Interdisciplinary Arts 0271 - Designers Reading Plays

When designing costumes, projections, sound, lighting, props, or scenery, do theatre designers read plays any differently than a director or an actor? Should they? When reading a play, to what does a designer respond? Theme, character, dialogue, stage directions, place, time, rhythm, flow, and arcs all play into a designer's process of discovering the visual and aural possibilities of texts. How does a designer sift through the body of a script and discover clues of the physical nature of the play? This course focuses on reading plays with design in mind. We will read and discuss selected plays. Students will research period and aesthetic styles, lead discussions, present initial design ideas for each play, and work in "design teams." Throughout the semester students will expand their design vocabulary and experiment with design presentations. Prerequisite: Must have previously taken a Theatre design or production course.

Independent Work In this course, students are expected to spend at least six to eight hours a week of preparation and work outside of class time. This time includes reading, writing, research, designing, organizing and preparing presentations.