Department of Dramatic Art
MCKAY COBLE, Chair
Professors
McKay Coble, Raymond E. Dooley, Leon Katz (Frey Distinguished Professor), Roberta A. (Bobbi) Owen, Bonnie N. Raphael, Craig A. Turner, Adam N. Versényi.
Associate Professor
Michael J. Rolleri.
Assistant Professors
Janet A. Chambers, John Harris.
Adjunct Professors
Judith L. Adamson, Joan Darling, Bill Svanoe.
Adjunct Associate Professors
Julie Fishell, Gregory Kable.
Adjunct Assistant Professors
Jeffrey B. Cornell, Eric Ketchum, James Robert McLeod, Kenneth P. Strong.
Visiting Assistant Professor
Jade R. Bettin.
Lecturers
David A. Adamson, Glenna Batson, Michel Marrano, Mark Perry, Rachel Pollock, Kristine Rapp.
Professors Emeriti
Milly S. Barranger (Alumni Distinguished Professor), Russell B. Graves, David A. Hammond.
Introduction
The study of dramatic art focuses upon the great dramatic texts of the classical and modern periods and introduces the student to the variety of artistic endeavors necessary to realize the text in theatrical performance. Majors concentrate on the literature and history of the theatre while investigating the processes involved in acting, directing, design, costume, and technical production.
Courses focus on the connections between theatre and society, between theatrical performance and the visual arts, and between dramatic literature and philosophy, history, and other literary forms. The study of theatre embraces a range of subjects in the humanities and fine arts, including literature, language, aesthetics, culture, and performance.
Programs of Study
The degree offered is bachelor of arts in dramatic art. Minors are offered in dramaturgy, theatrical design, theatrical production, and writing for the stage and screen.
Majoring in Dramatic Art
The dramatic art major has eight required courses, with DRAM 120 Play Analysis the first course for majors. The major provides a broad basis for understanding and appreciating theatre as a cultural entity and as an artistic process. The program also provides opportunities for students to learn and develop basic skills in the various areas of theatre practice. All General Education requirements apply.
The eight-course distribution is as follows:
DRAM 120 Play Analysis
This course is a prerequisite to the acting and literature/history courses required for the major so students planning to major in dramatic art should complete it preferably during their first year. (CI, NA, VP) (Majors who use DRAM 120 to fulfill the General Education Approaches Requirement in Visual, Performing, and Literary Arts must choose an additional elective course in drama for the major core.)
Three Courses in Dramatic Literature/Theatre History/Criticism
• Two courses must be chosen from the following list: DRAM 281, 282, 283
• The remaining course can be chosen from the following list: DRAM 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 287, 450, 486
Acting, Directing, and Design
• Two courses. Only one course from each area may be counted toward the major.
• Acting: DRAM 150
• Directing: DRAM 300
• Design: DRAM 465, 466, 467, 468, 477
Costume Production or Technical Production
• One course must be chosen from the following two courses (both satisfy the EE and VP General Education requirements): DRAM 191 or 192
• Production Practicum: DRAM 193 Production Practicum with PlayMakers Repertory Company (transfer credit not allowed). This course fills the General Education EE requirement.
Because the College of Arts and Sciences allows a total of 45 credit hours (15 three-hour courses) in a student’s major to count toward graduation, as many as seven electives can be selected from the broad range of offerings in the department. Students may choose to concentrate on an area (or areas) of special interest within the major: acting, directing, voice, movement, technical production, design (scenic, costume, sound, and lighting), costume history, costume construction, dramatic literature and criticism, dramaturgy, stage management, theatre management, and playwriting.
Minoring in Dramaturgy
The minor in dramaturgy consists of four courses.
• Play Analysis: DRAM 120 (CI, NA, VP) and
• Three courses chosen from the following list: DRAM 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 287, 450, 486
Minoring in Theatrical Design
The minor in theatrical design consists of four courses.
