Course Syllabus

THAR 2 – Introduction to Theatre Arts

Classes: Mondays & Wednesdays 9-10:20am
Office Hours: Mon/Wed 10:30am-12pm by appointment in Burbank Offices
Section: 6132 – Spring 2023

Instructor Contact

Sarah Wintermeyer

Email: swintermeyer@santarosa.edu  

Course Description

An introduction to theatre as both an art form and social forum, emphasizing the interrelated processes of playwriting, acting, directing, design, technical theatre, theatre criticism, theatre management, and theatre architecture.  Students will study theatre from a variety of perspectives through lectures, attending plays, reading scripts, and hands-on experiences.  Required attendance at two or more assigned theatre productions (discounted admission; students provide own transportation).

COVID-19 Prevention Protocol

All class meetings will be in Burbank. Theatre Arts takes your health  seriously. All COVID-19 prevention protocols will be followed. Please review this SRJC COVID Prevention Protocol at https://covid.santarosa.edu/ prior to coming to class. 

Course Web Site

Students will use the Canvas course website for assignment instructions, submitting assignments, asking questions, sharing resources, and viewing grades.

Student Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:
1.  Demonstrate a general knowledge of the theatre as a complex and diverse art form, as well as
    its ever-changing role in modern society.
2.  Approach, analyze, and discuss theatre as informed audience members, readers, and/or
    practitioners.
3.  Participate in one or more areas of the theatre at an introductory level, applying correct
    terminology and working constructively with others.

Course Objectives

In order to fulfill the outcomes above, during the course the student will:
1. Analyze the different responsibilities and contributions of the actor, playwright, director,
    designer, technician, management, producer, critic and audience, while recognizing
    the collaborative nature of the theatre.
2. Attend and critique a theatrical production, both holistically and through an analysis of the
    contributions of the various artistic elements.
3. Identify and theoretically solve the artistic challenges of a script, applying basic script analysis
    techniques for structural, thematic, and interpretive elements.
4. Correctly apply basic theatre terminology while demonstrating an introductory understanding
    of the positions, processes, and career opportunities in the theatre.
5. Discern the interdisciplinary contributions of other art forms and fields of study to the creation
    of theatre.
6. Recognize the major genres, styles, and movements of the modern theatre.
7. Communicate using various theatre design "languages" such as mood, sound, light, texture,
    color, rhythm, etc.
8. Outline and implement a basic research strategy which includes identifying questions,
    accessing key theatre resources, and problem-solving when necessary.
9. Collaborate with others in the development of theoretical and/or practical theatre projects.

Course Materials

The Theatre Experience 13th Edition by Edwin Wilson, Alvin Goldfarb – ISBN: 978-0073514277

OR

The Theatre Experience 15th Edition by Edwin Wilson, Alvin Goldfarb – ISBN:9781264300914

You can locate and order textbooks new or used online via the SRJC Bookstore.  Also on Reserve in the SRJC Library. Can also be  rented for the term. Details on book rentals are available in the SRJC Bookstore. 

Class Expectations

  • The best way to learn is through active participation. Respect others by
    • showing up on time ready to learn
    • preparing for class in advance by having read/watched all the required materials
    • listening actively and speaking courteously (even when we disagree).
  • No eating or drinking is allowed anywhere in Burbank, other than water. 

Class Format

The 5-Minute Sandwich:

First Five Minutes –The first five minutes of every class are your time to get situated, a time to make yourself comfortable and to share whatever you want with the class. Tell us about something interesting that happened to you. Something you read. Something you wrote. Something you discovered. Something you used from class. Something you recommend. Something you want to know more about. Something you want to announce. Declare. Proclaim.

Thrive Time – Over the course of the majority of each class session, we will discuss what you read/watched/prepared and how it relates to the art of theatre. We’ll look at where the craft comes from, what it does to the audience, and we’ll consider the elements and approaches that come together to invigorate storytelling.  In addition to these discussions, you will also have the opportunity to attend two department theatrical productions, and participate in a number of campus excursions, collaborative activities, and in-class playwriting, acting, directing, designing exercises throughout the semester that have been specially designed to encourage your creative thinking ability.

Last Five Minutes –During the final five minutes of class, I will ask you to sit down and answer a few brief questions reflecting on the themes and lessons we discussed that day, as well as to get your impression of how the class is going and find out what you would like to see happen moving forward. This is your class, and I want you to tell me what I can do to help you get the most out of it.

Participation Requirements:

In order to earn your participation point each class, you just have to show up for the full class period having read/watched/listened/prepared all of the material assigned for the week, which will be demonstrated through your engagement in class discussion and performance.

Participation – You don’t have to talk all of the time or voice your opinion on every topic we go over; you just have to open your mouth once or twice each class session to share your thoughts. If you make a comment on the reading, you got your participation point. If you contribute to the class discussion, you got your participation point. If you help me out by volunteering or reading aloud, you got your participation point. Things that don’t earn participation points: staring into space, refusing to engage, checking your phone during class, talking to the person next to you while I’m talking, not knowing where we are or what day it is when I call on you, and texting.

