Theatre: Character & Self

See Schedule of Courses for specific titles. Pre/co-requisite: Instructor permission only.

Prereqs: THE 1100 and THE 2110 and THE 2140; Or instructor permission. Special Topics courses cannot carry CC designations. PACE students by permission and override.

Character & Self is an advanced level acting class designed for students who have completed all other acting coursework available in our program. No matter who we play on stage, it is also always our-self through which the character flows. What we share with in audience then becomes a combination of utter transformation - and - the presence of the person holding that work. This presents unique and often daunting demands on the actor. The central emphasis of this course is to explore strategies for borrowing from the self and one's own lived experiences to develop rich and emotionally complex characters on stage, but doing so in a way that is sustainable, safe, professional, and customizable to each performer and their own specific boundaries. We will begin the term with foundational work rooted in autobiography and community building. We will then workshop monologues and scenes (from various time periods and material of each students' choosing) that create opportunities for students to explore their individualized artistic goals, with specific emphasis on emotional storytelling in theatrical text. We will use a combination of breath and voice work, movement and physical work, character analysis, improvisation, and various exercises centering on presence and emotional access to explore many different kinds of ways in to finding character for each student actor. Whether in comedy or drama, confidence and trust in exploring emotional impulses is an essential tool for the actor. In an ever changing field, professional standards developed to keep performing artists safe also demand an evolution of methodologies and approaches to highly emotional and/or intimate work on stage. What are our responsibilities to one another? How do we keep the imaginary separate from actual reality? How do we understand the difference between a creative challenge vs. a personal boundary, and how do we put language behind that in a way that is productive and professional? What should an actor do when power dynamics complicate their trust in a collaborative setting? Exploring these questions and more, this course will support students in crafting a path toward accessing the well of their emotions that works for them and is creatively fulfilling while also practicing clear communication with collaborators in professional settings.

This class requires regular attendance, memorization, and outside rehearsal time. This is a highly collaborative and the majority of its assignments are group work. There will also be a daily journal and other written assignments collected for a grade throughout the term. Students are also expected to select their own performance material for this course, with the support of mentorship from the instructor.

Students will be graded from a rubric combining self-evaluation with instructor assessment of quality of engagement, execution of each assignment, and overall growth.