Undergraduate major: theatre arts (B.A.)
Undergraduate minor: theatre arts
Undergraduate certificate: social justice and the performing arts
Graduate degree: M.F.A. in theatre arts
Faculty: https://theatre.uiowa.edu/people
Website: https://theatre.uiowa.edu/

The Department of Theatre Arts offers academic programs for undergraduate and graduate students. It also stages live performances throughout the academic year and during the summer. The department also administers the Certificate in Public Digital Arts and the Certificate in Social Justice and the Performing Arts.

The department is one of the academic units in the Division of Performing Arts. Students have the opportunity to earn a major in theatre arts and a second major in one of the other units within the division—dance or music.

The department also educates students who plan to enter other fields in which understanding of the arts and experience with theatre skills are useful. Some earn a major in theatre arts, sometimes with a second major in another discipline. Others earn a minor or take theatre classes as nonmajors. For information, view the minor in theatre arts in the Catalog or see "Courses for Nonmajors" below.

Several of the department's courses are approved for GE CLAS Core; look for courses with the prefix THTR in the GE CLAS Core section of the Catalog.

Courses for Nonmajors

Most theatre arts courses are open to all students, regardless of their majors, and are appropriate for nonmajors interested in theatre. The following courses are designed specifically for nonmajors.

THTR:1140Basic Acting3
THTR:1141Basic Acting II3
THTR:1400Theatre and Society: Ancients and Moderns3
THTR:1401Theatre and Society: Romantics and Rebels3
THTR:1410Musical Theatre History3
THTR:1411Comedy and Society3
THTR:1412The Arts in Performance3
THTR:2120Movement: Special Topics2-3
THTR:2301Playwriting I3
THTR:2320Playwriting in a Global World3
THTR:2405Staging Americans: U.S. Cultures Through Theatre and Performance3
THTR:2601Theatre for Community Engagement3
THTR:2605Monsters, Victims, and Villains: Changing Perceptions3
THTR:2610Acting for Success3
THTR:2620Improvisation for Engineers, Scientists, and the Curious3
THTR:3210Makeup Design for the Stage3
THTR:3301Playwriting II3
THTR:3510Introduction to Arts Management3
THTR:3615Action! Engage! Art! Creative Placemaking for the Public Good3

Productions and Auditions

The Department of Theatre Arts presents around 25-30 public productions each year. These include a mainstage series of five plays, a festival of new works, and other productions, most of them new plays written by students.

Theatre arts performance.

Special attention is given to the process of developing new works and to the collaborative process that involves writers, directors, designers, dramaturgs, stage managers, and actors. Graduate and undergraduate students, faculty, and visiting guest artists work together on large and small projects throughout the year.

Auditions for Theatre Arts Productions

Auditions for theatre arts productions are open to everyone. For academic considerations, priority is given to theatre arts majors first, and then all other University of Iowa students and members of the local community. There are many excellent roles available throughout the year and many nonmajors and actors from the surrounding community are cast each season. Occasionally, professional guest actors are employed.

General auditions are held at the beginning of the fall semester. Additional general auditions usually are scheduled in early November and in March. Information about auditions is available on the Department of Theatre Arts website. Notices of auditions are posted on the department's online call board.

The University of Iowa has one of the finest educational theatre complexes in the country. The Theatre Building offers four theatres and up-to-date facilities for classroom, laboratory, shop, and performance work.

The E.C. Mabie Theatre, a continental-style, 457-seat proscenium playhouse, is one of the finest theatres of its type in the United States. The David Thayer Theatre is a "black box" production space; its flexible seating units accommodate from 140 to 225 people and allow modification of space and audience relationships. The Alan MacVey Theatre, which seats 137, is an open-stage theatre dedicated primarily to the production of new and experimental works.

In addition to classrooms for acting and directing, several spaces are designed for teaching particular aspects of dramatic studies. The Cosmo Catalano Acting Studio is for study of movement and motion by acting students. It also serves as an intimate theatre for readings. The Arnie Gillette Design Studio serves as classroom and studio workshop for design students.

To support its production schedule and to provide students with an appropriate range of experience, the department maintains shops for building, painting, maintaining, and storing scenery, costumes, and properties. Using these shops, students learn to work in metal, plastics, canvas, and wood.

Theatre Arts Courses

THTR:1000 First-Year Seminar 1 s.h.

Small discussion class taught by a faculty member; topics chosen by instructor; may include outside activities (e.g., films, lectures, performances, readings, visits to research facilities). Requirements: first- or second-semester standing.