Punctuality – You earn 1 participation point for each class session you attend. You will lose 1⁄2 point if you arrive to class more than 5 minutes late or leave more than 5 minutes early. You will not earn any points if you arrive more than 30 minutes late or leave more than 30 minutes early. 

Important Dates

Day Class Begins: Monday January 18, 2023

Day Class Ends: Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Mid-Term Exam: March 13, 2023

Day/Time of Online Final Exam: Wednesday, May 24, 2023 from 7:00 - 9:45 AM

Last Day to Add without instructor's approval: Tuesday, January 24, 2023

Last Day to Add with instructor's approval: Sunday, February 5, 2023

Last Day to Drop and be eligible for enrollment/course fee refund: Sunday, January 29, 2023

Last Day to Drop without a 'W' symbol: Sunday, February 5, 2023 

Last Day to Drop with a 'W' symbol: Sunday, April 23, 2023

Dropping the Class

It is your responsibility to drop the class. If you decide to discontinue this course, it is your responsibility to officially drop it to avoid getting no refund (after 10% of course length), a W symbol (after 20%), or a grade (after 60%). Also, for several consecutive, unexplained absences, the instructor may drop a student.

Instructor Announcements and Q&A Forum

The instructor will post announcements on the “Instructor Announcements” page in Canvas throughout the semester. Canvas notifies students according to their preferred Notification Preferences as soon as the instructor creates an Announcement. A “Q&A Forum” is also on Canvas to ask for assistance of your classmates or of instructor.

SRJC Attendance Policy

It shall be the policy of the Sonoma County Junior College District to maintain an attendance policy and procedures consistent with State and local requirements.

1.0 Attendance

1.1 Students are expected to attend all sessions of the course in which they are enrolled.

1.2 Any student with excessive absences may be dropped from the class.

2.0 Excessive Absence Defined

2.1 A student may be dropped from any class when that student's absences exceed ten

percent (10%) of the total hours of class time.

2.2 Instructors shall state in each course syllabus what constitutes excessive absence for

that course.

3.0 Excused vs. Unexcused absences

3.1 Unless state or federal law requires that the absence be deemed excused, no instructor shall be required to make a distinction between excused and unexcused absences.

3.2 If individual Instructors wish to distinguish between excused and unexcused absences the instructor shall state in each course syllabus all criteria for any excused absences in addition to those required by state or federal law.

4.0 Nonattendance

4.1 Students who fail to attend the first two class meetings of a full semester course may be dropped by the instructor.

Please email me when you are ill or any other time you will be missing class. We are a team now. We need to know where you are.

Late Assignment Policy

All assignments are due before 11:59PM midnight PST on the due date. A late submission will receive a 20% penalty. Submissions more than one week late are not accepted without prior arrangement. Late work will not be graded unless student sends instructor an email regarding late work.

Exams

There will be an ONLINE final exam on Wednesday, May 24, 2023 from 7:00 AM - 9:45 AM. The material comes from the textbook, class lectures, and supplemental materials. If any exam is missed, a zero will be recorded as the score. It is your responsibility to take the exam on time.

Grading Policy

Individual grades will be posted and updated monthly on Canvas. See “Grades” in Canvas to keep track of your grades for this class.

The following breakdowns show the weight that will be given to each of the course requirements in order to determine the final grade, along with a scale showing the overall score you would need for the course to earn an individual letter grade:

Grades will be assigned as follows:

A 90% - 90 points or more

B 80% - 80 to 89 points

C 70% - 70 to 79 points

D 60% - 60 to 69 points

Grading Breakdown

30% Attendance and Production Hours
30% Writing    
20% Quizzes and Final Exam
10% Performance Midterm
10% Final Presentation

Assistance with Canvas

If you have not used Canvas before and need assistance, here is a link for Student Help for  Canvas: https://de.santarosa.edu/student-help-for-canvas 

Student Online Resources

Santa Rosa Junior College has many online resources available to students including – Financial Aid, Tutoring, EOPS, Student Health Services, Library Services, and Free Or  Affordable Technology. Click here for more information about these services and many others: https://student-services.santarosa.edu/student-support-guide

Academic Integrity

Standards of Conduct

We will conduct ourselves in a manner which reflects our awareness of common standards of decency and the rights of others. Students who register in SRJC classes are required to abide by the SRJC Student Conduct Standards. Violation of the Standards is basis for referral to the Conduct Dean or the Vice President of Student Services or dismissal from class or from the College. See the Student Code of Conduct page.

An academically honest student submits assignments and essays for evaluation that are created solely by that student. On those occasions when the stated rules of a course permit collaborative efforts, the contributions of other individuals and sources should be appropriately acknowledged. It is the responsibility of the student to maintain conduct consistent with the concept of academic integrity, including not only the avoidance of plagiarism, but also other actions further outlined under College Policies in the Student Handbook. 

