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Japanese Theater 

Spring Semester 2007
Class meets Tuesdays &Thursdays,  3:30-4:45pm
Location: Fetzer Gym 104 44
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

 
Professor Jan Bardsley
  Department of Asian Studies
305 New West
Office hours: M 1-3 pm & by appt
Tel: 919-962-1534
Fax: 919-843-7817
bardsley@email.unc.edu
BlackBoard

What is this course about?

This course introduces students to Japanese theater -- inside/out.  We look inside the theater, exploring elements of performance, acting techniques, and plays.  We also look outside the theater, thinking about the cultural contexts for diverse theatrical forms.  Students also get inside the theater through their own designs and plays, and outside the theater by discussing and writing responses to the plays and doing a group presentation that looks at the broader social context of a particular theatrical form.  Technology--from early puppet-making to video game programs--plays an important role in Japanese theater and gives us yet another avenue for thinking of Japanese theater inside/out.

We will find that what counts as Japanese theater is diverse and not limited to Japan.  Shakespeare, Ibsen, and Steinbeck, for example, are staged in Japan, and arts such as the avant-garde Butoh and the tea ceremony are performed internationally.   By the end of this course, students will know about all major forms of Japanese theater, understand diverse ways of interpreting what is Japanese and what is theatrical about these forms, and be ready to go further in their enjoyment of theater and of Japanese culture.
 

Who is the instructor?

Jan Bardsley teaches Japanese literature, women's studies and first-year seminars in the Department of Asian Studies at UNC-Chapel Hill.  A graduate of UC Davis and UCLA, I have lived and travelled in Japan.  Most days you can find me in my office, 305 New West. You are welcome to drop in anytime I'm free though it is best to make an appointment for longer consultations.

Teaching this theater course offers me a way to re-connect with my youthful involvements in theater. At UCD, I majored in Dramatic Art, spending my junior year in Japan studying Noh and Kabuki.  Even though I did not speak much Japanese at the time, I had the chance to take lessons in dancing and chanting from a Noh actor.  In summer 2005, I accompanied 18 Carolina students to Kyoto for a month of study that included visits to the Noh, Takarazuka and Kabuki theaters and a japanese performance of the musical Mamma Mia. The highlight of the 2005 theater events for me was being backstage at an annual Kyoto performance of geisha dances.


What will I have learned by the end of this class?

You will be able to discuss all major forms of  Japanese theater with reference to major plays, acting techniques, and elements of performance and design.  You will also be able to discuss how theatrical performances in Japan connect with interests in national identity, religion, class, gender, and race. By the end of this course, you will also be aware of new developments in theatrical entertainment in Japan such as video games, costume play, and street fashion.

What books should I buy?

All books are available in paperback at the UNC-CH Student Store.  All are required reading. Other shorter readings are listed on the course schedule and available online.
  • Karen Brazell, ed. Traditional Japanese Theater: An Anthology of Plays.  NY: Columbia University Press, 1998.
  • Ayako Kano. Acting Like a Woman in Modern Japan: Theater, Gender, and Nationalism. NY: Palgrave, 2001.
  • Jennifer Robertson.  Takarazuka: Sexual Politics and Popular Culture in Modern Japan.  Berkeley: University of California Press, 1998.

How do I contribute to this class and how will I be graded?

 Participation
  5%
  • Everyone is allowed one absence.  This covers illness, family emergency, and any other event that might unexpectedly come up, and any other personal time you need to take.  Please notify the instructor by phone or email if you cannot attend class. Unless there is a medical emergency, three or more absences will count against your grade. Student who miss more than four consecutive meetings will not be allowed back in class without permission of the instructor.
  • To get attendance credit, you must be present during the entire class meeting. 
  • Every student must attend one theatrical event this semester.   Announcements about upcoming events and plays will be made in class. Check fliers on campus, too. Turn in a one-page reaction to the event at the final exam.
  • Expect to be called on in class.
  • late paper policy: A paper will lose a 1/2 grade for ever day late.  For example, a "B+" paper originally due on a Tuesday and handed in late on Thursday would earn a "B-."
  • Etiquette: shut off cell phones; no laptops open during class; leave classroom only during the breaks; make an effort to talk with and get to know your classmates. Be on time for class and stay the entire time. Make sure that you bring the day's readings to class as we will refer to passges in the text in our discussion.

