THR 133 Foundations of Drama and Theatre-I
This class is a survey of primarily (but not only) Western theatrical dramatic literature and history from pre-historic origins to the 18th century. Dealing with the parallel tracks of literature and history as they reflect the progress and development of theatre as an art form. We will engage historical events and dramatic works through the lens of their unique place in time, and in conversation with contemporary theatre practices. In addition to exposing students to key canonical literature, this class will also develop tools for reading and analyzing play scripts as theatre practitioners, focusing on the specific challenges of understanding and communicating a script to a production team, cast, and audience.