double majors should complete the Petition for Double Major form obtained
from their college and submit it to the department for review and approval.
Theatre Minor
The theatre minor consists of seven theatre courses, one
of which is the Practicum. It is recommended that students declare
the theatre
minor as soon as possible as priority enrollment in the Practicums
is given to majors and minors.
Dance Minor
The dance minor consists of seven courses, one of which
is the Practicum. The dance minor will provide a balanced educational
experience
for
the student who has a strong interest in dance, but who wishes
to major in
another area of study. It is recommended that students declare
the dance minor as soon as possible as priority enrollment in the Practicums
is
given to majors and minors.
Satisfying Your Major Requirements
Fifty percent of all course work required for the theatre or
dance major (including both upper- and lower-division) must be taken
at UCSD,
regardless of approved transfer work, and petitions. Theatre practicum
(TDPR) classes, completed elsewhere do
not satisfy the theatre and dance departments requirements unless
they have been formally petitioned and approved. Only one practicum
class
from another institution may be petitioned. All courses required for
the major or minor must be taken for a letter grade. A theatre and dance
department
course for which a student earns a grade lower than C will not
satisfy any of the departments graduation requirements. Four units
of Instructional Assistance (TDGE 195, P/NP credit) may be used as an
upper-division elective
for the theatre major, double major, or minor. Courses taken outside
the Department of Theatre and Dance will not satisfy core or elective
major requirements.
Major Requirements
Theatre majors are required to complete ten lower-division courses.
Dance majors are required to complete three lower-division courses.
All lower-division
courses should be satisfied before starting upper-division course work
in the respective areas.
Theatre and Dance majors and minors should complete a practicum course,
either TDPR 1, TDPR 2, TDPR 3, or TDPR 5, within three quarters of declaring
their
major
or minor. Theatre majors should plan to complete their second practicum
requirement as soon as possible therafter, as space in these classes
is
limited. The second practicum course must be in an area different from
the initial practicum course.
Theatre History 10, 11, 12, and 13 are prerequisites for most upper-division
theatre history and theory courses. Introduction to Acting (TDAC 1),
Theatre
Design (TDDE 1), and Theatre Playwriting (TDPW 1) are all prerequisites
for any upper-division course work in their respective areas. Students
should take these classes as soon as possible after declaring their major.
Prerequisites ensure that students are properly prepared for the work
required.
Theatre Major
Please refer to the major requirements section for an overview of
the theatre major.
Lower-Division Requirements
1. Two courses selected from:
TDPR 1. PracticumScenery
TDPR 2. PracticumCostume
TDPR 3. PracticumLighting
TDPR 5. PracticumSound
2. Each of the following :
TDHT 10. Introduction to Play Analysis
TDHT 11. History of Theatre 1: Classical to Renaissance
TDHT 12. History of Theatre 2: Neoclassicism to Realism
TDHT 13. History of Theatre 3: Symbolism to Postmodernism
3. TDGE 1. Introduction to Theatre
4. Each of the area threshold classes:
a) TDAC 1. Introduction to Acting
b) TDDE 1. Introduction to Design
c) TDPW 1. Introduction to Playwriting
Note: The threshold classes listed above must be completed before
taking upper-division courses in their respective areas.
Upper-Division Requirements
4. One upper-division four-unit acting course
5. One upper-division four-unit design course
6. One upper-division four-unit directing course
7. One upper-division four-unit playwriting course
8. One upper-division four-unit stage management course
9. Three upper-division four-unit theatre history courses
10. Four upper-division four-unit theatre electives
Note: THGE 197 and 199 may not be used as upper-division electives
by theatre majors unless approved by petition.