THTR:1120 Basic Acting for Language Learners 3 s.h.

Development of theatrical creativity to enhance English language skills through acting games, monologues, and scene work; exercises in concentration, relaxation, communication, imagination, observation, sensory awareness.

THTR:1140 Basic Acting 3 s.h.

Concentration, relaxation, imagination, observation, communication, sensory awareness; development of theatrical creativity through objectives, obstacles, action, conflict, spontaneity; development of a scene from scripts. Requirements: non-theatre arts major. GE: Engineering Be Creative; Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts.

THTR:1141 Basic Acting II 3 s.h.

Continuation of THTR:1140; emphasis on development of scenes. Prerequisites: THTR:1140. Requirements: non-theatre arts major.

THTR:1400 Theatre and Society: Ancients and Moderns 3 s.h.

Representative plays as performed in social contexts of ancient Egypt; classical Greece, Rome, India, and Japan; and medieval and early modern Europe. Duplicates THTR:2410. GE: Historical Perspectives; Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts.

THTR:1401 Theatre and Society: Romantics and Rebels 3 s.h.

Representative plays as performed in social contexts of revolutionary and modern Europe and postwar United States. Duplicates THTR:2411. GE: Historical Perspectives; Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts.

THTR:1410 Musical Theatre History 3 s.h.

American musical theatre's form, function, evolution; major composers (Berlin, Gershwin, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Sondheim), lesser-known and contemporary writers; roots of the rock musical, future of musical theatre, how musicals reflect their own eras and cultural attitudes of their times; readings, recordings, videos. Ability to read music not required.

THTR:1411 Comedy and Society 3 s.h.

How comedy reflects, comments upon, and intersects with western culture, society, and identity; roots of western comedy, satire, censorship; stand-up comedians, improv and sketch troupes, satirists; race, gender and sexuality, class perception; how portrayals of African Americans in popular culture evolved from 19th century to present; videos, readings, live performances. GE: Values and Culture.

THTR:1412 The Arts in Performance 3 s.h.

GE: Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts; Values and Culture. Same as DANC:1412, DPA:1412.

THTR:1834 Modes of Film and Video Production 4 s.h.

Introduction to filmmaking; how to shoot and edit short works of cinematic art; exposure to various working methods including nonfiction, fiction, and experimental modes of video production. Prerequisites: CINE:1601 with a minimum grade of C. Corequisites: for CINE:1834CINE:1601, if not taken as a prerequisite. GE: Engineering Be Creative. Same as CINE:1834.

THTR:2120 Movement: Special Topics 2-3 s.h.

Specialized study in movement techniques and movement styles for body conditioning; development of yoga techniques; varied topics.

THTR:2140 Acting I 3 s.h.

Development of creativity, imagination, and openness through exercises to engage mind, body, and voice in theatrical play and scene work. Requirements: theatre arts major, or theatre arts minor and THTR:1140.

THTR:2170 Acting for Musical Theatre 3 s.h.

Students focus on acting technique for musical theatre; within the framework of song, students learn to work truthfully with a partner, find the action of the piece, mine a piece of music for acting clues from the composer, and connect authentically while being larger than life. Prerequisites: THTR:1140 or THTR:2140. Requirements: any one of the courses listed as prerequisites, or one semester of applied lessons in vocal performance.

THTR:2175 Musical Theatre Performance: Special Topics 3 s.h.

Specialized, practical study in a specific area related to development of musical theatre knowledge and performance skills; topics vary. Corequisites: THTR:2140. Requirements: audition.

THTR:2215 Theatre Technology 3 s.h.

Theatrical production; technology and backstage operations including sound, projections, lighting, scenery, costumes, stage management. GE: Engineering Be Creative.

THTR:2220 Production Lab 1-3 s.h.

Practical experience in physical construction and operation of live theatre; theatre department productions provide lab experiences for applied learning in technical theatre and run crew opportunities in scenery, costumes, lighting, sound, and stage management. GE: Engineering Be Creative.

THTR:2301 Playwriting I 3 s.h.

Elements of playwriting; emphasis on analysis and discussion of original student writing. GE: Engineering Be Creative; Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts.

THTR:2320 Playwriting in a Global World 3 s.h.

Students read and analyze the works of a diverse range of American and international playwrights and documentarians; fundamental skills of reading, hearing, imagining, and writing for local and global stages; emphasis on a broad range of voices, styles, and stories. GE: Diversity and Inclusion.

