The primary mission of performing arts at Colby is to promote the historical, theoretical, and experiential study of the performing arts as a viable and important area of inquiry for all liberal arts students. Performing Arts offers a major and minor in theater and dance. The department is founded on two premises: first, that performance is essential to a full understanding of the art form; second, that all the arts share significant modes of thought and expression and that a knowledge of one art form will contribute to an understanding of all the arts. In addition to traditional lecture and discussion courses, the program of study includes frequent opportunities for practical experience in the theater. The department also seeks to educate the larger community through its rigorous production schedule of plays, dance concerts, touring artists, and residency workshops with guest artists.

Consistent with the College's mission, the major in performing arts is a liberal arts, not a pre-professional, major. It is, however, a major that will adequately prepare particularly interested and talented students for graduate study and further involvement with performing groups. It is a structured major, ensuring that all students have experience and training in acting, directing, movement, design, and technical production in addition to historical and theoretical study of theater and dance. The major is designed to encourage interdisciplinary study through elective courses in art, music, and dramatic literature.

To encourage the study of the performing arts abroad, the department offers theater courses in London, providing an opportunity for Colby students to experience and study the performing arts with British professionals. The performing arts faculty strongly encourages majors, minors, and interested non-majors to participate in this unique and richly rewarding semester abroad.

Requirements for the Major in Performing Arts
I. Performing Arts 131, 171, 327, 328, and four additional courses in art, music, and/or dramatic literature chosen with the approval of the major advisor.

II. Seven additional courses in performing arts chosen with the approval of the major advisor, including one course in acting, one course in dance, one course in design (231, 232, 233), one course in directing or choreography, and one culminating experience.

III. Significant participation in faculty-directed productions in two semesters, one of which must be in performance and one of which must be in design, technical production, or stage management above and beyond Performing Arts 131.

Only three- and four-credit performing arts courses may count toward the major.

The point scale for retention of the major applies to all courses offered toward the major. No requirement for the major may be taken satisfactory/unsatisfactory.

Honors in Performing Arts
Students majoring in performing arts may apply during the second semester of their junior year for admission to the honors program. Permission is required; guidelines are established by the department. Successful completion of the work of the honors project and of the major will enable the student to graduate "With Honors in Performing Arts."

Requirements for the Minor in Performing Arts
Performing Arts 131, 171, either 327 or 328, and four elective courses chosen from among three possible emphases: acting and directing; design and technical theater; dance; and significant participation in one faculty-directed performance (design, directing, acting, dance). Specific course elections must be made in consultation with a designated advisor in performing arts.

Course Offerings

116 Modes of Interpretation and Creativity in the British Theater I A study of dramatic texts for and performances of plays on stage in England. Offered in London. Four credit hours. A. FACULTY

131fs Theater Production Go behind the scenes to reveal secrets about the "magic" of theater. In addition to learning the rudiments of scenery, lights, costumes, props, and sound, students are encouraged to explore advanced topics such as engineering the "flying" of an actor or painting realistic marble. The lab component offers students a hands-on opportunity to practice the crafts of theater in a relaxed setting while using first-rate equipment under the guidance of working professional instructors. Theater production is a wonderful opportunity to be a significant part of some of the many excellent productions staged by Colby's Performing Arts Department. Four credit hours. A. MR. ERVIN

135fs Introduction to Design An introduction to the principles of design and their role in the dramatic event. Particular emphasis is placed on bringing the imagined world of the playwright to life through the use of space, light, clothing, and sound. Historical and contemporary texts are explored through lectures, discussions, and projects. No prior experience is required. Enrollment limited. Four credit hours. A. MR. THURSTON

[155] Studio I, Foundations of Dance: Theory and Technique Concentration on the basic principles of dance movement: body alignment, coordination, strength and flexibility, forms of locomotion. Three credit hours. A.

[156] Foundations of Voice and Movement A foundations course that explores the physiological process of vocalization and its relationship to breathing and movement. The course covers basic structures and functions of the vocal mechanism and the use of breath as support for vocalization and physical movement. Major focus will be on the student's understanding of the interrelationships of these general principles and the student's ability to apply these principles to performance. Three credit hours. A.

171s Acting I: Improvisation An overview of the foundational techniques of stage performance, with a focus on invention and structured improvisational problems. Through the use of theater games and movement improvisation, performance skills will be approached from two perspectives: concentration and action. The process allows students to break through thinking and movement patterns that have limited them in the past by responding to each other's imagination, energy, and style. Four credit hours. A. MS. WENTZEL AND MS. WING

175 Techniques of Performing in the British Theater I Offered in London. Three credit hours. A. FACULTY

191j London Theater See the January Program Course List. Three credit hours. A. FACULTY

212s Stage Management and Direction The basic techniques of staging drama--seeking out and projecting the ideas and passions in a script (or imposed upon it); the strategies for organizing and facilitating the creative process commonly used in current theater. One-day workshop with a guest professional stage manager required. Prerequisite: Performing Arts 171. Four credit hours. A. MR. SEWELL

216 Modes of Interpretation and Creativity in the British Theater II See Performing Arts 116. Offered in London. Four credit hours. A. FACULTY

[218] Playwriting Brief assigned dialogue sketches, scenes, and scenario work will lead to development of (at least) an outline and first and last scene of a longer play or scene-sequence, perhaps a completed short play. May be taken as an English creative writing course or as a performing arts offering. Prerequisite: Recommendation from the Creative Writing Program or permission of the instructor. Four credit hours. A.