Dance Major
Lower-Division Requirements
1. One course from:
TDPR 1. PracticumScenery
TDPR 2. PracticumCostume
TDPR 3. PracticumLighting
TDPR 5. PracticumSound
2. TDTR 10. Introduction to Dancing
3. TDCH 40. Principles of Choreography Upper-Division Requirements
4. TDTR 101. Dance Movement Analysis
5. Two choreography courses
chosen from the following:
TDCH 140. Improvisation/Composition
TDCH 142. Choreographic Workshop
TDCH 145. Music for Dance Composition
6. One design course chosen
from the following:
TDDE 113. Costume Design for Dance
TDDE 123. Lighting Design for Dance
7. Four dance history and theory
courses chosen from the following:
TDHD 171. Dance History I (Ancient
to 1900)
TDHD 172. Dance History II (1900 to 1960)
TDHD 173. Dance History III (1960 to present)
TDHD 174. Dance Aesthetics and Criticism
TDHD 175. Cultural Perspectives on World Dance
8. Forty-eight units
of movement courses in ballet and contemporary dance chosen from
the following (each of the courses listed
below may be repeated up
to four times):
TDMV 110. Intermediate Ballet
TDMV 111. Advanced Ballet
TDMV 112. Advanced Ballet for Contemporary Dance
TDMV 120. Intermediate Contemporary Dance
TDMV 122. Advanced Contemporary Dance
9. Eight units of electives
chosen from the following:
TDAC 109. Singing for the Actor
TDAC 111. Freeing the Voice
TDAC 115. Movement for Actors
TDCH 143. Choreography and Dramatic Text
TDMV 130. Intermediate Jazz
TDMV 133. Advanced Jazz
TDMV 136. Dances of the World
TDMV 137. Advanced Dances of the World
TDMV 138. Hip Hop
TDMV 139. Pilates
TDTR 102. Movement Research
TDTR 103. Dance and Technology
TDTR 104. Dance Theory and Pedagogy
Theatre and Dance Double Major
Lower-Division Requirements
1. One course from
TDPR 1. PracticumScenery
TDPR 2. PracticumCostumes
TDPR 3. PracticumLighting
TDPR 5. PracticumSound
2. TDAC 1. Introduction to Acting
3. TDCH 40. Principles of Choreography
4. Each of the following threshold classes:
TDDE 1. Introduction to Design
TDPW 1. Introduction to Playwriting
Upper-Division Requirements
5. One upper-division four-unit acting course
6. One upper-division four-unit design course
7. One upper-division four-unit directing course
8. One upper-division four-unit playwriting course
9. One upper-division four-unit stage management course
10. Six upper-division four-unit theatre and dance history courses (TDHT
114 required as one of the six upper-division history courses)
11. Four upper-division theatre electives (with no more than two from
the core dance curriculum)
12. TDTR 101. Dance Movement Analysis
13. TDDE 121. Theatre Process: Lighting
14.
TDCH 140. Improvisation/Composition
TDCH 142. Choreographic Workshop
TDCH 145. Music for Dance Composition
15. Twelve units of advanced movement courses in one of the following
areas of emphasis:
TDMV 111. Advanced Ballet
TDMV 122. Advanced Contemporary Dance
TDMV 133. Advanced Jazz
16. One four-unit advanced movement course outside the area of emphasis
selected in number 15.
Note: TDGE 197 and 199 may not be used as upper-division electives
by theatre and dance majors unless approved by petition.
The Theatre Minor
Minor forms are available at the advising office of the student's college. Minor
courses may not be taken on a Pass/No Pass basis.
The minor requirements are those published in the catalog in effect
for the first quarter that a first-year student attends UCSD; Transfer
students will be held to the catalog requirements two years previous
to their first quarter at UCSD.
Lower-Division Requirements
1. One course from:
TDPR 1. PracticumScenery
TDPR 2. PracticumCostumes
TDPR 3. PracticumLighting
TDPR 5. PracticumSound
2. One course from the following list:
TDHT 11. History of Theatre 1: Classical to Renaissance
TDHT 12. History of Theatre 2: Neoclassicism to Realism
TDHT 13. History of Theatre 3: Symbolism to Postmodernism
TDAC 1. Introduction to Acting
TDDE 1. Introduction to Design
TDPW 1. Introduction to Playwriting
Upper-Division Requirements
3. Any five four-unit, upper-division theatre courses chosen from the
following subjects: TDAC, TDDE, TDDR, TDGE, TDHT, TDPR, TDPW.