THTR:2402 Script Analysis 3 s.h.

Basic skills in critical reading and close analysis of dramatic texts, with focus on dramatic structure, challenges of putting texts into production.

THTR:2405 Staging Americans: U.S. Cultures Through Theatre and Performance 3 s.h.

Role of American theatre as a complex tapestry of race, gender, sexuality, and disability; examination of plays and performance outside primarily white-male canon; contemporary social practice and cultural politics in local and national contexts. GE: Diversity and Inclusion.

THTR:2410 History of Theatre and Drama I 3 s.h.

Major developments in Anglo-European, Indian, Asian, and African theatre and drama, 3000 B.C.E. to C.E. 1700; sociopolitical, economic, and cultural circumstances of original productions. Offered spring semesters. GE: Historical Perspectives; Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts.

THTR:2411 History of Theatre and Drama II 3 s.h.

Continuation of THTR:2410; 1700 to 1960; revolutionary and modern European theatre and culturally diverse postwar U.S. theatre. Offered fall semesters. GE: Historical Perspectives; Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts.

THTR:2601 Theatre for Community Engagement 3 s.h.

Creation of a theatre performance piece with the local community; introduction to applied theatre; preparation to facilitate workshops with community partners; students explore the historical context for applied theatre, play various warm-up and content-generating games, and learn how to facilitate these games and exercises themselves; culminates in a collective performance piece that students work to create as a team. GE: Diversity and Inclusion.

THTR:2605 Monsters, Victims, and Villains: Changing Perceptions 3 s.h.

Introduction to implementation of performance opportunities for special populations (defined as those with cognitive or physical disability) and underrepresented populations; students gain skills necessary to create radical opportunities for and implementation of performances including individuals with disabilities in theatre, dance, and music; students from different backgrounds experience collaborative artistic excellence while redefining audience expectations; historic background for perceptions of disability. GE: Diversity and Inclusion. Same as EDTL:2963.

THTR:2610 Acting for Success 3 s.h.

How skills learned by actors in the theatre world can be applied to presentations and interactions in business, education, and beyond; how to connect with others on a personal level; ability to stand out as a team player and a leader; acting techniques traditionally used in theatre to open up communication dynamics; how to display an authentic self in everyday situations. Corequisites: RHET:1030 or RHET:1040 or RHET:1060. GE: Engineering Be Creative. Same as RHET:2610.

THTR:2620 Improvisation for Engineers, Scientists, and the Curious 3 s.h.

Use of theatrical exercises and improvisation techniques to help students develop their imaginations, stimulate creativity, and approach practical projects from a fresh point of view; emphasis on working in teams and using improvisational techniques to solve problems. GE: Engineering Be Creative.

THTR:2720 Concepts in Contemporary Art Practice 3 s.h.

Interdisciplinary investigation of materials and concepts in relation to time-based media, performance, video, installation; individual and collaborative projects. Prerequisites: INTM:2710. Same as INTM:2720.

THTR:2800 Digital Arts: An Introduction 3 s.h.

Introduction to potential of integrating art with technology to provide a foundation of skills and concepts through hands-on experimentation; lectures and demonstrations introduce key concepts and ideas as well as the history of digital arts; students develop skills that form a foundation for future investigation through labs; work may include using an Arduino, programming, and developing an interface to control a software project; final project is shared with the public in some way; critical discourse in the form of writing assignments allows for reflection and evaluation. GE: Engineering Be Creative. Same as ARTS:2800, CINE:2800, CS:2800, DANC:2800, DIGA:2800, MUS:2800.

THTR:2880 Installations and Interactive Performance 3 s.h.

Introduction to aesthetics, techniques, and practical possibilities of fusing together theatre, dance, music/sound, art, design, cinema, gaming, human computer interaction, and engineering; foundations of creating interactive experiences that use digital photos, video, text, real-world objects, sensor data, live bodies moving in space, Kinect 2 sensors, cameras, and multiple video outputs (e.g., projectors, LED displays); use of Isadora, an interactive, node-based programming software, to create immersive mediated performances, interactive installations, embodied user-based experiences, and user-manipulated virtual environments. GE: Engineering Be Creative. Same as DANC:2880, DIGA:2880.

THTR:2890 Producing and Directing Digital Video 3 s.h.

