Course Structure

Course Description

Theatre History II covers the growth of the theatre from the English Interregnum and Restoration up to the present. You will look at all elements of the theatre from those periods, including playwriting, acting, costuming, architecture, directing, and so forth, as well as general historical and philosophical movements.

The study of history is a means of understanding who we are as human beings by understanding the events, documents, places, cultures, and people that make up the past. The task of the historian, then, is to take these elements of the past and interpret them in order to suggest their meaning and relevance for today. This becomes a subjective pursuit and interpretation of history is a rewarding but ongoing search.

Theatre History gives us a specific discipline to interpret in historical context. The task of the theatre historian is to take that discipline and suggest why it has meaning and relevance in both a broad historical context as well as within the discipline—but the idea of relevance must be uppermost in the historian’s pursuit.

As theatre artists, if we do not understand the past, its meaning, and relevance, then it will be difficult to find meaning and relevance in what we do.

Prerequisite: TA 116: Dramatic Structure and Analysis. This can be waived with approval from the department.

For students with an emphasis in Theatre, TA 401 is a prerequisite for TA 402.

For students with an emphasis in Technical Theatre, TA 401 is not required.

Course Objectives

With the successful completion of course requirements, you will be able to do the following:

1. Analyze the impact of historical events on theatre.
2. Analyze the different elements of plays (characters, theme, plot, and so forth.) and how they reflect the historical events and attitudes of their time.
3. Analyze the progression of historical and philosophical thought from the restoration of theatre to modern theatre.
4. Interpret the actions of cast and characters in various period plays to show the moral and ethical messages of the day, and contrast these with modern interpretations.
5. Explain and define who we are as human beings, using the key events, documents, places, cultures, and people that make up the past.
6. Interpret past events to suggest their relevance to current events.
7. Interpret theatre in its historical context.
8. Explain how theatre historians find meaning and relevance in the discipline of theatre history.
9. Identify important events in theatre history from the English Interregnum and Restoration to the present day.
10. Define the elements of theatre, including playwriting, acting, costuming, architecture, and directing.
11. Explain the theories that may be used to interpret the events of each period of the theatre.

Course Requirements

Textbook

The course materials are available in the Course Materials List.

Text: Living Theatre: A History of Theatre, 7th ed. by Edwin Wilson and Alvin Goldfarb; ISBN: 978-0393640243 7E

The required textbook for this course is a low cost, auto-access digital textbook. It is available on the first day of class from within the course. You will automatically be charged for the digital textbook after the “Drop” deadline (the end of the second week of the semester) unless you opt out before then. If you do not want to use the digital textbook (perhaps you already purchased the print version of the textbook), you must opt out to avoid being charged for the digital textbook. Follow the About Your Textbook instructions if you wish to opt out. 

If you choose to opt out for the auto access digital textbook (for example, you might already have a hard copy), you can compare prices for your textbooks through the University Store Price Comparison site. They will show you several options—both in store and online—to help you find what is right for you. 

Materials

None.

Expectations

1. In addition to readings from the texts, you are encouraged to read from other historical sources such as journals and credible internet sources, to better participate in class discussions.
2. You will read several plays. Each play will be discussed as a class to gain further understanding of each play and its significance. We try to select free plays for your, but you may need to purchase some to complete your work for this course. Please plan accordingly by looking ahead to make sure you have the right materials.
3. You will write a two-page report for each play. Each report should address the following questions:
   
   • What is the dramatic question? In other words, what does the main character want to get in the play, and do they get it?
   • What is the theme of the play? In other words, what does the author want the audience to question when they leave the theatre?
   • If you were producing the play, what would you emphasize? What would be your directorial concept?
4. You will take a weekly quiz based on each week's textbook reading.
5. This class also requires collaboration and discussion with class members. The instructor will monitor your participation in the online class discussions. You will fully participate in these discussions by adding thoughtful insights and asking good questions. In these discussions, you should help each other learn and understand the material. You are also required to be respectful to each other during these discussions. This doesn’t mean you can’t share your opinion, but you must do so in a respectful way.
6. You will also have the opportunity to complete a semester project. You have the option of doing a research paper or designing a project of their own based on the course material. This will be worth the same percentage of their grade as a mid-term or final exam. More details about each project can be found in the course on I-Learn.

Policies

Grading Scale

 

Letter Grade	Percentage Range
A	100% –93%
A-	92% – 90%
B+	89% – 87%
B	86% – 83%
B-	82% – 80%
C+	79% – 77%
C	76% – 73%
C-	72% – 70%
D+	69% – 67%
D	66% – 63%
D-	62% – 60%
F	59% – 00%

Late Work

Late work will not be accepted in this class.

Extra Credit

Extra credit may be given at the discretion of the instructor.

Time Commitment

The online class policy is that, for every credit hour, you should expect to spend three hours of work per week. For example, in a 3-credit course, there would be nine hours of work each week. For this class, you should plan on spending about nine hours per week.

University Policies

Students with Disabilities

Brigham Young University-Idaho is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere that accommodates qualified persons with disabilities. If you have a disability and require accommodations, please contact the Disability Services Office at (208) 496-9210 or visit their website and follow the Steps for Receiving Accommodations. Reasonable academic accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified documented disabilities. Services are coordinated with students and instructors by the Disability Services Office.

This course may require synchronous meetings. If you are currently registered with the Disability Services Office and need an interpreter or transcriber for these meetings, please contact the deaf and hard of hearing coordinator at (208) 496-9219.

Other University Policies

Student Honor and Other Policies

Please read through the University Policies. It gives important information about the following topics:

• Student Honor
  • Academic Honesty
  • Student Conduct
    • Sexual Harassment
• Student with Disabilities
• Complaints and Grievances
• Copyright Notice

Go to the Student Resources module to review further resources and information.

Online Support Resources

If you need assistance with any of your online courses, visit the I-Learn Help tab located on the left-hand side of your screen to contact the appropriate support center.