Catalog

Theatre and Dance

Michael Elkins
Chair
(650) 508-3575
melkins@ndnu.edu

Mission

NDNU Department of Theatre and Dance encourages students’ artistic curiosity, helping them become courageous and successful theatre and dance artists throughout their lives.  Through extensive professional training and production performance work, NDNU students acquire essential theatrical skills, knowledge, experience, and confidence.

Hallmarks of the Program

Professional and Personal Responsibility and Integrity
Collaboration and Compassion/Courage and Creativity

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Learning Outcomes

Production

  • Students will demonstrate growth in artistry, technical skills, collaborative competence, and knowledge of repertory through regular performance and production experiences throughout the degree program.
  • Students will demonstrate technical skills requisite for artistic self-expression in acting, dancing, design/technical, directing, and playwriting.
  • Students will acquire an overview understanding of the major aspects, techniques, and directions in areas of concentration.

Repertoire

  • Students will demonstrate familiarity with Theatre literature of various historical periods, cultural sources, and modes of presentation.

Theoretical and Historical Studies

  • Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze plays, evaluate them critically, and place works of theatre in historical and stylistic contexts.

Technology

  • Students will demonstrate a working knowledge of technologies, craftsmanship, and equipment applicable to their area(s) of specialization.

Synthesis

  • Students will demonstrate the ability to think conceptually and critically about text, performance, and production.
  • Students will be able to work independently on a variety of professional problems, combining, appropriate to the issue, their capabilities in performance, repertory, theory, history, and technology.

NDNU Theatre and Dance Ensemble

Students in the NDNU Department of Theatre and Dance recognize Theatre as a thoroughly collaborative art. As such, it is understood that the accomplishments of the individual are more profound when combined with and complemented by the accomplishments of all members of the creative ensemble.

NDNU Theatre and Dance Education and Training Philosophy

Guided by the Theatre and Dance faculty, each student is responsible for identifying personal developmental goals each semester. NDNU Theatre and Dance students work with a variety of professional artists who are actively engaged in a wide variety of professional venues and projects each year. The motto of NDNU Department of Theatre and Dance is “You Will Perform.” As such, the Department of Theatre and Dance makes student performance the highest priority. All students in the Department of Theatre and Dance learn skills, knowledge, and experience essential to all successful Theatre and Dance artists. NDNU Department of Theatre and Dance encourages and supports all students’ efforts to create original works as performers, designers, technicians, choreographers, writers, producers, and directors.

Students in the NDNU Department of Theatre and Dance participate in a curriculum that is equally balanced between performance, design and technical craft, and dramatic literature and theory. This course of study in NDNU Theatre and Dance is tied to an expectation of student participation in several Department of Theatre and Dance performance and production activities each semester.

Theatre and Dance majors and minors benefit from the intensive training and guidance in seminar style class settings, performance activities and continuous practical application of acquired skills and knowledge in both large and small theatre productions in public presentations.
The Department of Theatre and Dance places synthesis as the highest priority in students’ education. To that end, Theatre and Dance are required to be actively engaged in performance and production activities throughout their careers at NDNU. Synthesis is also accommodated through the process of selection of plays chosen each year. This process allows faculty to tailor the performance and production opportunities to the needs and abilities of students in the program. The process of synthesis is further served in the curricular tie-ins as the plays being produced are used as teaching materials in design, history, directing, management, and production classes as often as possible.

NDNU Department of Theatre and Dance encourages and supports all students’ efforts to create original works as performers, designers, technicians, choreographers, writers, producers, and directors.

This course of study in NDNU Theatre and Dance is tied to an expectation of student participation in several Department of Theatre and Dance performance and production activities each semester.

NDNU Theatre and Dance Performance Opportunities and Expectations
While all Theatre and Dance majors and minors are expected to participate in the Theatre and Dance productions, students who receive Emerging Artist Scholarships are required to participate in all department productions in performance or production roles as assigned by department faculty.

NDNU Theatre and Dance and Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival
NDNU Department of Theatre and Dance participates in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival each year, sending an average of 10 students a year to compete in the Irene Ryan Acting competition. NDNU Theatre and Dance students attend a weeklong KCACTF Regional conference each year, accompanied by NDNU Theatre and Dance faculty and staff.

NDNU Theatre and Dance has also had several productions nominated to perform scenes at the Western Regional festival and performed a full production of a two-act, original play written and directed by an NDNU Theatre major.

NDNU Theatre and Dance in the Community
As stated in the NDNU Mission statement, “. . . community engagement and the values of social justice and global peace are integral to the learning experience.”  In service to NDNU Mission and Hallmarks, NDNU Theatre and Dance students participate in a variety of Community Service and Community Engagement events each year.

