What is the Final Project?

This semester we have studied different theatre collaborations. We have also studied various aspects of theatre history & world history. For your final project you may explore either one collaborative area:
• Acting
• Scenic or Costume Design
• Playwriting

or you can explore an area of theatre research:
• Theatre History/Musical History Research Paper
• World Theatre Research Paper

You will develop a project or paper around one of these areas. There are individual projects (not group projects.)

Examples of collaborative projects:

Acting – Should you want to act for your final project, you would perform a monologue. You  would need to have the capability of filming this and sending the video to your instructor.
The monologue must be completely memorized. In addition, you would write an accompanying paper (3-6 paragraphs) explaining your acting choices.

Scene or Costume Design – You would choose a play to design. For scenic design, you would create a 3D model of the set design. For costume design, you would create several costume renderings from a play, or build/sew a costume. Still photos or a video of your project would have to be sent to the instructor (please include yourself in at least one photo with your creations.) Additionally, you would write an accompanying paper (3-6 paragraphs) explaining your design choices.

Playwriting – Using Freytag’s Pyramid, write a short play (8-10 minutes). You would submit the play to your instructor, along with an accompanying paper breaking down the six elements of Freytag’s Pyramid that you used in the play.

Theatre History/World History – If you are more interested in research, you could choose an area of theatre history or world history that interests you and write a 4-5 page paper on it.
(for example, potentials topics would be: the rise of regional theatre in the 1930s, Minstrel theatre, the rise of vaudeville, Boal’s theatre of the oppressed, feminist theatre, etc.)
The Project Proposal – Due November 11 at midnight

The proposal will be turned in via Blackboard by November 11 at midnight. The proposal is worth 60 points (this is a really easy way to earn a lot of points!) Please write one paragraph explaining what you would like to do for your final project.

Include what type of project you would like to do, and what play (if necessary) you will use as the basis for your project. Please note: if you are doing an acting or design project, you must be able to get a copy of the script you wish to work on as you will need to read it first.

If you want to do a research paper on theatre history or world theatre, make sure you form a research question that can get the ball rolling on your topic (for instance: Did Susan Glaspell have contemporaries in the early twentieth century that helped cement feminist theatre with plays such as Trifles?)