Introduction to basic concepts, theories, and practical applications of digital video production for multiple distribution streams, with focus on aesthetic and technical principles; development of proficiency in contemporary approaches to digital media production by understanding the production pipeline from ideation to preproduction, production, postproduction, and through to distribution. GE: Engineering Be Creative. Same as DANC:2890, DIGA:2890, INTM:2890.

THTR:3110 Voice for the Actor 3 s.h.

Progressive development of voice for theatre; physical awareness, breath, freeing and amplifying sound, range and resonance, articulation; application of voice work through classical and contemporary theatre texts.

THTR:3120 Theatre Movement 3 s.h.

The body as a tool for dramatic expression; basic principles and practices of stage movement; approaches to physical technique.

THTR:3140 Acting II 3 s.h.

Extension of work begun in THTR:2140; scene study, with focus on contemporary realism and development of collaborative dynamic. Prerequisites: THTR:1141 or THTR:2140.

THTR:3151 Voice for the Actor II 3 s.h.

Further development of voice for theatre with emphasis on acquisition of accents and dialects. Prerequisites: THTR:3110.

THTR:3160 Movement Styles 3 s.h.

Intensive study of a selected movement style (e.g., mask, clown, commedia dell'arte). Prerequisites: THTR:3120.

THTR:3165 Stage Combat 3 s.h.

Fundamental principles of stage combat in a specialized area of study—unarmed combat, rapier and dagger techniques, and hand-to-hand and knife techniques.

THTR:3180 Media Studies 3 s.h.

English majors and English and Creative Writing majors may apply this course to the following area and/or period requirement. AREA: Literary Theory and Interdisciplinary Studies. PERIOD: 20th/21st-Century Literature. Same as ENGL:3180.

THTR:3202 Graphic Design for the Entertainment Industry 2-3 s.h.

Series of projects focusing on developing graphic design skill sets and using the Adobe Creative Suite and other programs. GE: Engineering Be Creative.

THTR:3205 Concepts in Drawing 3-4 s.h.

Intermediate-level topics; observation, theory, media, form, content; emphasis on personal direction. Prerequisites: DRAW:2310. Same as DRAW:3310.

THTR:3208 Mask and Puppet Crafts 3 s.h.

Mask and puppet design; paper mache, plaster gauze, thermal plastics, and soft sculpture techniques. GE: Engineering Be Creative.

THTR:3210 Makeup Design for the Stage 3 s.h.

GE: Engineering Be Creative. Same as DPA:3210.

THTR:3211 Period Styles 3 s.h.

Survey of design and motifs spanning history of western civilization through development of interior and exterior architecture, furniture, decorative themes, fashion, and fine art.

THTR:3215 Sewing Techniques for Theatre Costuming 3 s.h.

Students learn and improve sewing skills for theatre costuming; lab oriented with focus primarily based on a variety of sample sewing techniques; collaboration and individual work; final project consists of a costume sample from a chosen show and reflects student's skill and experience.

THTR:3223 Introduction to Lighting Technology 3 s.h.

Training for a career as a touring or resident stage electrician in the entertainment industry; plot organization/shop orders, digital fixtures, power distribution, personal management, console configuration/control, and electrical troubleshooting/maintenance.

THTR:3225 Makeup Design: Special Topics 3 s.h.

Advanced techniques in stage makeup design and application through analysis of forms, research, and hands-on projects.

THTR:3230 Scene Design I 3 s.h.

Development of theatre scenery; how to research, conceptualize, and express ideas in 3D models, simple sketches, and drafting. GE: Engineering Be Creative. Same as ARTS:3230.

THTR:3240 Costume Design I 3 s.h.

Introduction to theatre costumes; how to conceptualize and express ideas through rendering and 3D mannequin projects; may be taken after THTR:4240. GE: Engineering Be Creative.

THTR:3250 Lighting Design I 3 s.h.

How to research, conceptualize, and express ideas through light plots, other design paperwork, and theatre lighting design projects. GE: Engineering Be Creative.

THTR:3260 Sound Design for the Theatre 3 s.h.

Introduction to digital sound recording and live sound reinforcement techniques for a variety of entertainment venues (theatre, dance, concerts, industrial projects); creation of soundscapes using Pro Tools software; implementation of designs through the use of QLab playback systems and digital mixing consoles; documentation of sound design for theoretical and realized productions. GE: Engineering Be Creative.

THTR:3270 Entertainment Design 3 s.h.

Introduction to entertainment design and technology; primary focus on contemporary approaches to design and delivery of content in entertainment industry; assignment of practical projects using media servers, projection, LED arrays, video editing software, and moving light technologies. GE: Engineering Be Creative.