The Dance Minor
Minor forms are available at the advising office of the student’s
college. Minor courses may not be taken on a P/NP basis.
The minor requirements
are those published in the catalog in effect for the first quarter
that a first-year student attends UCSD; Transfer students will be held
to the catalog requirements two years previous to their first quarter at UCSD.
Dance Minor Requirements
Lower-Division Requirements
1. One course from:
TDPR 1. PracticumScenery
TDPR 2. PracticumCostumes
TDPR 3. PracticumLighting
TDPR 5. PracticumSound
2. TDTR 10. Introduction to Dance
Upper-Division Requirements
3. One Choreography course chosen from:
TDCH 140. Improvisation/Composition
TDCH 142. Choreographic Workshop
TDCH 145. Music for Dance Composition
Or
One Dance History Course chosen from:
TDHD 171. Dance History I (Ancient
to 1900)
TDHD 172. Dance History II (1900 to 1960)
TDHD 173. Dance History III (1960 to present)
TDHD 174. Dance Aesthetics and Criticism
TDHD 175. Cultural Perspectives on World Dance
4. Three Movement
courses:
TDMV 110. Intermediate Ballet
TDMV 111. Advanced Ballet
TDMV 112. Advanced Ballet for Contemporary Dance
TDMV 120. Intermediate Contemporary Dance
TDMV 122. Advanced Contemporary Dance
5. Four units Movement, Theory,
or Choreography chosen from:
TDMV 130. Intermediate Jazz
TDMV 133. Advanced Jazz
TDMV 136. Dances of the World
TDMC 137. Advanced Dances of the World
TDMV 138. Hip Hop
TDMV 139. Pilates
TDTR 101. Dance Movement Analysis
TDTR 103. Dance and Technology
TDTR 104. Dance Theory and Pedagogy
TDCH 143. Choreography and Dramatic Text
Honors Program
The department offers a special program of advanced study for outstanding
undergraduates majoring in theatre or dance. Successful completion of
the Honors Program enables the student to graduate With Highest
Distinction (A+), With High Distinction (A), or With
Distinction (A), depending upon performance in the program.
Eligibility
1. Junior standing (90 units or more completed)
2. 3.7 GPA or better in the major
3. 3.5 GPA or better overall, which student must maintain until final
graduation
4. Completion of at least four upper-division theatre courses
5. Recommendation of a faculty sponsor who is familiar with the students
work
Guideline
Application to the Honors Program may be made upon completion of 90
units or no later than the fifth week of the quarter preceding the final
two quarters before graduation. The Undergraduate Committee will consider
the application and, if approved, the student and the principal adviser
will have the responsibility of proposing an Honors Thesis Committee
to the Undergraduate Committee for final approval.
Students are required to take THGE 196A, Honors Studies in theatre and
196B, Honors Thesis in theatre, in addition to the thirteen upper-division
required courses for the major, THGE 196A-B are to be taken consecutively
and may not be taken concurrently.
Placement and Proficiency for Dance Majors
The technical command and the expansion of a vocabulary of movement
are essential to the dancer’s creative expression. The faculty advise
new students in dance to participate in beginning dance in all areas
for a minimum of one year, as well as enrolling in TDTR 10. Introduction
to Dance. These courses are designed to give the student the basic information
needed to move on to the intermediate level. Students should remain in
this level for a minimum of one year unless the instructor encourages
them to move up to the advanced level. All students are required to audition
and be approved by the faculty to be enrolled in advanced dance courses.
If you come to UCSD with a background in dance and would like to take
an advanced class you need to audition in the class of your choice on
the first day of the class meeting so that the teacher can accept you
in the class or recommend another more appropriate class.
Undergraduate Student Petitions
Undergraduate student petitions are required whenever an exception to
a rule is being requested. They are required for: major or minor requirement
substitutions; substitution of courses from other departments or institutions;
late course adding or dropping; or requesting a retroactive incomplete
grade. Submit petitions for course substitutions well in advance of
taking the course. To ensure that your petition is complete and well
documented, have the Department of Theatre and Dance undergraduate coordinator
assist you with the petition process if you have difficulty with the
form.
