Semester:
Offered:
Remo F. Airaldi (Committee on Theater, Dance, and Media)
First-Year Seminar 35N 4 credits (fall term) Enrollment: Limited to 12
Note: Students will be required to attend or watch theater performances during the course of the term. There will be no charge to the student.
We’ve all watched a great performance and wondered, “How did that actor do that?” Acting is undoubtedly the most popular, most widely experienced of the performing arts, and yet, in many ways, it remains a mystery. This seminar will give students an opportunity to demystify the art of acting by introducing them to the basic tools of the trade—they will learn about the craft of acting by actually “doing” it. It will provide an introduction to acting by combining elements of a discussion seminar with exercises, improvisations and performance activities. Improvisation will be used to improve group/ensemble dynamics, to minimize habitual behaviors, and to develop characters. Students will explore a range of acting techniques designed to give students greater access to their creativity, imagination and emotional life. The aim will be to improve skills that are essential to the acting process, like concentration, focus, relaxation, observation, listening, collaboration and so on. Students will attend and critique theatrical productions at the Loeb Drama Center and in the Boston area. Material from these productions will be used by students in in-class performance activities.