THTR:3276 Medieval Drama 3 s.h.

English majors and English and Creative Writing majors may apply this course to the following area and/or period requirement. AREA: Medieval and Early Modern Literature and Culture. PERIOD: Early Literatures Through 17th Century. Same as ENGL:3276.

THTR:3277 English Renaissance Drama 3 s.h.

English majors and English and Creative Writing majors may apply this course to the following area and/or period requirement. AREA: Medieval and Early Modern Literature and Culture. PERIOD: Early Literatures Through 17th Century. Same as ENGL:3277.

THTR:3301 Playwriting II 3 s.h.

Application of fundamental skills learned in THTR:2301 to more advanced study of dramatic structure and style; reading of plays, weekly writing assignments; focus on writing one-act play. Prerequisites: THTR:2301.

THTR:3310 Undergraduate Playwriting Workshop 1-3 s.h.

Workshop discussion of original full-length plays, collaborative creation of new plays, work with guest artists. Prerequisites: THTR:2301 and THTR:3301.

THTR:3315 Standup Comedy Practicum 3 s.h.

Writing and performing standup comedy; emphasis less on creating a comic persona and more on pulling from and articulating personal truth; analysis of contemporary comedians and joke structure; performing original work for multiple audiences in classroom and out in community.

THTR:3320 Writing for Film 3 s.h.

Rigorous writing for film; focus on feature-length screenplay; for students with experience in dramatic writing, fiction, or screenwriting. Requirements: completion of at least 60 s.h. or graduate standing.

THTR:3325 Iowa Writers' Room 3 s.h.

Experiential learning in television writing field; first-hand experience as part of a traditional television writers' room—selecting material and show topics, pitching ideas, collaboratively breaking story, and writing and workshopping scripts for a limited series television show of student's choosing; includes instruction and class visits by acclaimed industry insiders. Same as WRIT:3325.

THTR:3401 Topics in Dramatic Literature 3 s.h.

Topics in dramatic literature, including specific authors, periods, and movements; sample topics include Ibsen and Strindberg, Chekov, Brecht and the Brechtian, and avant-garde theatre.

THTR:3402 Shakespeare the Dramatist 3 s.h.

Exploration of a number of Shakespeare's greatest works; close textual analysis supplemented with historical, theoretical, theatrical, and philosophical considerations; special attention given to Shakespeare's dramatic method and relation of his dramaturgy to profession of theater-making.

THTR:3421 Performing Autobiography 3 s.h.

Advanced seminar and workshop; immersive readings in genre of contemporary autobiographical work, scholarship and criticism, and performance texts and videos as established artists have developed them; students write and perform their own original pieces stemming from personal experiences and interests. Recommendations: RHET:1030. Same as GWSS:3421.

THTR:3430 Women on Stage 3 s.h.

Examination of how and why women in the United States have expressed themselves through theatre and performance from 1776 to present; students study plays as performed events in specific times and places for specific audiences through works by African American, Asian American, European American, Latina, Native American, and lesbian/queer writers; what the theater—as a public, embodied art form—offers female writers; how stakes differ for women of diverse backgrounds in using this often suspect and uniquely powerful medium in particular historical moments; how changing definitions of gender and sexuality come into play; prior background in theater not required. Same as AMST:3430, GWSS:3430.

THTR:3440 American Drama Since 1900 3 s.h.

American playwrights and plays after 1900. English majors and English and Creative Writing majors may apply this course to the following area and/or period requirement. AREA: American Literature and Culture. PERIOD: 20th/21st-Century Literature. Same as ENGL:3440.

THTR:3462 African American Drama 3 s.h.

English majors and English and Creative Writing majors may apply this course to the following area and/or period requirement. AREA: American Literature and Culture. PERIOD: Varies by semester. English and Creative Writing majors may apply this course to the Multiethnic American Literature and Culture requirement. Same as AFAM:3462, ENGL:3462.

THTR:3501 Stage Management I 3 s.h.

Duties and procedures of stage management; focus on development of production from preparatory work through performance; role of stage manager in collaboration.

THTR:3510 Introduction to Arts Management 3 s.h.

Nonprofit performing arts management and administrative principles; practical applications, trends in the field; focus on arts organizations and their key administrative positions. Same as DPA:3510, INTD:3510.

THTR:3530 Musical Theatre Workshop 2 s.h.