Receiving Transfer Credit
You must petition the department to substitute courses taken in another
department or institution for courses required by the Department of Theatre
and Dance. The following procedures and guidelines will help you with
the transfer petition process.
First, review the Department of Theatre and Dance residency requirement.
It is generally a good idea to petition a course before you take it.
The Department of Theatre and Dance undergraduate coordinator will review
petitions for all transfer courses. Students may obtain a General Undergraduate
Student Petition form on TritonLink. A detailed syllabus for
the course to be evaluated must be attached to the completed petition
form. Any petition relating to courses within the Department of Theatre
and Dance should be dropped off at the main office during normal working
hours.
Transfer credits must be accepted by the Admissions Office at the appropriate
level and for the appropriate number of units for the substitution to
be effective. Upper-division credit cannot be given for lower-division
work. Course work done at a junior college can only transfer to UCSD
as lower-division credit.
Theatre and Dance Performance and Production Opportunities
The Department of Theatre and Dance produces undergraduate productions
throughout the academic year. These productions range in scale from student
directed black box productions to full-scale faculty directed
undergraduate productions on the mainstage. Every effort is made to provide
a faculty directed opportunity for undergraduates each quarter.
Each of these productions is staged with undergraduate actors and dancers.
Historically, where there are design assignments to be made (sets, costumes,
lights, sound), those assignments are given to qualified undergraduates.
Upper-division credit is available for students involved in the design
or staging of department productions. Students may not work on department
productions unless they are formally enrolled in a related class. Information
regarding design and advanced crew opportunities is typically available
from the design faculty or may be posted on the bulletin board in the
lobby of Galbraith Hall as opportunities arise.
Cabaret
Cabarets are independent productions that are produced in Galbraith
Hall Studio Theatre 157. Students may submit proposals for cabarets
one quarter in advance
to the cabaret manager. The cabaret policy is subject to revision on
a quarterly basis. Please check at the front desk for details and deadlines.
Undergraduate Audition Policy
Undergraduates are encouraged to audition for all shows produced in
the department. Auditions are typically held in the quarter preceeding
the
staging of a production. Audition announcements will be posted on the
bulletin board in the lobby of Galbraith Hall. Undergraduates who have
completed or are currently enrolled in TDAC 1Introduction to Acting
are eligible to audition. Qualified undergraduates may audition for
roles
in graduate productions as they are available.
UCSD Dance Repertory
This repertory is open to dance students through auditions. The company
will perform lecture-demonstrations, performances, and teach master classes
in the community or at other UC campuses.
Annual Dance Concerts
Two main stage and one studio theatre dance concert are presented each
year. In fall quarter a small scale faculty directed laboratory or cabaret
performance is presented in the Moli and Arthur Wagner Dance Building’s
Studio theatre. In winter quarter’s ‘Dance Alive’ concert
students perform choreography created by the professional faculty and
international guest artists in the Mandell Weiss Center for the Performing
Arts, Forum Theatre or the Potiker Theatre; and in spring quarter’s “New
Works” student dance concert, students perform the faculty-directed
experimental choreographic works for other students at the Mandeville
Center Auditorium. In addition, smaller productions and student cabarets
take place in our intimate Studio Theatre, located in the dance facility.
Auditions are held at the beginning of the quarter for all productions.
Students
interested in performing in the winter concert must audition for a specific
repertory class taught by the faculty or guest choreographer with whom
they wish to work. Students who are then cast must enroll in both the
appropriate Dance Repertory (TDPF 160, 161, 162) and Studies in Performance
(TDPF 163). Students interested in performing in the spring concert must
audition
at the beginning of spring quarter; if cast, they enroll in Studies in
Performance (TDPF 160, 161, 162). Students participating in either dance
production are required to be concurrently attending a technique class.
Students
who wish to choreograph for the spring concert must have completed or
be concurrently enrolled in a choreography class.
Ushering
A fantastic and simple way for students to become involved with the
Department of Theatre and Dance is to be a volunteer usher. When a student
volunteers, he or she will receive a complimentary ticket and a guaranteed
seat to a predetermined performance in exchange for carrying out easy
but important front of house tasks (such as tearing tickets, seating
patrons, or handing out programs). Ushering is fun and easy—no
experience is required and all majors are welcome.
