THTR 320 Dramatic Forms and Genres
We recognize the presence of genres when we see plays and films, since their classic patterns of characters, plot designs, and themes comprise a dynamic that pulls us into the world of the play. In this course students will read a wide variety of plays to discover how genre enters into our experience, and how genre elements could be realized onstage with acting, design, and directing choices, as well as considerations about spectatorship and dramatic conventions. The the major genres (comedy, farce, tragedy, melodrama, and tragicomedy) will be explored and some specialized subgenres and forms as well. Through a coordinated discussion of plays, dramatic theory, and production history, students will acquire a contextualized understanding of genre as it is shaped by culture and history within particular time periods. Assignments will include a reading journal, collaborative dramaturgical projects, and viewing of video and live performances.