• Play Analysis: DRAM 120 (CI, NA, VP) and
• Three courses chosen from DRAM 280, 465, 466, 467, 468, 470, 475, 477, 480, 566, 567
Minoring in Theatrical Production
The minor in theatrical production consists of four courses.
• DRAM 191 or 192 related to area of concentration, and
• Three courses selected from among the following: DRAM 193, 465, 466, 467, 468, 473, 474, 477, 495, 567, 650
Minoring in Writing for the Stage and Screen
The minor in writing for the stage and screen is an interdisciplinary program drawing upon the faculties and resources of the Department of Dramatic Art, Department of Communication Studies, and the Creative Writing Program of the Department of English and Comparative Literature.
Director: David Sontag, Department of Communication Studies.
Application Process: Students interested in the minor must have a 2.4 GPA and must have taken ENGL 130 (Introduction to Fiction Writing). All students must submit an appropriate writing sample. Continued participation in successive courses in the sequential minor is based on the student’s work and the recommendation of the student’s previous instructor(s).
The minor consists of six courses and a prerequisite, ENGL 130, which can be waived upon the recommendation of previous instructors and the submission of appropriate written material. The additional courses are
Junior Year Fall Semester
• DRAM 120 Play Analysis (CI, NA, VP)
• DRAM 131/COMM 131 Writing for the Stage and Screen
Junior Year Spring Semester
• COMM 433 Intermediate Scriptwriting or DRAM 231 Playwriting I
• COMM 546 History of Film I, 1895 to 1945
Senior Year Fall Semester
• COMM 639 Special Topics in Media Production: Master Screenwriting or DRAM 331 Playwriting II
Senior Year Spring Semester
• Electives for playwrights including but not limited to DRAM 195 Dramatic Art Projects and 290 Special Studies
• Electives for screenwriters including but not limited to COMM 639 Special Topics in Media Production: Master Screenwriting
Honors in Dramatic Art
In order to receive departmental honors, students must have a 3.5 GPA at the end of the junior year, enroll in DRAM 691H (three hours credit) twice during their senior year, and complete a special project (essay or creative endeavor) approved by the department. A student may then be designated as a candidate for undergraduate honors or highest honors based on department review of the special project or performance. For more information contact: Head, Honors Program, Department of Dramatic Art, CB# 3230, Center for Dramatic Art, (919) 962-1132.
Special Opportunities in Dramatic Art
Departmental Involvement
Two undergraduate students are elected each year from among the majors to serve as representatives to the faculty. They attend faculty meetings and host events that bring students and faculty together.
Performance/Production Opportunities
A major venue for undergraduate performance work is The Lab! Theatre. Each year, The Lab! produces a season of eight fully mounted productions. The Lab! is an entirely student-run organization and gives undergraduates a unique forum to apply the acting, directing, and design methods taught in dramatic art classes. These are low-budget productions with a limited number of performances. The Lab! Board, headed by three producers elected in the spring, oversees the organization; Professor Gregory Kable serves as the faculty advisor. Also, there are three additional undergraduate production programs, performed in historic Playmakers Theatre or the Elizabeth Price Kenan Theatre. DDA Advanced Showcase is a venue for faculty-mentored undergraduate production. DDA Playwriting Studio provides a showcase for new student writing. DDA Mainstage is a faculty- or guest-directed production with student actors and designers. Casting for these production venues is open to all registered UNC students.
PlayMakers Repertory Company
Several different aspects of student involvement with PlayMakers Repertory Company (PRC, a professional LORT/AEA theatre on campus) are possibilities. Technical assistance, running crews, internships in administration, and assistant stage management positions are open to undergraduates. For appropriate supporting and understudy roles, auditions are held during the year for these productions. PRC engages resident and guest professionals active in regional and commercial theatres as guest actors, directors, and designers. Students have opportunities to associate with and learn from these professionals throughout the year.