To inquire about usher availability,
contact the Theatre and Dance promotions manager at promotions@ucsd.edu and put the word “USHER” (in
all caps) in the subject line. Someone will respond to your inquiry
with more information in a timely manner.
Comps
Declared theatre or dance majors are eligible to receive one free complimentary
ticket per departmental production. The complimentary tickets are on
a first-come-first-serve basis. Majors need to come into the department
office and fill out a complimentary request form at least forty-eight
hours prior to the performance. Majors will be notified through email
if the request is unable to be filled. For the complete Complimentary
Ticket Policy please visit our Web site (http://theatre.ucsd.edu) or
come into the office.
The Graduate Program
Master of Fine Arts in Theatre
Joint Doctoral Degree Program
M.F.A. in Theatre
The Department of Theatre and Dance has set an ambitious goal for its
M.F.A. program: the training of artists who will shape the future direction
of the theatre. The professional theatre training program is ranked third
in the nation (and first west of the Hudson River) [US News and World
Report, 1997].
The curriculum for all students involves studio classes and seminars.
These are integrated with a progressive sequence of work on productions
and with a professional residency at the La Jolla Playhouse.
The M.F.A. program at UCSD is built around the master-apprentice system
of training. All the faculty are active professionals who teach at UCSD
because of a shared commitment to training young artists. Instruction
takes place not just in the classroom, but in theatres around the country
where faculty, with students as assistants, are involved in professional
productions, including those at the La Jolla Playhouse.
Students graduating from the M.F.A. program at UCSD should be prepared
to take positions in the professional theatre in the United States and
abroad. Students are now working in New York, in resident theatres, in
the film and television industry, and in European repertory theatres.
M.F.A. candidates in acting, design, directing, playwriting, and stage
management will complete at least ninety quarter-units of academic work
during their tenure in the program.
Program Descriptions
Acting
The body and mind of the actor are synthesized to serve as an instrument
of expression. Actors must depend on their instrument to perform, and
the program places great emphasis on the strengthening and tuning of that
instrument. The innate talent of the student is nurtured, coaxed, and
challenged with individual attention from an extraordinary team of professionals
and specialists in actor training.
Classes
Each year, intensive studio work in movement, voice, speech, and singing
accesses, expands, and frees the physical body. Acting process introduces
a range of improvisational and rehearsal techniques that help the actor
approach onstage events with imagination and a rich emotional life. In
the first year, studio classes guide the actor through daily explorations
that encourage, change, and enhance artistic expression. The second year
is devoted to the study of classical texts as well as the specific vocal
and physical skills required to perform them. In the final year, classes
focus on the needs of individual actors as they prepare to enter the professional
world.
Productions
Actors work on classical and contemporary texts as well as new plays
with graduate students, faculty, and professional guest directors. Each
year the department schedules from fifteen to twenty productions of varying
size and scope. Graduate students are given casting priority for all but
a few plays. Student-scheduled and produced cabaret/ workshop productions
occur year-round and provide additional acting opportunities.
Externship
All graduate students serve a residency with the La Jolla Playhouse and
are cast in positions ranging from supporting to leading roles alongside
professional actors and directors of national and international stature.
For many actors this opportunity establishes valuable networking relationships
and exposure for future employment.
Research and Other Opportunities
Modest funds are sometimes available for the pursuit of research, special
technique workshops, and travel to auditions and festivals. In addition,
in the third year, the entire acting class receives a showcase presentation
in both Los Angeles and New York at which specially invited groups of
film, television, and theatre professionals are in attendance.
Design
The design program aims to train students in the best professional practices
of regional and commercial theatre. The design faculty are award-winning
working professionals also committed to teaching. The design training
program stresses an interaction with the works of many visual artists
from a wide range of disciplines. Students are trained to create designs
that comment on the play and the text, not merely illustrate
it. Stu-dents talent and design work are showcased at a number of
venues that have directly resulted in many national grants, awards, and
other work opportunities for our alumni.
