In this course, students will learn about the history of theater in the United States from the colonial days to the present. They will engage in learning about important plays, playwrights, producers, actors, directors, theaters and significant events such as theater riots. This theatrical history will be contextualized with the social, political, and economic history of the United States during this time. NOTE: Students can take this course at the introductory or advanced level, but not both.

This course engages students in a wide range of 20th and 21st century plays written by US playwrights. Explore how these plays relate to US culture, society and politics as you consider how race, gender, sexuality and class are reflected in them. Some questions you will consider include: What makes a play 'American?' When does US drama tend to suggest new ways to construct society and when does it reflect familiar customs? Additionally, students will consider dramatic structure and how different playwrights use dramatic structure to achieve various goals. NOTE: Students can take this course at the introductory or advanced level, but not both.

Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Theatre (THEA). Please contact your mentor/advisor for more details.

How did theater and performance evolve into the diverse art forms we know today? How did they originate in different cultures across the globe? This course provides a comprehensive exploration of theater and performance from their beginnings in oral and manuscript traditions to the rise of realism and naturalism. Spanning pivotal eras such as secular and early professional theater, the impact of the print revolution, theaters of absolutism, the role of theater in private and public lives, nationalism in theater, and the emergence of realism and naturalism, students will examine how historical, cultural, and technological shifts shaped theatrical practices. Through engaging with primary texts, compelling case studies, and multimedia resources, this course invites students to uncover the global histories of theater and performance, fostering a deeper appreciation of its cultural significance and evolution.

Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Theatre (THEA). Please contact your mentor/advisor for more details.

How did Broadway come to be the quintessential home of professional theater in the United States? When did the regional theater movement begin and why? Who becomes a star performer? This course is designed to teach you about the multi-vocal plays, musicals, and theater professionals who have contributed to the history of U.S. theater from the colonial period to today. We will investigate the role of diversity, equity, and inclusion in U.S. theater history while we also situate that history in the social, political, and economic history of the United States.

Students will survey classical Greek drama by studying several key works by playwrights from this era. We attempt to identify what social, political, economic, and/or personal message each play portrays to audiences and then determine how the various characters, situations, and incidents help to dramatize this position. Aristotle's Poetics will ground our work in theory along with other theories about Greek drama. We will also consider the use of dramatic devices in these plays and investigate concepts such as tragedy, comedy, family curse, tragic flaw, recognition, reversal and a "final gesture of heroism."

Do you want to know more about musicals? Students in this course will learn about the history of musicals in the US from the 1890s to the present. We will examine how musicals both react to and influence changes in the social, political, and cultural history of the US. To do this, we will look at the contributions of major directors, choreographers, writers, performers, and other professionals in US musical theatre history. Students will also learn how to analyze the parts of a musical such as the book (story), songs, and choreography.

This course engages students in a wide range of 20th and 21st century plays written by US playwrights. Explore how these plays relate to US culture, society and politics as you consider how race, gender, sexuality and class are reflected in them. Some questions you will consider include: What makes a play 'American?' When does US drama tend to suggest new ways to construct society and when does it reflect familiar customs? Additionally, students will consider dramatic structure and how different playwrights use dramatic structure to achieve various goals. NOTE: Students can take this course at the introductory or advanced level, but not both.

This course analyzes the theatrical aspects of the Tony Award winning musical, Hamilton. Students will explore the evolution of this musical and will delve into a creative critique of the musical’s story, music, choreography, staging, design elements, casting and more. We will also study the creator of Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and will situate his work within theater history. We will consider questions such as: Why is this musical so popular? What makes this musical stand out from other musicals? And, as so many people ask, why are tickets to this musical so expensive? Note: Students in this course are *required* to secure access to the video version of the original NYC production through Disney+ or similar platforms.  

Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Theatre (THEA). Please contact your mentor/advisor for more details.

How has theater reflected and influenced the contemporary world? This course examines the global evolution of theater and performance from 1870 to the present, exploring the intersections of theater with major social, political, and technological transformations. Students will study diverse theatrical movements and practices including modernism, avant-garde experiments, political and protest theater, postcolonial and intercultural theater, and the impact of globalization, digital media, and artificial intelligence on performance. Through critical engagement with primary texts, recorded performances, case studies, and contemporary scholarship, this course delves into topics such as the role of theater in shaping identities, confronting oppression, and responding to rapid societal and technological change. Prerequisites: Students taking this course should have advanced level writing, critical thinking, and research skills.

Shakespeare's plays are excellent pieces of literature but they were originally performed live by actors. Today, more people see Shakespeare's work through film than any other medium. This study examines seminal film productions of various Shakespeare plays including Henry V, Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, Hamlet, Richard III, Othello, and As You Like It. Students will read these plays and then watch assigned films to analyze how these films bring the worlds created by Shakespeare to life for contemporary film audiences. Literary criticism and film criticism will help us along on our journey as students consider how scholars and critics have also reacted to these important cinematic works.

Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Theatre (THEA). Please contact your mentor/advisor for more details.