DTV3200 Theatre Directing - Amateur Actors Course description

Theatre Directing - Amateur Actors is the study of the director’s work in a theatre production. The director’s knowledge and know-how about all the practical and artistic options available are key elements of this course, with particular emphasis on dramaturgical and dramatic devices. The main emphasis is on the director’s artistic work seen in light of professional, ethical, aesthetic, historic, cultural and political considerations. Directing is an integral part of drama and theatre. The course provides a basis for working in theatre and instruction in educational contexts.

Applicants may be able to take this course as an individual course if there are vacant places.

Passed DT1000 and DT2000 or equivalent

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student:

• is capable of leading theatre productions in schools and recreational contexts
• has insight into developing a comprehensive directing concept for amateur productions
• has insight into the actor’s technical process
• has knowledge of theatre as an art form from the perspective of the actor and the director
• has knowledge of drama as a genre, theatre-oriented text analysis and dramatic structures
• has knowledge of the director as a teacher, the director’s leadership role and of identifying and solving problems

Skills

The student:

• is capable of instructing and guiding children, young people and adults in theatre work both in an artistic and educational manner
• is capable of integrating technical acting aids in instruction and direction work
• is capable of selecting and integrating different techniques in role identification and role characterisation
• is capable of creating a directing concept
• is capable of assessing an overall production and do an overall evaluation
• using visual and technical devices
• masters planning and obtaining relevant material
• is capable of assessing own efforts as a producer and director
• is capable of using written forms of documentation involving analysis, discussion and assessment of the process and product

General competence

The student:

• is capable of discussing the relationship between dramatic form and the content of a performance
• is capable of assessing a form of expression individually or in a group
• has knowledge of analysing the process from production to finished performance

The course is largely based on learning together with others. This type of learning process requires togetherness and cooperation over time. The students are therefore expected to be present and actively participate in teaching activities and group work.

The course is highly process-oriented and based on the students’ own activities, practical as well as theoretical. Emphasis is placed on the students trying out different forms of theatre and methods and making independent choices regarding the material, concept and actors.

Attending theatre productions is an important part of the course. The students shall attend different productions and reflect on them.

Different work methods are used. Most of the teaching will take the form of practical workshops featuring discussion and testing of ideas, and related seminars and lectures. The students will be given great responsibility for their own learning and for organising and carrying out group work. Lectures, demonstrations and supervision will be provided as needed.

Directing practice is included in the course, linked to the director’s tasks and theatre project.

Here, the students practise different directing tasks with their fellow students and assess their own and their fellow students’ work. The students receive guidance from the lecturers in connection with the different instruction and directing tasks.

In the theatre project course, the students use the knowledge and skills they have acquired in directing in relation to the participants in the project. The theatre project course requires a long production period - normally two to three months in the spring semester. In this project, groups of two or three students will be responsible for developing a directing concept, and for leading the realisation of the concept up until the finished production in a selected drama or theatre group. This could be in a school, an after-school club, a youth club, a municipal music and arts school or in an amateur theatre group.

The following coursework is compulsory and must be approved before the student can sit the exam:

Written:

• attend at least three theatre productions and write a written report (1500 Words) on them - group work
• a written directing concept referring to a dialog performance. 900-1200 words.

Practical: 

• the students own monologue performance and take part in a fellow students monologue 
• the students own dialogue performance and observation of a fellow students dialogue
• receive supervision in relation to monologue and dialogue
• receive supervision during the exam

Compulsory attendance at teaching activities:

The students cannot be absent for more than 20% of teaching and supervision activities. 

The exam in the course is twofold:

Exam part 1. A theatre project performance with subsequent oral problematisation, discussion and assessment

The assessment is based on aesthetic, ethical and educational criteria. The student must have considered the theatrical style, adaptation to the participants, content of the piece and different framework factors. The students’ reflections and analysis of the performance, and the process up to the final performance, will also be assessed. The exams usually take place individually, but the exam can also be taken in smaller groups.

The performance and oral hearing counts for 60% of the final pass grade. The result of the exam cannot be appealed.

2. Exam part 2.

An written assignment on a issue linked to exam part 1 connected to relevant theory. Ethical, aesthetic and educational considerations related to framework and formal factors are included in the exam. The scope of the assignment is between 3500 and 4000 words (table of contents and bibliography must be added).

The assignment counts for 40% of the final pass grade. The result of the exam can be appealed.

Assessment

A grade scale with grades from A to E for pass (with A being the highest grade and E being the lowest pass grade) and F for fail is used for the final assessment.

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In some cases, the practical/oral group exams can be held as individual exams.

Both parts of the exam must be awarded the grade E or better in order for the student to pass the course.

 A to E for passed. F for failed.  

Exam part 1:The performance is assessed by one internal and one external examiners.

Exam part 2: assessed by two internal examiners.

The exames  may be selected for grading by external examiners.

There is a 100% overlap with the course ZREGI05 Theatre Directing - Amateur Actors.