Classes
All students take a core curriculum of first-year design studio classes
in scenery, costume, and lighting (taken together with directors), and
a design seminar where all three years come together in a forum to share
production experiences, portfolios, and professional career techniques
and skills. This is followed in subsequent years by more specialized Advanced
Design classes which combine with production work in the students
own area of concentration. We are also able to offer a double-emphasis
study (e.g., scenery and costume design combined) to appropriate students.
Classes in other areas (e.g., drafting, text analysis, visual arts) are
also normally offered.
Production
We offer a generous number of (fully executed) production opportunities,
and generally all productions are designed by students. Designers collaborate
with student, faculty, and internationally prominent guest directors.
Students are fully supported by the same professional workshop staff as
the La Jolla Playhouse and are not expected to build or run their own
productions.
Externship
Student designers participate in a residency program at the La Jolla
Playhouse, and normally work as assistants to visiting professional designers.
However, there are also some opportunities for talented students to be
hired as principal designers by the Playhouse during their season.
Research and Other Opportunities
Students may also be offered opportunities to travel with faculty as
assistants on professional assignments to major regional theatres, Broadway,
England, or Europe. Modest funds are sometimes available for student research
and travel to see productions and to attend conferences and workshops.
Directing
With an emphasis on the collaborative process, the Directing Programs
purpose is to develop directors with a solid foundation in the components
of production and the interpretation of text. Individuals are encouraged
to make challenging choices, to break down barriers, and to create exciting,
meaningful theatre. Graduates of the program are prepared to select and
get to the heart of a text, communicate effectively with and inspire production
designers, and elicit expressive performances from the actors with whom
they work.
Classes
The core curriculum of the Directing Process Program offers students
opportunities to hone their skills in text analysis and scene work in
all three years. The first-year student also completes a sequence in
the acting process, develops a visual vocabulary in theatrical
design and visual arts courses, and explores the nature of the collaborative
process.
Production
Directing students will direct from two to four department scheduled
and supervised productions in the Mandell Weiss Center for the Perfor-ming
Arts during their time at UCSD. In addition, studio, workshop, and cabaret
productions of the directors choice are strongly encouraged. The
production season also offers opportunities to assist guest and faculty
directors.
Externship
In the second year, the La Jolla Playhouse provides a residency during
which students typically serve as assistant directors.
Additional Opportunities
It is common for the directing faculty to take M.F.A directors with them
to work as assistant directors at theatres around the United States and
internationally.
Playwriting
Playwrights are more than mere writers. They are artists who unleash
their imagination in incredibly dramatic ways. The successful playwright
writes with intellectual power and emotional honesty, with a distinct
and essential voice that speaks with vulnerability and sentience to the
heart and soul of the audience. The dedicated, individual attention and
formidable production opportunities of the program offer talented writers
the ability to stretch, expand, and witness the unfolding of their work
on stage in the bodies of very gifted actors.
Classes
In Playwriting Seminarthe core coursewriters in all three
years read and discuss their ongoing work, focusing on style, character,
and structure. They also observe their work being read by M.F.A actors
at times throughout the year. Writing for Television, Screenwriting, and
Dramatization/Adaptation are offered in rotation within a three-year cycle.
In addition, students take a variety of topics in theatre and dramatic
literature along with individual practicum classes. Playwrights can take
advantage of rich offerings in literature, music, visual arts, and language
study, as well as dramatic texts, theory, and design.
Production
First-year students receive a one-act showcase production each year,
while second- and third-year students receive a fully designed production.
These are produced in the New Plays Festival each spring, which is attended
by literary managers, agents, and artistic directors from across the country.
Typically, these productions are directed, designed, and acted by students
in the M.F.A. program. Production of plays in any year of study is dependent
on the readiness of the work for staging.
Externship
Each student is assisted with a carefully chosen assignment, typically
in the summer of the second year. Our playwrights may have an opportunity
to gain exceptional literary and production experiences in a variety of
theatres and venues in New York, Seattle, Los Angeles, London, Germany,
and Romania.