Development of musical theatre performance skills through participation; students learn how to project intentions, attitudes, and personality traits of characters they portray; fundamentals of stagecraft, acting, movement, relaxation, and concentration; accurate musical coaching, including clear diction and solidly built dramatic musical interpretation. Same as MUS:3530.

THTR:3610 Drama in the Classroom 3 s.h.

Theories of community, culture, identity in relation to language arts teaching and learning; emphasis on incorporating multiple literacies, both oral and print, into language arts curricula; action research involving oral literacy. Same as EDTL:3180.

THTR:3615 Action! Engage! Art! Creative Placemaking for the Public Good 3 s.h.

Best practices for community projects; students in any discipline partner with artists to make change in the world; topics and activities include how to collaborate with creative partners and be a strong partner, develop ethical community partnerships, cultural competency, how to work for sustainable goals, team leadership skills, prepare social justice skills portfolios, investigate established projects, and develop individual or team projects for future semesters and beyond.

THTR:3630 Special Topics in Theatre Arts 3 s.h.

Specialized study in a specific aspect of theatre arts of interest to actors, directors, playwrights, dramaturgs, designers, and stage managers.

THTR:3850 Introduction to Laban Movement Studies 2-3 s.h.

Introduction to Bartenieff Fundamentals (BF) and Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) as methods of organizing and integrating movement to support artistic goals and expanding expressive range; BF teaches body awareness, breath support, developmental patterns, ergonomically efficient alignment, balancing of muscular strength and stretch, and coordination; LMA teaches vocabulary of expressive movement and nonverbal communication, including effort (use of energy/dynamics for expression, stamina, stress relief) and shape (how posture and gesture communicate); quality of movement that supports individual goals in artistic expression, sound production, and wellness. Same as DANC:3850, DPA:3850, MUS:3850.

THTR:3875 Topics in Digital Performing Arts 3 s.h.

Advanced techniques in performing with established and new technologies including live cameras in performance, controlling digital avatars, motion capture, virtual and augmented reality, and more. Same as DANC:3875.

THTR:3876 Video for Performance 3 s.h.

Introduction to aesthetics and practical applications of digital media and video design for live performance including content creation, system design, and content optimization for media servers; students create digital video and animations and integrate them into live performance and entertainment events via projections, media servers, and digital displays using QLab Media Server and Adobe Creative Cloud (e.g., Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Audition, After Effects); for those with an interest in designing, creating, and displaying digital media for theatre, dance, concerts, corporate events, gallery installations, VJ sets, and architectural projections. Prerequisites: THTR:2890 or THTR:5890 or CINE:1834. GE: Engineering Be Creative. Same as CINE:3876, DANC:3876, DIGA:3876, INTM:3876.

THTR:3895 Performance, Art, and New Technologies in Society 3 s.h.

Students pitch projects and work in interdisciplinary groups to create original live performances and installations based on major technological innovations that have deeply impacted society and live performance in late 20th and early 21st centuries; daily hands-on making; examination of theoretical texts and performances that address impact of technology on human condition to contextualize students' own art/technology projects; exploration and adaptation of technologies/aesthetics for live performance and art including telepresence and liveness, artificial intelligence and big data, augmented and virtual reality. Prerequisites: MUS:2800 or THTR:2880 or CS:1110 or CS:1210 or SCLP:4835. Same as DANC:3895, DIGA:3895.

THTR:4144 Acting: Special Topics 3 s.h.

Specialized study in a specific aspect or theory of acting.

THTR:4180 Directing I 3 s.h.

Basic elements of stage direction; exercises in composition, emphasis, movement, rhythm, directorial analysis; director's role in production process; short scenes, projects, papers. Prerequisites: THTR:2140 and (THTR:2402 or CINE:1601).

THTR:4230 Scene Design II 3 s.h.

Design and execution of increasingly complex projects in a variety of formats, including perspective sketching, detailed drafting, and color models. Prerequisites: THTR:3230.

THTR:4240 Costume Design II 3 s.h.

Conceptual and analysis skills in costuming; fashion history and dress related to individual, cultural, and artistic expression. May be taken before THTR:3240.

THTR:4250 Lighting Design II 3 s.h.

Development of advanced lighting artistry; preparation for mainstage lighting assignments through a series of hands-on projects and practicals; emphasis on process of design, communicating design concept, acclimating to University of Iowa venues, advanced moving light programming, 3D modeling, previsualization techniques, and organizing plot and paperwork in accordance with professional lighting practices. Prerequisites: THTR:3250.

THTR:4270 Scenic Art 3 s.h.