231f Scene Design Exploration of stage space dynamics as they relate to the dramatic event, with a concentration on the historical, theoretical, and practical aspects of scene design through lectures, discussions, and projects. Particular emphasis is on viable conceptual solutions and the collaborative nature of theater and dance. Enrollment limited. Prerequisite: Performing Arts 131. Four credit hours. A. MR. THURSTON

[232] Stage Lighting The role of light in the dramatic event is explored through lectures, discussions, and projects concentrating on the artistic and scientific aspects of the medium. Particular emphasis is on viable conceptual solutions and the collaborative nature of theater and dance. Prerequisite: Performing Arts 131. Four credit hours. A.

[233] Stage Costume Design An exploration of approaches to theatrical costume design by way of discussions and projects involving conceptual development through script and character analysis. Different projects focus on design considerations such as color and textile selection, research into historical periods, and the need for collaboration. Enrollment limited. Four credit hours. A.

[234] Architectural Imaging Realizing conceptual design ideas is a primary goal. Fundamental mechanical drawing principles are covered in addition to linear perspective, rendering, and computer-aided drawing. Design for the stage and defining architectural space is the focus of the projects. Enrollment limited. Four credit hours. A.

255s Advanced Dance: Moving Through Human Anatomy An overview of the major systems of the body (skeletal, fluids, nervous, etc.) to show how the systems support and move the body in and through space. Personal awareness of these systems fosters understanding of their interrelationships in self and others and helps to refine personal, technical clarity with regard to movement expressivity in performance. Course content will change each semester and may be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Performing Arts 155. Three credit hours. A. MS. WENTZEL

256 Voice and Movement in Acting Offered in London. Four credit hours. A. FACULTY

259f Movement, Improvisation, and Theory I Description and analysis of movement and its relation to basic elements of dance: time, space, weight, and flow; improvisation and choreographic studies will be the vehicles for exploring the student's creativity. Final projects will be considered for concert format for the spring. Prerequisite: Participation in movement class and permission of the instructor. Four credit hours. A. MS. WENTZEL

271f Acting II: Intermediate Acting Concentrated monologue and scene work, based on Stanislavsky techniques. Focus is on script analysis, creating character, concentration, physicalization, and playing actions and objectives. Four credit hours. A. MS. WING

274fs Drama and Dance in Performance An intensive study that culminates in a production that will be studied both in its cultural context and as a representative of its kind. Emphasis is on the interplay between an intellectual command of the source and the problem of presenting a unified idea in actual production. Topics change each semester and may be repeated for credit. Enrollment limited according to the needs of each production.

274Af Macbeth Shakespeare's tragedy of unbridled ambitions that crush a nation and its rulers. Some study of Elizabethan language and of the play's sources. The full production will be an American College Theatre Festival entry and could tour in late January if selected. Participants must plan to be on campus during January. Prerequisite: Auditions held during first week of fall classes or permission of instructor. Four credit hours. A. MR. SEWELL

274Bf The Skin of Our Teeth The ultimate millennium play! Traces the fortunes of the Antrobus family from the ice ages through post-nuclear war in a theatrical style that lampoons 19th-century staging while commenting poignantly on humanity in crisis. Prerequisite: Auditions held during first week of fall classes or permission of instructor. Four credit hours. A. MS. WING

274Cf, 274j Dreamwalk An original piece created by faculty and students that explores the elusive and unsubstantial, yet often transformative, nature of our dream world. The project will be researched and fleshed out in the fall semester and actual assemblage and rehearsal of the project will be the content of the work in January. A February performance is planned. Four credit hours in fall semester; three credit hours in January. A. MS. WENTZEL

274As A Millennium of Farce A staged anthology of comic scenes from medieval to modern, a cross-section of the history of laughter. Selected texts read from the eras of the performed pieces. Auditions held during first week of spring classes; performs in April in repertory with Performing Arts 274B. Prerequisite: Audition or permission of instructor. Four credit hours. A. MR. SEWELL

274BS A Millennium of Farce From sexual anxiety to performance anxiety. Fast-paced, raunchy, irreverent physical comedy, with a contemporary appeal. Short works by Moliere, Feydeau, Durang, and Fo. Auditions held during first week of spring classes; performs in April in repertory with Performing Arts 274A. Prerequisite: Audition or permission of the instructor. Four credit hours. A. MS. WING