Study Abroad
With more than 230 programs available in 60 countries, there are many international experiences structured to enhance the student’s undergraduate career. Major/minor credit is available as well as General Education credit. Departmental approval for theatre courses is arranged with the director of undergraduate studies and is coordinated by the Study Abroad Office.
Undergraduate Awards
Each spring, the Department of Dramatic Art awards several monetary prizes, endowed by generous alumni and friends including Andy Griffith and George Grizzard, to its undergraduate majors (and graduate students) who are continuing into the next academic year. In addition, the Sam Selden Prize in Playwriting and the Wes Egan Award in Design are awarded competitively each year.
Undergraduate Research
Faculty and departmental advisors are available to help students define areas of interest, understand the existing knowledge base in a particular area, and develop a plan for meaningful undergraduate research. These goals can be realized through departmental independent study and honors research. See the director of undergraduate studies and the honors advisor for more information. Additional resources are available through the Office of Undergraduate Research at www.unc.edu/depts/our.
Facilities
The Department of Dramatic Art offices, classrooms, studios, rehearsal hall, and construction shops are located in the Center for Dramatic Art. The department also operates three theatres: The Elizabeth Price Kenan Theatre, a 280-seat flexible facility; The Paul Green Theatre, a 499-seat thrust stage, which is the home of PlayMakers Repertory Company; and historic Playmakers Theatre, a 285-seat proscenium playhouse, formerly the home of the Carolina Playmakers. Majors have opportunities to work and learn in various capacities in these performance spaces.
Graduate School and Career Opportunities
The dramatic art major is associated with a variety of career opportunities, including graduate study, public relations, communications, arts management, public service, teaching, and theatre-related careers, including literary management, stage management, acting, design, publicity, marketing, fund-raising, technical production, sound and lighting technology, box office management, costuming, electrics, and stage craft.
Contact Information
Director of Undergraduate Studies, Department of Dramatic Art, CB# 3230, Center for Dramatic Art, (919) 962-1132.
For additional information about the application process for the minor in writing for the screen and stage, contact David Sontag in the Department of Communications Studies.
DRAM
080 [006K] First-Year Seminar: Psychology of Clothes: Motivations for Dressing Up and Dressing Down (3). The course seeks to help students find ways to articulate their own motivations for dress and then apply the ideas they have discovered to the ways in which individuality as well as group attitudes are expressed through clothing.
081 [006K] First-Year Seminar: Staging America: The American Drama (3). This seminar examines American drama from its colonial origins to the present as both a literary and commercial art form. The focus throughout will be on the forces that shaped American drama as well as drama’s ability to shed light on the national experience.
082 [006K] First-Year Seminar: All the World’s a Stage: Drama as a Mirror of Society (3). This seminar examines how theatre evolves from and reflects the society that generates it, and how understanding that society can enrich our responses to plays.
083 First-Year Seminar: Spectacle in the Theatre (3). This course examines how the theatrical designer uses scenery, costumes, and lighting to help create a production. Students will apply these techniques in creating their own design projects.
084 First-Year Seminar: The Inherent Qualities of Theatrical Space (3). This course examines what elements contribute to the theatricality of space. Through research and creative projects, students will gauge how a space informs what goes on inside it.
085 First-Year Seminar: Documentary Theatre (3). This course explores the political and social ramifications of documentary theatre in the United States. Students will investigate a local community of their choosing and create an interview-based performance.
086 First-Year Seminar: Rediscovering the Mind-Body Connection (3). This seminar will focus on developing our unique mind-body connection. By encouraging small and large changes in behavior students will learn how their body is used to create their world.
115 [015] Perspectives in Drama (3). A survey of plays from the Greeks to the present, analyzed through such elements of the dramatic text as action, character, structure, and language.
116 [016] Perspectives in the Theatre (3). A survey of the interrelationships of acting, directing, designing, and playwriting through the study of major periods of theatrical expression and representative plays.
