Richard E."Rick" Davis, Ph.D.
FALL 2000
SECTION 2: TUES/THURS 11:10-12:25
SECTION 3: TUES/THURS 1:45-3:00

            WORLD AND MINORITY THEATRE: Asian Theatre

The basic aim of the class is to help students develop a better
understanding of non European and Euro-American cultures,
particularly as they manifest themselves in theatrical
performance. This class will cover Asian and non Euro-American
theatre. It will focus primarily on Asian theatre from its
earliest beginnings to the present. The class will be divided
into two sections. The first section will study Asian theatre
looking at the underlying cultures and value assumptions within
each of the countries and time periods studied and the ways that
these basic issues manifest themselves in specific presentational
forms. The second section of the class will examine Asian-
American, Hispanic-American, African and Afro-American theatre.
 We will be most interested in theatre, performance before an
audience, rather than drama, the study of scripts as literature.
We will look at how social, political and theatrical conditions
affect the theatre. Students will be expected to read scripts and
texts, attend and perform theatrical presentations, learn the
essential context within which the plays were originally
presented, understand why these plays are theatrically effective,
and how non Euro-American theatre differs from Euro-American
theatre. Students will be required to demonstrate their
understanding of all of the above.


Texts:
        USF Asian Theatre Site: (Set browser to show images)
            http://www.usfca.edu/fac-staff/davisr/thtrasia.html

EXAMS:

There will be one exam and a Final. Makeups will not be given.
The exam and Final will be graded on a modified normal bell
curve. The basis of the curve will be that a C equals +/- one
standard deviation from the mean. The curve will be modified on
the basis of points. In addition to the grade on the curve,
grades will be assigned in the following manner: 90-100=A, 80-
89=B, etc. The top and bottom three points in each range will be
+ and - respectively. The grade assigned for both the exam and
the Final will be the highest grade from either the curve or the
points. The Final will be cumulative and in two parts. Part II
will cover Asian Theatre, Part I will cover all other areas.
Students will be limited to 90 minutes on each part. Students
have two additional options which they may choose in place of
part II of the Final counting as 15% of the final grade. 

OPTION 1: Students may use part II of the Final to replace their
first exam grade. To use option 1 it must be selected PRIOR to
beginning the Final! 

OPTION 2: Students may also elect to use their first exam grade
instead of taking part II of the Final. Once a student receives
part II of the Final option 2 may not be selected!

Each student will write a paper which describes the character
they portray in their scene (see below), including a detailed
biography of the character. (The character must be from a culture
other then the student's own culture.) The biography will include
the character's life history and life goals. It will include
things such as, their experience growing up (nature of the family
relationship, economic conditions, neighborhood, cultural
assumptions, etc.), their current life status and surrounding
conditions,(nature of the society at large, their immediate
environment, economic status, etc). It will detail the characters
long term and short term motivations, including those in the
scene and the play and why those goals are what they are. It will
explain how the character goes about attempting to attain those
goals and why the character uses these methods. All the
assertions made in the paper must be supported by citations from
the play (don't forget, what characters say about themselves, or
others say about them, may not be true) AND  by information
gathered from interviews with persons knowledgeable about the
culture and from other informed sources (books, articles,
documentaries, etc.) It will take a minimum of 2,000 to 4,000
words to do this effectively. All statements made in the paper
will use appropriate citations for the sources used. Papers
without complete citations and a bibliography will receive an
automatic F. In addition, plagiarism, the use of material or
ideas prepared or developed by anyone else, regardless of the
length of the material, which is not cited will result in an
automatic F and referral to the Dean for disciplinary action.
Papers are due the day of the presentation-papers handed in late
will lose 1 grade per calendar day late.


SCENE:
Each group working together will present a brief scene (5 to 10
minutes) from a play they have selected. (Play choices must be
approved by the instructor.)The group will present a discussion
of the play in its historical context prior to the presentation
of the scene. Each group will have 20 minutes to make their
presentation. The group will take questions from the audience
following the presentation. All students in the group will
receive the same grade. 

Outstanding = 4    very good = 3.5    good = 3.0   fair = 2.5
acceptable = 2.0   poor = 1.5         awful = 1.0  not done = 0

Participation 
Student attendance and participation in class and at scheduled
theatrical productions is required. Any student who fails to
attend scheduled meetings of his or her group may, with the prior
permission of the instructor, be removed from the group. Any
student who fails to participate in a presentation will receive
an automatic 0 for the Scene and will not be allowed to withdraw
from the course. All students will attend all presentations,
being absent during any group's presentation lowers the course
grade 1 full grade. 

Attendance and Quizzes:
Class attendance is required. Quizzes on assigned readings or
lecture material will be given without notice. Unexcused absences
(I rarely give excused absences) will result in reductions in the
averaged COURSE grade in the following manner.

Absence:       1       2       3       4       5       6         7         8
Effect:        0     -.2     -.4      -.8    -1.2    -1.6      -2.0     -3.0    

Grading:        Exam-----------------------15%
                Final-Part I---------------30%
                Final-Part II--------------15%
                Paper----------------------15%
                Scene----------------------15%
                Quizzes--------------------10%

COURSE GRADE:

A = 3.71-4,      A- = 3.4-3.7,      B+ = 3.1-3.39, 
B = 2.71-3.09,   B- = 2.4-2.7,      C+ = 2.1-2.39, 
C = 1.71-2.09,   C- = 1.4-1.7,      D+ = 1.1-1.39,
D = 0.71-1.09,   D- = 0.4-0.7,      F  = below 0.40


                                 -4-

                                DATES
                         (subject to change)

Aug.  24  Introduction/orientation
      29  The theatrical experience              
      31  European and Euro/American theatre
Sept.  5  Asian Theatre an overview
       7  Japanese Theatre -Bunraku - Site: Bunraku (all of it)
      12  Japanese Theatre -Noh - Site: Noh and Kyogen
      14  Japanese Theatre -Noh - Site: other Noh sites
      19  Japanese Theatre -Kabuki - Site: Kabuki for Everyone
      21  Japanese Theatre -Kabuki - Site: other Kabuki sites
      26  Japanese Theatre -Kabuki Movement (come dressed to move)
      28  Chinese Theatre - Site: Chinese Opera & Beijing Opera
Oct.   3  Chinese Theatre - Site: Beijing Opera Company
       5  Chinese Theatre - Site: Beijing Opera Makeup & Makeup
      10  Chinese Theatre - Site: Beijing Opera Play Synopses
      12  Indonesian Theatre - Site:Bali and Beyond & Wayang Kulit 
      17  Indian Theatre
      19  Review for Exam
      24  EXAM
*****************************************************************
      26  Asian American theatre  
      31  Hispanic-American theatre 
Nov.   2  African-American theatre-Historical Background 
       7  "The Colored Museum" 
       9  "The Colored Museum"
      14  Afro-American theatre: the premise
      16  Afro-American theatre - culture and performance
      21  Afro-American theatrical artists
      23  **********************THANKSGIVING******************    
      28  Scenes   
      30  Scenes
Dec.   5  Review for Final    
      12  SECTION 3 FINAL 12:30 PM
      14  SECTION 2 FINAL 3:30 PM
****************************************************************
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