Stage Management
The stage manager is a pivotal member of the collaborative process who
creates the environment that supports the work of the other members of
the artistic team. The stage manager is the prime communicator and liaison
who synthesizes the disparate elements of production into a cohesive whole
and is responsible for the implementation of diverse artistic choices
throughout the production process.
The Stage Management Program at UCSD integrates a comprehensive knowledge
of all critical components of this complex field in order to prepare students
for work in leading professional theatres. The program develops individualized,
creative artists with personal approaches to their work. UCSD creates
a supportive and stimulating environment that allows each student to develop
the confidence and flexibility necessary to meet the challenges of production
in a wide variety of professional venues.
Classes
All first-year students take a core curriculum in stage management process
that explores the role of the stage manager in professional theatre today
and offers a comprehensive investigation of the work from pre-production
to closing a show. Students in all three years attend the stage management
seminar, which serves as a weekly forum for sharing insights and solving
problems on current production assignments, meeting with a variety of
guest artists, and examining the bigger picture of stage management and
theatre in America today. Additional coursework is offered in various
aspects of theatre administration and management, directing, drafting,
design, and collaborative process.
Productions
Great emphasis is placed on the students ability to apply the theories
learned in class to the production process. Students typically serve as
both ASM and SM on a number of studio and mainstage productions in a variety
of theatrical spaces. In addition to established scripts directed by M.F.A.,
faculty, and nationally prominent guest directors, students also work
on new plays by graduate or guest playwrights as well as faculty and student
choreographed dance concerts.
Research Opportunities
Students are encouraged to work or research in the field when time permits.
Past projects have included stage managing at the National Playwrights
Conference at the ONeill Center in Connecticut, interning at Warner
Brothers Feature Animation, working as production assistant for the Broadway
production of Play On, stage managing Andrei Serbans production
of Our Countrys Good at the Romanian National Theatre, and researching
stage combat and weaponry at the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Externship
Each student is guaranteed at least one production opportunity at the
La Jolla Playhouse, or a comparable professional residency experience.
Ph.D. in Theatre and Drama
The UCSD Department of Theatre and Dance and the Department of Drama
at UC Irvine began to recruit students for the new Joint Doctoral Program
in Theatre and Drama in fall 1999 for admission in fall 2000. Within the
context of the programs twin focus on theory and history, an innovative
structure permits each student to pursue a custom designed curriculum
that draws from a rich variety of seminars in faculty research areas that
include: Greek classical theatre; Shakespeare; neoclassical, modern, and
contemporary French theatre; modern and contemporary German theatre; modernist
and postmodernist theatre and performance; US Latino theatre; and theory.
Interested students are encouraged to request detailed information about
the program and application materials, which will be available from either
department each September.
Preparation
Students with a B.A. (minimum GPA: 3.5), M.A., or M.F.A. degrees in drama
and theatre are eligible for admission to the doctoral program. We will
also consider students with training in literature (or another area in
the humanities), provided they can demonstrate a background in drama or
theatre. Experience in one of the creative activities of theatre (acting,
directing, playwriting, design, dramaturgy) will enhance chances of admission.
All applicants are required to take the Gradu-ate Record Examination
and to submit samples of their critical writing.
While not required for admission, a working knowledge of a second language
is highly desirable (see Language Requirement).
Course of Study
Students are required to take a minimum of 144 units, which is equivalent
to four years of full-time study (full-time students must enroll for a
minimum of twelve units each quarter). Forty of these units will be taken
in required seminars; the balance will be made up of elective seminars,
independant study, and research projects (including preparing the three
qualifying papers), and dissertation research. Students must take a minimum
of one seminar per year in the Department of Drama at UCI. The program
of study makes it possible for students to take a significant number of
elective courses and independent studies both with faculty in drama and
theatre and in other departments.
Required Seminars
- A minimum of twelve units of TDGR 290 (Dramatic Literature and Theatre
History to 1900).
- A minimum of twelve units of TDGR 291 (Dramatic Literature and Theatre
History 1900 to the Present).
- A minimum of sixteen units of TDGR 292 (Cultural and Critical Theory).