117 [017] Perspectives in World Drama (3). A survey of non-Western drama and theatre with emphasis on the historical and aesthetic development of those regions.
120 [020] Play Analysis (3). Development of the skill to analyze plays for academic and production purposes through the intensive study of representative plays. DRAM 120 is the first course in the major and the minor in dramatic art.
131 [153] Writing for the Stage and Screen (COMM 131) (3). Prerequisite, DRAM 120 or ENGL 130, or permission of the instructor. Introduction to writing screen and stage plays. Required for the interdisciplinary minor in screen and stage writing.
134 Practicum in Theatrical Auditions (1). Permission of the instructor. Practice in the techniques necessary for successful auditions for the theatre.
135 [035] Acting for Nonmajors (3). Introduction to basic processes and techniques of acting for the stage.
140 [040] Voice Training I (3). Fundamental principles underlying the effective use of voice and speech in performance.
145 [037] Acting for the Screen and Stage (3). The course focuses on developing acting techniques for use in front of the camera and the way they are differentiated from those used on stage.
150 [050] Beginning Acting for the Major (3). Prerequisite, DRAM 120. Introduction to acting tools, emphasizing playing actions and pursuing an objective by personalized given circumstances. Performance work drawn from short scripted, improvised, and contemporary scenes.
155 [056] Movement for the Actor (3). Introduction to physical training. Individual/group exercises explore relaxation, breath, concentration, flexibility, and imaginative response that become physical tools for acting. May include stage combat, juggling, mime, improvisation, games, and yoga.
160 [060] Stagecraft (3). General survey of materials, equipment, and processes used in technical theatre.
164 Introduction to Stage Makeup (1). Introductory course exploring principles and applications of stage makeup for stage, film, television. May be repeated for a maximum of three credits. Students receiving credit for DRAM 164 receive no credit for 165.
165 [030] Stage Makeup (1–3). A study of principles and techniques for stage, film, and television makeup, including corrective makeup, old age, 3-D, casting for prosthetic pieces, and methods for creating fantasy forms. Also applicable to film and television. Students cannot receive credit for both DRAM 164 and 165.
191 Technical Methods: Scenery (3). Introduction to equipment, procedures, and personnel in the design and execution of plans for scenery, lighting, properties, and sound for theatrical productions. Required for the drama major; open to all undergraduate students.
192 [064] Technical Methods: Costume (3). Introduction to equipment, procedures, and personnel in the design and execution of costumes for theatrical productions. DRAM 191 or 192 required for the dramatic art major; open to all undergraduate students.
193 [066] Production Practicum (3). Prerequisite, DRAM 192 or permission of the instructor. Practicum in production with PlayMakers Repertory Company in costuming, scenery, lighting, or sound.
195 [065] Dramatic Art Projects (1–3). By permission of the department. Limited to juniors and seniors majoring in dramatic art. Intensive individual work in major areas of theatrical production: design, technical, directing, acting, playwriting, management. May be repeated for credit.
231 [155] Playwriting I (3). By permission of the department. A practical course in writing for the stage with studio productions of selected works.
235 [036] Acting for Nonmajors II (3). Prerequisite, DRAM 135. A further exploration of basic processes and techniques of acting for the stage.
240 [041] Voice Training II (3). Prerequisite, DRAM 140. A continuation of DRAM 140.
245 [053] Acting for the Camera (3). Prerequisite, DRAM 135, 150, or permission of the instructor. The process of acting and its relationship to the technical and artistic demands of television/film production. Problems of continuity and out-of-sequence filming. Concentration and thinking on camera.
250 [051] Intermediate Acting for the Major (3). Prerequisite, DRAM 150. A deeper exploration of fulfilled actions prompted by an objective, with emphasis on developing techniques required by more formally structured texts such as Sophocles, Molière, Ibsen, Shaw, and Chekhov.