Plagiarism is the act of taking someone else’s idea, writing or work, and passing it off as one’s own. If you fail to give credit to the source of the material, whether directly quoted or put in your own words, this lack of credit constitutes plagiarism. When you borrow, buy or receive material from the internet, from a book, from another student or from any other source, and you fail to give credit, you are stealing ideas and you are engaging in plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious violation of academic standards and has serious academic consequences for the student.

The student code of conduct operates implicitly in everything you do in this course. Academic dishonesty is a violation of this code and will not be tolerated. If you cheat or plagiarize work EVEN IF IT’S FROM THE INTERNET, you will receive a grade of zero on the assignment. 

Collaborating on or copying of tests or homework in whole or in part will be considered an act of academic dishonesty and result in a grade of 0 for that test or assignment. I encourage students to share information and ideas, but not their work. See these links on Plagiarism:

SRJC Writing Center Lessons on avoiding plagiarism

SRJC's policy on Academic Integrity

Netiquette, or Why Is It Harder to Be Polite Online?

Netiquette refers to using common courtesy in online communication. All members of the class are expected to follow netiquette in all course communications. Use these guidelines:

  • Use capital letters sparingly. THEY LOOK LIKE SHOUTING.
  • Forward emails only with a writer's permission.
  • Be considerate of others' feelings and use language carefully.
  • Cite all quotations, references, and sources (otherwise, it is plagiarism).
  • Use humor carefully. It is hard to "read" tone; sometimes humor can be misread as criticism or personal attack. Feel free to use emoticons like :) for a smiley face to let others know you are being humorous.
  • Use complete sentences and standard English grammar to compose posts. Write in proper paragraphs. Review work before submitting it.
  • Text speak, such as "ur" for "your" or "ru" for "are you" etc., is only acceptable when texting.

Emergency Preparedness

In case of emergency, dial District Police at 527-1000! Do not dial 911 from on campus. You can contact the District Police at (707) 527-1000 any hour of the day or night. In the event of a safety emergency, the District Police will contact the closest officer to the incident to quickly respond and assess the situation. 

Nonemergency facility and utility issues and questions can be directed to the following numbers: Santa Rosa Campus (707) 527-4231 Petaluma Campus (707) 778-3976 Public Safety Training Center (Windsor) (707) 836-2918 Shone Farm (Forestville) (707) 535-3702 Southwest Santa Rosa Center (707) 527-4231

Emergency Resources

  • The SRJC Emergency Response Guidelines
  • For Santa Rosa Safety alerts, register with Nixle: https://police.santarosa.edu/emergency alerts-signup
  • For SRJC Police alerts, register your cell phone with ALERT-U Text Messaging System: Text the letters SRJC to 55155.

No student may be driven to the hospital by a faculty member. We are required by law to call an  ambulance. Please notify the instructor if you have any medical condition that puts you at risk.  There are first aid kits in the THAR office, the costume studio, makeup lab, and scene  shop. There are fire extinguishers either inside each room in the hallway just outside the room. 

Title IX: Confidentiality and Responsible Employee Statement 

Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) Theatre Arts are committed to helping create a safe and open  learning environment for all students. In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments  of 1972, SRJC prohibits unlawful sexual harassment against any participant in its education  programs or activities. This prohibition applies to all students, SRJC employees, and visitors to  campus. If you (or someone you know) have experienced any form of sexual harassment,  including sexual assault, dating or domestic violence, or stalking, know that help and support are  available. The College strongly encourages all members of the community to take action, seek  support and report incidents of sexual harassment to the Title IX Coordinator, Stephanie Jarrett  at sjarrett@santarosa.edu or 707-527-4822. Reports may also be filed online. 

If you wish to speak to a confidential employee, you can contact Student Psychological Services  (Santa Rosa Campus 707-524-1595/ Petaluma Campus 707-778-3919). For more information  about reporting options and resources at Santa Rosa Junior College and the community, please visit https://titleix.santarosa.edu/. 

Student Equity 

Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) aspires to be an inclusive, diverse, and sustainable learning  community. Its mission is to passionately cultivate learning through the development of its diverse community. https://studentequity.santarosa.edu/ 

What is Student Equity? 

Title V California Education Code state the goal of Student Equity is “…to close achievement  gaps in access and success in underrepresented student groups, as identified in local student  equity plans.” 

In the state of California and at SRJC, we have a diverse student population from a variety of  backgrounds. The data shows that students from disadvantaged backgrounds are not achieving  their academic goals at the same rate as the average population. At SRJC, the Office of Student  Equity is committed to supporting campus wide efforts focused on reducing these achievement  gaps. 

Special Needs

Disability Resources Department  |  Phone: 707-527-4278  |   Location: Bertolini Hall, 3rd Floor

Students with disabilities who believe they need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact Disability Resources as soon as possible to better ensure such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. 

This syllabus is intended to give you, the student, guidance in what may be covered during the semester and will be followed as closely as possible. However, the instructor reserves the right  to modify, supplement, and change the course as needs arise.