Basic techniques in scenic art for the theatre; classical scene painting, color theory, drawing, using nontraditional tools and materials, foam carving, and finishes. Offered every other year. GE: Engineering Be Creative. Same as ARTS:4270.

THTR:4290 Design: Special Topics 1-3 s.h.

Specialized study in a specific aspect or theory of theatrical design.

THTR:4420 Dramatic Theory 3 s.h.

Theoretical questions of interest to dramatists and philosophers in western and nonwestern traditions; metaphysics of play; theories of character, psyche, self; narrative and nonnarrative dramatic forms. Prerequisites: THTR:2402 and THTR:2410 and THTR:2411.

THTR:4510 Arts Leadership Seminar 3 s.h.

Performing arts management and administrative principles, practical applications, trends in arts leadership and advocacy. Prerequisites: THTR:3510 or ENTR:2000. Same as DPA:4510, ENTR:4510, INTD:4510.

THTR:4605 Undergrad Career Preparation 1-3 s.h.

Business aspects of the actor's career; entrepreneurial tools for the professional world; topics include agents, managers, taxes, fees, résumés, head shots, unions, similarities and differences between the three major markets (New York, Chicago, Los Angeles), and particular needs for television, film, and theatre.

THTR:4630 London Performance Study 3 s.h.

English majors and English and Creative Writing majors may apply this course to the following area and/or period requirement. AREA: Literary Theory and Interdisciplinary Studies. PERIOD: 20th/21st-Century Literature. Same as ENGL:4172.

THTR:4691 Projects in Theatre arr.

THTR:4692 Honors Theatre Arts arr.

Development and production of a new work for film or television by writers, directors, actors.

THTR:4693 Independent Study arr.

THTR:4695 Performance Practicum 1-2 s.h.

Perform as an actor or serve as an assistant stage manager in a production of at least an hour's length, rehearsed for at least four weeks, directed by a faculty member or guest artist or graduate student, and produced by the Department of Theatre Arts.

THTR:5110 Acting for Graduate Non-Actors 3 s.h.

Examination of the practice and language of acting as developed by Constantin Stanislavski and Sanford Meisner. Requirements: admission to M.F.A. in theatre arts.

THTR:5200 Graduate Design Seminar arr.

Graduate design in set, lighting, and costume design; teamwork; meetings with design faculty in specific disciplines; short-term projects in the theatre department; long-term projects, including summer design work, internships, and other professional opportunities during the three-year program and beyond. Prerequisites: THTR:4230 or THTR:4240 or THTR:4250.

THTR:5230 Scene Design III 3 s.h.

Complex assignments; documentation skills, scenic design preparation. Prerequisites: THTR:3230 and THTR:4230.

THTR:5240 Costume Design III 3 s.h.

Advanced projects in costume design and portfolio development. Prerequisites: THTR:4240.

THTR:5250 Lighting Design III 3 s.h.

Advanced projects in venues such as dance, opera, industrials; preparation of lighting designs for production. Prerequisites: THTR:4250.

THTR:5300 The Collaborative Process 3 s.h.

Development of new plays, collaboratively created works.

THTR:5410 Dramaturgy 3 s.h.

Overview of history, theory, and practice of dramaturgy and dramaturg in Europe and the United States including relationship to dramatic criticism, dramaturgical research, analysis and conceptualization of texts for production, audience outreach, and new play development; may focus intensively on one of these topics and workshop creative work related to the topic.

THTR:5420 Dramaturgy Practicum arr.

Supervision of ongoing dramaturgical work in Department of Theatre Arts and the Playwrights Workshop; workshopping elements of dramaturgical work (e.g., script reports, program essays, lobby displays); examination of special topics including history of dramaturgy, dramatic criticism, dramaturgical writing (documenting the production process), dramaturgy and dramatic theory. Requirements: admission to M.F.A. dramaturgy program.

THTR:5500 Stage Management: Special Topics 3 s.h.

Topics in stage management, arts production, and their professional practice. Requirements: admission to M.F.A. stage management program.

THTR:5510 Production Management 3 s.h.

Organization and supervision of theatre productions; resources, procedures for successfully mounting a theatre production or season; personnel, equipment, facility and budget management, scheduling, communication. Requirements: stage management M.F.A. enrollment.

THTR:5600 Orientation to Graduate Studies 1-2 s.h.