255 [057] Movement for the Actor II (3). Prerequisite, DRAM 155 or permission of the instructor. Development of balance, flexibility, strength, focus, grace, and precision through martial art of T’ai Chi Ch’uan. Emphasis on applying T’ai Chi principles to acting. Chinese philosophical bases for T’ai Chi explored.
260 Advanced Stagecraft (3). Prerequisite, DRAM 160 or permission of the instructor. The course provides practical applications of principles and techniques used in technical theatre. Lectures are supported by individually scheduled workshop sessions where techniques are applied to a theatrical production.
280 [175] Period Styles for the Theatre (3). A study of visual, cultural, and social styles through history as the forms developed, and as they relate to stylistic production for the theatre. Students may not receive credit for both DRAM 280 and 480.
281 [081] Theatre History and Literature I (3). Prerequisite, DRAM 120. Survey of theatre practice and writing from the Greeks to 1700.
282 [082] Theatre History and Literature II (3). Prerequisite, DRAM 120. Survey of theatre practice and writing from 1700 to 1920.
283 [083] Theatre History and Literature III (3). Prerequisite, DRAM 120. Survey of theatre practice and writing from 1930 to the present.
284 [084] Studies in Dramatic Theory and Criticism (3). Seminar in dramatic theory and criticism with emphasis on the modern period. May be repeated for credit.
285 Modern British Drama (3). Prerequisite, DRAM 120. Evolution of modern British drama from 1956 through the present.
287 African American Theatre (3). Prerequisite, DRAM 120. This course investigates the history and legacy of African American drama through the study of its literary texts, performance styles, and cultural history.
290 [192] Special Studies (0.5–3). Permission of the undergraduate advisor. Credit for performance and/or production experience in Department of Dramatic Art productions, including PlayMakers Repertory Company. A minimum of 15 hours per week is required during the rehearsal period and a faculty evaluation is provided at the close of the production. May be repeated for credit.
300 [062] Directing (3). Prerequisite, DRAM 120 or permission of the instructor. Generally limited to majors. An introductory course in the principles of stage directing; analysis for concept, organization of production, and methodology of staging.
331 [157] Playwriting II (3). Prerequisite, DRAM 231. A practical course in writing for the theatre, taught at an advanced level.
350 [052] Advanced Acting for the Major (3). Prerequisite, DRAM 250. Development of the actor’s technique in verse drama with emphasis on scansion and textual analysis as guidelines for actions, characterization, and given circumstances. Scene and monologue work drawn from the works of Shakespeare.
395 [194] Professional Theatre Laboratory (1–12). By permission of the department. Individual programs or internship in acting, directing, design, management, and playwriting under the guidance of professional practitioners in conjunction with PlayMakers Repertory Company or other professional theatre organizations.
450 [150] Shakespeare in the Theatre (3). Prerequisite, DRAM 120. Generally limited to majors only. A study of the literary, stage history, and production problems of representative plays.
465 [165] Sound Design (3). The study of general principles of sound design for the theatre. Theory and application of sound design techniques for the stage, including script analysis, staging concepts, special effects, sound plots, and technology.
466 [166] Scene Design (3). Permission of the instructor. General principles of visual design as applied to scenery for the theatre. Instruction in standard techniques of planning and rendering scene design.
467 [167] Costume Design I (3). Permission of the instructor. Studies and practicum in play analysis and costume design for the theatre. Instruction in techniques of planning and rendering costume design.
468 [168] Lighting Design I (3). Permission of the instructor. General principles of lighting design as applied to the performing arts. Theory and instruction in standard techniques of lighting for the stage.
470 [170] Survey of Costume History (3). A survey of historic costume forms from ancient Egypt to the present time.
473 [173] Costume Construction I (1–3). Permission of the instructor. Beginning instruction in pattern making through flat pattern for theatrical costume.