Community Engagement events organized and conducted by the Department of Theatre and Dance include:

  • Hosting Senior citizens at NDNU Theatre and Dance Performances and visits to local senior residence facilities
  • Presentation of the annual GIFT – A Christmas Carol the Musical production and its toy and food drive. NDNU Theatre and Dance students also participate in an annual presentation of A Christmas Carol and the GIFT in the San Francisco Tenderloin District.
  • Conducting workshops and classes in Bay Area elementary and middle schools as part of the NDNU Theatre and Dance in the Schools Project

Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts

The Department of Theatre and Dance offers a Bachelor of Arts Degree that allows students to emphasize either Theatre Performance or Production through participation in a series of performance or design and technical courses by approval of the Theatre and Dance faculty. It also offers a minor in Theatre Arts, a minor in Dance, and an Interdisciplinary Major in Dance/Theatre. Majors and minors are for students interested in pursuing theatre as a vocation or avocation.

The major in the Department of Theatre and Dance provides intensive study and performance in an ensemble style in all aspects of theatre production: acting, directing, production planning, design, and technical skills. Two special features of the major are an internship in which the student will work with one of several professional theatre organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area and the opportunity for seniors to produce and direct or design a short play as part of the Theatre Arts Department season.

In addition to major requirements, students must meet Core Curriculum Requirements and General Degree Requirements.

Prerequisites    Units
   
Coursework from the following:    1
DAN1045                Dance Technique I  
DAN1050                Dance Technique II   
DAN2045                Dance Technique I  
DAN2050                Dance Technique II           
THE1000                Introduction to the Theatre     3
THE1005                Introduction to Oral Interpretation of Literature    3
THE1015                Beginning Acting   3
THE1020                Makeup    1
Coursework from the following:     3
THE1025                 Theatre Production and Stagecraft I  
THE1030                 Theatre Production and Stagecraft II  
THE2025                 Theatre Production and Stagecraft I  
THE2030                 Theatre Production and Stagecraft II  
Coursework from the following: 1
THE1076L               Theatre Production: Stagecraft Laboratory*    
THE2176L               Theatre Production: Stagecraft Laboratory*  
                                    *must be taken with THE1055 or THE2055  
   
Total Prerequisites         15
   
Major Requirements           Units
   
Coursework from the following:         1
THE1077                 Assistant Stage Manager        
THE2177                 Assistant Stage Manager      
Coursework from the following:   1
THE1078                 Stage Manager  
THE2178                 Stage Manager  
Coursework from the following:    1
THE1079                 Assistant Director  
THE2179                 Assistant Director  
   
THE2135/W            Development of Drama and Theatre to 1600    4
THE2140W             Development of Drama and Theatre from 1600-1800 4
THE2145W             Development of Drama and Theatre 1800 to Present    4
THE2150                 Directing   3
THE2883                 Directing Practicum       2
THE2990                 Theatre Internship      2
Production or Performance courses (below)      9-10
   
Total Major Requirements    31-32

Other Degree Requirements* and General Electives                                                                  79-80
*Other degree requirements include Core Curriculum Requirements and General Degree Requirements (e.g. U.S. History).   

Total Unit Requirement    124
   
Performance Courses      10
   
Coursework from the following:     1
THE1075L               Rehearsal and Performance  
THE2175L               Rehearsal and Performance  
One course from the following:                3
THE1055                 Scenic Design and Model Building  
THE2155                 Scenic Design and Model Building  
THE2120                 Stage Lighting and Electric  
THE2123                 Costume Development and Design  
THE2100                  Intermediate Acting     3
THE2115                  Advanced Acting   3
   
Production Courses    9
   
Coursework from the following:     3 
THE1055                 Scenic Design and Model Building  
THE2155                 Scenic Design and Model Building  
THE2120                 Stage Lighting and Electrics 3
THE2123                 Costume Development and Design    3

Minor in Dance

The NDNU dance curriculum provides a strong program in technical dance, choreography and performance, and theatrical dance education. It is designed to meet the dance education and training needs of students from the Theatre and Musical Theatre majors. Courses in the NDNU Dance program are open to students from all majors.

The NDNU Dance Minor consists of 15 units of dance; a minimum of 12 units must be completed in NDNU dance courses. The courses are designed to allow students to take individual courses to suit their abilities, interests, and needs. Students in the Dance minor are expected to contribute to the courses and studio activities in which dance performance pieces are developed and rehearsed in preparation for the annual Spring Dance Concert.

Minor in Theatre Arts

Requirements                                                                                                           Units

THE1000                    Introduction to the Theatre                                                   3
THE1015                    Beginning Acting                                                                    3
THE1025                    Theatre Production and Stagecraft                                     3
THE1075L                  Rehearsal and Performance                                               1
THE1076L                  Stagecraft                                                                                 1
THE1077                    Assistant Stage Manager                                                      1
Upper-division electives in Theatre Arts                                                                  6

Total Minor Requirements                                                                                       18

Interdisciplinary Dance/Theatre Major

At NDNU, students may design an Interdisciplinary major that combines existing Theatre and Dance courses with courses selected from other NDNU programs, including Kinesiology, Nutrition, Biology, and Psychology.