Teachers' Institute - Drama

Course: "Theatre Frameworks: "Fundamentals of Directing, Technical Theater and Design"

June 8-18, 2008

Instructor: Dan Day

As part of its Arts in Basic Curriculum Plan (ABC), the South Carolina Department of Education conducted a survey of public school teachers in 2004 to assess current needs, standards and competencies of high school drama programs. The survey determined that while drama teachers were well-prepared to teach acting, one of the standards they were least prepared to teach was in the area of technical theater. This course seeks to fulfill the need within our state to address this competency.

Tailored to drama teachers, the course is intended to reinforce technical theater as a significant component of the S.C. Theater Frameworks. Activities designed to deepen the student's understanding of technical theater and the directing process, coupled with an increased vocabulary of directing and design exercises, concepts, and methodological techniques, will facilitate the teaching of technical theater and directing from an increased level of personal and practical understanding. Instructional strategies will be immediately useful in the school classroom setting, and the collaborative atmosphere will seek to inspire and refresh the participants, while simultaneously presenting the opportunity to form meaningful and productive relationships between fellow South Carolina public school drama teachers.

The course will meet for a minimum of 45 hours, constituting 3 graduate and/or recertification credits. The main area of focus will be technical theater. The course will be team taught, and will investigate instructional strategies for the introduction and inclusion of technical theater, design, and directing in a drama curriculum. Daily work will include the directing workshop and design/technical theater studio, culminating in presentation of representative student work. Critical analysis skills will be practiced throughout the workshop with specific reference to classroom application. Additionally, we will explore current thinking with regard to the role of director/designer as teacher within the context of the South Carolina Public Schools educational system, and the alignment of directing and design pedagogy to state standards. Class topics, exercises, and assignments will explore:

Directing Methodology and Technique
Devised Theater Practice
Basic Sound Design
Fundamentals of Lighting Design
Basic Set Construction
Stage Make-up Design and Technique
Practical Voice and Speech Applications for the Director
The Scenic Design Process
Fundamentals of Stage Combat
Basic Fight Choreography

Course Goals/Objectives

Teacher as Director: to consider the characteristics which distinguish effective, quality directing in order to augment and enrich directing technique.
Teacher as Designer: to define and explore fundamental design skills.
Teacher as Instructor: to explore the best practices for teaching directing and design/technical theater in the classroom setting.
Teacher as Professional: to investigate and pursue opportunities for continual professional growth and enrichment.