474 [174] Costume Construction II (1–3). Prerequisite, DRAM 473 or permission of the instructor. Beginning instruction in pattern making through draping on a dress form for theatrical costume.
475 [171] Costume History: Africa, Asia, and Arabia (3). A survey of the traditional costume forms on the African Continent, in Asia (China, Japan, India), and on the Arabian Peninsula.
477 [177] Theatrical Design (3). Prerequisite, DRAM 120. General principles of scenic, costume, and lighting design for the theatre.
480 [185] Period Styles for Production (3). A study of the historical development of Western minor arts and the ramifications of reproducing them for the theatre. Students may not receive credit for both DRAM 280 and 480.
484 [390] Studies in Dramaturgy and Criticism (3). This seminar seeks to introduce students to the principles of arts criticism through study of the work of a variety of different critics, by distinguishing between the nature of criticism and reviewing the arts, and through the students’ own practice of critical writing.
486 [086] Latin American Theatre (3). Prerequisite, DRAM 120. This course explores the historical and aesthetic development of Latin American theatre, focusing on particular factors that distinguish this theatre from the Western European tradition.
487 Chicana/o Drama (3). Prerequisite, DRAM 120. This course surveys Chicana/o history and culture from 1965 to the present through the examination of plays by and about Chicana/os. It also interrogates Chicana/o performance practices as political acts.
488 U.S. Latino/a Theatre (3). Prerequisite, DRAM 120. Investigation of United States Latino/a theatre texts and performance practices as a discreet genre. U.S. Latino/a theatre will be distinguished from the dominant culture, and diversity of forms and styles discussed.
490 [190] Theatre Management (3). Practicum in theatre management procedures and business of the theatre involving box office, audience development, research, publicity, operational, and contract procedures in regard to artists, technicians, managers, and producers. Students actively engage in management areas of the PlayMakers Repertory Company and productions of the Department of Dramatic Art.
491 [191] Issues in Arts Management (3). Arts management issues taught through analysis of case studies. Course includes management theories, organizational structures, and current issues.
495 [101] Stage Management (3). By permission of the department. A study of the basic principles and practices of modern stage management.
566 [176] Advanced Scene Design (3). Prerequisite, DRAM 466 or permission of the instructor. Advanced study of the principles and practice of designing scenery for the theatre.
567 [169] Costume Design II (3). Prerequisites, DRAM 467 and permission of the instructor. Practicum in costume design for the theatre, focusing on the requirements of professional theatre production and alternative costume design solutions.
595 [198] Costume Seminars I: Dyeing and Painting (1–3). Prerequisites, DRAM 192 and permission of the instructor. Series of topics in costume for use in design and production for the stage. May be repeated for credit for a total of six hours for undergraduates and 12 hours for graduate students. Taught in a four-semester rotation.
597 Costume Seminars II: Millinery and Hair (1–3). Permission of the instructor. Advanced costume production techniques with an emphasis on millinery and hair design.
598 Costume Seminars III: Masks and Armor (1–3). Permission of the instructor. Advanced costume production techniques with an emphasis on creating masks and armor.
599 Costume Seminars IV: Decorative Arts (1–3). Permission of the instructor. Advanced costume production techniques with an emphasis on decorative arts.
650 [196] Costume Production I: Couture Methods (0.5–3). Prerequisite, DRAM 192. Advanced construction techniques in theatrical costuming with an emphasis on couture methods.
667 [245] Advanced Costume Design I (1–3). Permission of the instructor. Study of costume design for students concentrating in costume production.
691H [099] Honors Project in Dramatic Art (3). Prerequisites, 3.5 cumulative GPA and permission of the department. The completion of a special project (essay or creative endeavor), approved by the department, by a student who has been designated a candidate for undergraduate honors.
697 [094] Senior Seminar (3). Close study of the interrelationships between theory and practice in contemporary world theatre, placing developments in their cultural contexts, and exploring current theatrical trends in an international framework.