275 Techniques of Performing in the British Theater II Offered in London. Four credit hours. A. FACULTY

293fs Applied Performance: Special Topics Optional credit for significant participation in productions, applied workshops, or performances staged in conjunction with classes in directing or choreography. May be repeated for additional credit. Enrollment limited. Prerequisite: For actors, an acting course numbered 171 or higher (may be taken concurrently); for dancers, Performing Arts 255 (may be taken concurrently); for technicians, Performing Arts 131 (may be taken concurrently); all students must obtain permission of the Performing Arts Department chair. One credit hour. FACULTY

[312] Directing Theory Workshop exploring directing theory from the turn of the century to the present. In-depth readings, discussions, and experiments with the ideas of Stanislavsky, Meyerhold, Grotowski, Mnouchkine, and Akalaitis, among others. Culminates in a personal manifesto of theatrical ideals. Enrollment limited. Prerequisite: Performing Arts 212 or 274. Four credit hours. A.

327f The Development of Dramatic Art I A study of several major periods in Western theater history, commencing with the origins of drama and concluding with the 18th century. The focus is on the authors, events, and dramatic forms that have contributed to the development of the theater as a complex institution and how these developments are shaped by the political, social, and intellectual forces of their time. Also listed as English 327. Four credit hours. L. MR. SEWELL

328s The Development of Dramatic Art II An examination of plays and the theatrical tradition from the 18th century to the present. Emphasis is on historical context, performance theory, and staging techniques as well as on the dramatic text. Also listed as English 328. Four credit hours. L. MS. WING

[331] Design and Technical Production Advanced studies in design and technical production. Topics might include design theory, production design, technical theater, the production process and theater architecture. Prerequisite: Performing Arts 131. Three or four credit hours. A.

[332] Studies in Modern Drama: Contemporary Women Playwrights An examination of the plays and staging techniques of women writing since 1970, including works by Caryl Churchill, Ntosake Shange, and Wendy Wasserstein. Emphasis on current feminist theory in order to investigate the implications of gender roles, stereotypes, and associated assumptions and conventions in theatrical performance. Also listed as English 332. Four credit hours. L.

[334] Contemporary American Drama Beginning with the experimental theater groups and texts of the mid-'60s, the course features a careful consideration of the range of perspectives currently available in the American theater. Close analysis of the theatrical as well as the dramatic techniques of playwrights such as Maria Irene Fornes, David Mamet, Tina Howe, Sam Shepard, David Henry Hwang, and Suzan-Lori Parks. Four credit hours. L.

[353] Dance Repertory Advanced applied dance theory. Study and performance of faculty works, commissioned choreography, or period pieces reconstructed from labanotation. Topics change each semester. Course may be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Performing Arts 259 (may be taken concurrently), participation in a movement class, and/or permission of the instructor. Three credit hours. A.

356 Advanced Voice and Movement in Acting Offered in London. Four credit hours. A. FACULTY

359f Dance Composition and Theory II Formal compositional fundamentals of dance and their application to group choreography; the relationship of dance to other arts disciplines. Prerequisite: Performing Arts 259 and permission of the instructor. Four credit hours. A. MS. WENTZEL

371j Acting III: Presentational Performance Introducing stylized acting modes: Commedia del Arte, mime and vocal as well as gestural stylization. Texts to which formal style applies (Commedia scenarios, a Noh play, scenes from Restoration drama) will be read. Comic and presentational timing. Much memorization and strenuous physical work. Enrollment limited. Prerequisite: Performing Arts 171. Three credit hours. A. MR. SEWELL

[394] Topics in the History of Theater and Dance Advanced study of selected aspects of the theory and practice of staging. Topics vary from semester to semester and include such subjects as costume and custom, the development of dance as an art form, the history of stage design, and problems of staging in selected periods. May be repeated for additional credit. Prerequisite: Performing Arts 171. Four credit hours. A.

397f Comedy and Revolution A study of the comic tradition in theater from Aristophanes through Dario Fo, featuring the notion of comedy as social and political subversion. Emphasis on theories of comedy studied in the context of both play texts and performance techniques. Students will encounter Freud, Brecht, and Northrop Frye as well as Plautus, Moliere, and the Marx Brothers. Also listed as English 397. Four credit hours. L. MS. WING

483f, 484s Honors Thesis An independent, substantial project approved by the department for which the student will work in close consultation with a faculty member. Students are responsible for selecting a faculty tutor and submitting a proposal by April of their junior year. Prerequisite: A 3.25 overall grade point average and a 3.50 grade point average in the major and approval from the performing arts faculty. Three credit hours. FACULTY

491f, 492s Independent Study Individual projects in areas where the student has demonstrated the interest and competence necessary for independent work. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. One to four credit hours. FACULTY