    •
Artistic Projects 
&
Short Papers
35%
  • Artistic projects and  short writing assignments  will keep you involved with the ideas, forms, and creative possibilities of Japanese theaters
  • Effort counts--show you've thought through the question when you write your essays; take some time with the design assignments.
  • Pay attention to what's called for in the assignment. Each assignment will be posted one week before it is due.
Midterm Examination
10%
  • The  Feb. 15 midterm will be an in-class exam on the readings to date: Identification, short answer and short essay format.
Research
Paper
25%
  • The ten-page research paper provides you the opportunity to investigate and write about one specific topic related to Japanese theater. A one-page bibliography should be appended to the paper.
  • Your paper will focus on a single topic related to the group  that you have chosen to join. The eight  groups could be from among such topics as: 1) Japanese video games; 2) cos-play; 3) tea ceremony as theater; 4) nihon buyo (Japanese dance) and geisha performance traditions; 5)  Butoh-Dance of Utter Darkness; 6) Geisha on the Western Stage; 7) Hip Hop in Japan; 8) Theater in Occupied Japan (1945-52). If you have a paper idea that doesn't easily fit in these groups, let Dr. Bardsley know; we can adjust group topics so that everyone is working on a topic of genuine interest.
  • On Feb. 8, you will hand in a typed paragraph with a description of your topic, potential sources, and an idea of what you hope to find in the literature.
  • The research paper is due on Tuesday, April 17. Please turn in the paper in class.
  • Your bibliography for this paper should include at least one book; academic, journal articles; newspaper or magazine articles. These sources can be theoretical or tangentially related to your topic. For example, a book on cross-dressing could be related to cos-play or a book on the history of modern dance could be useful for looking at Butoh.
  • Your research paper will be graded on 1) how well you frame, present, and support your argument; 2) the thoroughness of your research; and 3) accuracy of citation.  Make sure to insert page numbers, staple your paper, and to safely back it up on a memory stick or disk.
Group Presentation 

10%
  • This assignment gives you an opportunity to present the research you did for your paper and to explore how it connects with similar work done by other students. Each group has about 30 minutes for their presentation.
  • Students are encouraged to meet outside of class at least once to rehearse presentations as a group. Figure out the best way to organize your individual presentations so that they flow together and create a coherent program and theme.
  •  You will have time in class after the mid-term to work with your group.  Additional time in  class will be given for you to communicate on the progress of your papers.
  • Use powerpoint or some other visual aid in making the presentation.  All PowerPoint presentations should be loaded onto one laptop for the class presentation; this makes the transition between speakers easy and quick.
Final
Written Examination
15%
  • The final written examination will be held May 1, 2007 in our classroom from 4:00 - 6:00pm. Part of the exam will be a take-home, analytical essay due at 6:00pm when you arrive for the final. The rest of the exam will test your factual knowledge of the Kyōgen and Noh Theaters and include identifications and questions calling for short answers.
  • A study guide for the final exam and the take-home exam question will be posted by the last class meeting.
  Honor Code & Grading
It is understood that all members of this class pledge to uphold the honor code of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in all work completed for this course.  If you have questions about the Honor Code's application in this class, it is your responsibility to ask me. Become familiar with the terms of the Honor Code set out at http://instrument.unc.edu.  All exams, written work, and other projects must be submitted with a statement that you have complied with the requirements of the Honor Code in all aspects of the submitted work.


In giving grades, I follow the definitions listed online in 2005-2006 UNC Chapel Hill Undergraduate Catalogue. I copy them here for your information.

Permanent grades are defined as follows:

A Mastery of course content at the highest level of attainment that can reasonably be expected of students at a given stage of development. The A grade states clearly that the student has shown such outstanding promise in the aspect of the discipline under study that he/she may be strongly encouraged to continue.

B Strong performance demonstrating a high level of attainment for a student at a given stage of development. The B grade states that the student has shown solid promise in the aspect of the discipline under study.

C A totally acceptable performance demonstrating an adequate level of attainment for a student at a given stage of development. The C grade states that while not yet showing any unusual promise, the student may continue to study in the discipline with reasonable hope of intellectual development.

D A marginal performance in the required exercises demonstrating a minimal passing level of attainment for a student at a given stage of development. The D grade states that the student has given no evidence of prospective growth in the discipline; an accumulation of D grades should be taken to mean that the student would be well advised not to continue in the academic field.

F For whatever reasons, an unacceptable performance. The F grade indicates that the student's performance in the required exercises has revealed almost no understanding of the course content. A grade of F should warrant an adviser's questioning whether the student may suitably register for further study in the discipline before remedial work is undertaken.