Introduction to the department's six graduate programs, production program, facilities, and UI library system; raises issues that will be considered throughout students' graduate careers; exploration of creative process and application of critical thinking to that process; for first-year theatre arts M.F.A. students. Requirements: admission to M.F.A. in theatre arts.

THTR:5610 Collaborative Performance 3-4 s.h.

Collaborative process with advanced dance artists and creative, design, and technical practitioners from varied disciplines that culminates in a devised performance for the general public; emphasis on sharing and investigating ideas, artistic intent, personal vision, and practical application. Same as DANC:5550, DPA:5550.

THTR:5880 Installations and Interactive Performance 3 s.h.

Introduction to creating interactive experiences with technology; aesthetics, techniques, and practical possibilities of fusing together theatre, dance, music/sound, art, design, cinema, gaming, human-computer interaction, and engineering through use of Isadora, an interactive, node-based programming software; students create immersive performances, interactive installations, embodied user experiences, and user-manipulated virtual environments. Same as DANC:5880.

THTR:5890 Producing and Directing Digital Video 3 s.h.

Introduction to basic concepts, theories, and practical applications of digital video production for multiple distribution streams with focus on aesthetic and technical principles; development of proficiency in contemporary approaches to digital media production by understanding the production pipeline from ideation to preproduction, production, postproduction, and through to distribution. Same as DANC:5890.

THTR:6140 Advanced Acting 3 s.h.

Preprofessional training; may include psychophysical training in impulse, openness and the "mask," individual and group dynamics, improvisation, repetition, characterization and scene work, Shakespeare and style, on-camera, development of professional work habits and skills, audition and interview. Requirements: admission to M.F.A. acting program.

THTR:6150 Vocal Technique 3 s.h.

Skills training; voice and speech for the actor, phonetics, dialects, sound exploration, contemporary and classical text analysis. Requirements: admission to M.F.A. acting program.

THTR:6160 Movement Technique 3 s.h.

Fundamental principles and practices required for physical acting technique; basic stage movement, stage combat, mime technique, Lecoq-based improvisation; a new works project. Requirements: admission to M.F.A. acting program.

THTR:6170 Graduate Acting: Special Topics 3 s.h.

Specialized study in one aspect or theory of acting. Requirements: admission to M.F.A. acting program.

THTR:6180 Director's Seminar 1-3 s.h.

Preprofessional training in stage direction; the art and craft of directing; research, practical experience; development of new pieces; approaches to a variety of theatrical materials through concept, type, style. Requirements: admission to M.F.A. program.

THTR:6300 Guest Seminar arr.

Playwriting workshops and script conferences led by visiting professional playwrights, directors, and dramaturgs. Requirements: admission to M.F.A. playwriting program.

THTR:6310 Special Topics in Playwriting 3 s.h.

Special topics of interest to M.F.A. playwrights and dramaturgs including fundamentals for experts, designing audience experiences, structural approaches to playwriting, and writing for film; also may focus on dramatic genres (e.g., docudrama, history play).

THTR:6400 Classical to Romantic Theatre 3 s.h.

Representative plays from the Classical to the Romantic periods—in historical context of their original productions, contemporary production potential. Requirements: admission to M.F.A. theatre arts program.

THTR:6401 Modern Drama 3 s.h.

Questions of dramatic form and content examined in-depth through close readings of modern plays.

THTR:6402 Postmodern Theatre 3 s.h.

Diverse traditions of theatre and drama since the 1960s considered in relation to the modernist avant-garde and the cultural phenomenon of postmodernism.

THTR:6500 Stage Management Seminar 1-2 s.h.

Practice and techniques of stage management. Requirements: admission to M.F.A. stage management program.

THTR:6605 Graduate Career Preparation 1-3 s.h.

Preparation for professional showcase produced in student's final year; business aspects of the actor's career; entrepreneurial tools for the professional world; topics include agents, managers, taxes, fees, résumés, head shots, unions, similarities and differences between three major markets (New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles), and particular needs for television, film, and theatre. Requirements: admission to M.F.A. acting program.

THTR:6691 Projects in Theatre Advanced arr.

Create a special project under the mentorship of a faculty member; projects may include performing in a main stage production, writing, directing, or designing a play performed in the department, developing a research project that intersects production.

THTR:7300 Playwrights Workshop 1,3 s.h.

Development of works by Iowa Playwrights Workshop members. Requirements: admission to M.F.A. playwriting or dramaturgy program.

THTR:7601 M.F.A. Thesis 0-3 s.h.

Work related to M.F.A. thesis projects in theatre arts.