These required seminars must be completed before the end of the students
third year. In addition to the ten required seminars, students must pass
comprehensive examinations at the end of the first and second years (see
Comprehensive Examinations).
Comprehensive Examinations
In the first year, students prepare for the written comprehensive examination,
which is based on a reading list of approximately 150 titles ranging from
the Ancient Greeks to the present. Students take the written comprehensive
at the beginning of the fall quarter of the second year. (Comprehensive
examinations are scheduled at the beginning of fall quarter in order to
allow the students the summer to prepare.) Students who fail the written
comprehensive may retake it no later than the first week of winter quarter
of the second year. Students who fail the written comprehensive for a
second time are dismissed from the program.
In the second year, students prepare for oral comprehensive examination.
The reading list for this examination is designed to permit the student
to acquire a knowledge of his or her dissertation subject area, broadly
conceived. The reading list is compiled by the student and his or her
dissertation adviser, in consultation with other members of the faculty,
as appropriate; the reading list must be established by the end of winter
quarter of the second year. Students take the oral comprehensive at the
beginning of the fall quarter of the third year. Students also submit
a dissertation prospectus (approx. five pages) at the time of the oral
comprehensive. Students who fail the oral comprehensive may retake it
no later than the first week of winter quarter of the third year. Students
who fail the oral comprehensive for a second time are dismissed from the
program.
Advancement to Candidacy: Three Qualifying Papers
Students normally select a dissertation adviser during the second year
and must do so before the end of spring quarter of that year. In consultation
with the dissertation adviser and other faculty members, students develop
topics for three qualifying papers, which are written during
the third year. The three qualifying papersone long (approx. fifty
pages) and two short (approx. thirty pages each)must be completed
by the end of the third year; when completed, the qualifying papers provide
the basis for the oral qualifying examination. Students write the long
paper under the direction of the dissertation adviser; it is understood
that the long paper is preparatory to the dissertation. The short papers
deal with other related topics, subject to the approval of the students
advisers; the two short papers are understood as engaging in exploring
the larger contexts of the dissertation. Students normally pass the qualifying
examination and advance to candidacy at the end of the third year; students
must advance to candidacy no later than the end of fall quarter of the
fourth year. Once admitted to candidacy, students write the dissertation
which, upon completion, is defended in a final oral examination. Students
may select a dissertation adviser from either UCSDs Department of
Theatre and Dance or UCIs Department of Drama. All UCSD doctoral
dissertation committees must include at least one faculty member from
UCI.
Language Requirement
Students are required to complete an advanced research project using
primary and secondary material in a second language (materials
should be understood as including live and/or recorded performance; interviews
with artists, critics, and scholars; and other non-documentary sources,
as well as more conventional textual sources). This requirement may be
satisfied by writing a seminar paper or a qualifying paper (see Advancement
to Candidacy) that makes extensive use of materials in a second
language. The second language requirement must be satisfied before the
end of the third year. This requirement will not be waived for students
who are bi- or multilingual; all students are required to do research
level work in more than one language.
It is assumed that students will have acquired a second language before
entering the doctoral program, although second-language proficiency is
not a requirement for admission. While students may study one or more
second languages while at UCI or UCSD, language classes may not be counted
toward program requirements.
Teaching
Students are required to teach a minimum of four quarters. No more than
eight units of apprentice teaching (TDGR 500) may be counted toward
the
required 144 units.
Departmental Ph.D. Time Limit Policies
Students must advance to candidacy by the end of the fall quarter of
their fourth year. Departmental normative time for completion of the degree
is five years; total registered time in the Ph.D. program at UCSD or UCI
cannot exceed seven years. While students with M.A. or M.F.A. degrees
may be admitted to the Ph.D. program, they will be required to take all
required doctoral seminars.
Financial Support
Ph.D. students entering the program with a B.A. may be supported (either
by employment or fellowships) for five years. Students who have an M.A.
and have been given transfer credit may be supported for four years. Such
support depends upon the funds available, the number of students eligible,
and the rate of progress.
*Contact department for application materials.
Theatre and Dance
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