Dramatic Arts (B.A.)
At-a-Glance

Minimum hours required for major: 42

Minimum hours required for minor: 22

The major in Dramatic Arts is designed to enable students to study theatre for the purpose of entering the professional theatre, preparing for graduate work with the expectation of teaching, or building a base which is useful in association with the fields of recreation, public relations, community development, and human communication.

Theatre at Cleveland State is viewed in the liberal-arts tradition as being part of the cultural heritage of our civilization. In both its practice and its content, theatre is relevant to 21st-century life in all phases. Through classes and strong production orientation, students with this major can expect improvement in oral expression; motor skills; increased understanding of themselves and others; and illumination of major social, political, philosophical, moral, and psychological issues.

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Major-Field Requirements

All Dramatic Arts majors are required to successfully complete a minimum of 42 credit hours consisting of the core curriculum (23 hours) and one specialization track (19 to 26 hours).

Core Curriculum to be completed by graduation:

• THE 101 Production Practicum (6 credits with a minimum of 2 hours each in technical and performance activity)
• THE 211 History of the Theatre I (3 credits)
• THE 212 History of the Theatre II (3 credits)
• THE 213 History of the Theatre III (3 credits)
• THE 225 Principles of Acting (4 credits)
• THE 491 Comprehensive Exam (4 credits)

TOTAL 23 credit hours

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Specialization tracks:

The specialization tracks are designed to offer the student the main areas of concentration demanded by professional theatre or expected of the modern academician.

1. Acting track:

The acting track focuses on acting skills while emphasizing the relation of acting to the ancillary disciplines that directly affect the actor. An actor should know and understand the work of the director and the various designers and artisans of the "technical theatre" in order to meet the challenges of a professional career or graduate education.

• THE 200 Intro to Tech Theatre (4 credits)
• THE 325 Intermediate Acting (4 credits)
• THE 326 Voice and Movement (4 credits)
• THE 331 Principles of Directing (4 credits)
• THE 381 Theatre Organization and Management (4 credits)
• THE 425 Advanced Acting (4 credits)

TOTAL 24 credit hours

2. Directing track:

The successful director is one who is able to make informed decisions about every aspect of production from acting and design to movement and staging. The emphasis on directing courses augments a broad range of necessary skills courses needed to pursue an academic or professional career.

• THE 200 Intro to Tech Theatre (4 credits)
• THE 300 Stage Management (3 credits) or
  THE 301 Lighting Design (3 credits) or
  THE 351 Theatre Makeup (3 credits) or
  THE 352 Creative dramatics (3 credits)
• THE 325 Intermediate Acting (4 credits) or
  THE 425 Advanced Acting (4 credits) or
  THE 461(ENG 305) Playwriting (4 credits)
• THE 331 Principles of Directing (4 credits)
• THE 332 Advanced Directing (4 credits)

TOTAL 19 credit hours

3. Technical Theatre track

A designer needs to know the various collaborations necessary to the creative process. A successful designer will understand the actor's and director's process in order to successfully create and communicate his or her ideas. Practical experience and a portfolio are essentials for both the professional theatre and admission to a graduate program in technical theatre.

• THE 200 Introduction to Technical Theatre (3 credits)
• THE 301 Lighting Design (3 credits)
• THE 331 Principles of Directing (4 credits)

  Subtotal: 11 credit hours

  a. Costuming subtrack:

  • THE 391 Costume History & Design (3 credits)
  • THE 496 Construction & Drafting IS (3 credits)
  • THE 496 Millinery and Accessories IS (2 credits)

    Costume Subtotal: 8 credit hours

  b. Scene Design subtrack

  • THE 371 Scene Design I (4 credits)
  • THE 372 Scene Design II (4 credits)

    Scene Design Subtotal: 8 credit hours

TOTAL Technical Theatre Track 19 to 21 credit hours

4. Playwriting track:

"Playwrights who know nothing of the practical aspects of the theatre are writing for the closet not the stage." --George Bernard Shaw. This major track, designed in collaboration with Creative Writing, is a unique program focusing on plays in performance.

• THE 200 Intro to Tech Theatre (4 credits)
• ENG 303 Creative Writing (4 credits)
• THE 321 (ENG 351) Contemporary Theatre (4 credits)
• THE 331 Principles of Directing (4 credits)
• THE 461 (ENG 305) Playwriting (4 credits)

TOTAL 20 credit hours

5. Dramatic Arts Content for Teaching track:

This track is designed for students contemplating a career in teaching at the elementary, middle-school, or high-school levels. This course of study is to be completed before commencing a Post-baccalaureate Teacher Preparation Program in the College of Education and Human Services. (See note below.)

• THE 200 Introduction to Technical Theatre (4 credits)
• THE 300 Stage Management (3 credits) or
  THE 391 Costume History & Design (3 credits)
• THE 331 Principles of Directing (4 credits)
• THE 352 Creative Dramatics (3 credits)
• THE 353 Children's Theatre (3 credits) or
  THE 354 Puppet Production (3 credits)
• THE 381 Theatre Organization and Management (4 credits)

TOTAL 21 credit hours

Note: Students wishing to pursue a career teaching dramatic arts should investigate the certification or licensing requirements of the state in which they would like to teach. Post-baccalaureate Teacher Preparation Programs are available through the College of Education and Human Services, which offers a variety of teacher preparation programs for college graduates who have had little or no professional training in education. While most of these programs lead to licensure, most of the coursework they require cannot be applied to a graduate degree. The coursework in the professional education track is designed to fulfill licensing requirements for a teacher of the arts in Ohio in the coming years. Currently no undergraduate program for teaching theatre exists in the College of Education and Human Services at Cleveland State.

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Drama Minor

Requirements

Minimum Total

22 credit hours total (minimum):

• THE 101 Production Practicum (2 credits)
• THE 200 Introduction to Technical Theatre (3 credits)
• THE 211 History of the Theatre I (3 credits) or
  THE 212 History of the Theatre II (3 credits) or
  THE 213 History of the Theatre III (3 credits)
• THE 225 Principles of Acting (4 credits)

From the following groups (at least one from each group) for a total of 12 hours:

Group A

• THE 300 Stage Management (3 credits)
• THE 301 Lighting Design (3 credits)
• THE 351 Theatre Makeup (3 credits)
• THE 371 Scene Design I (4 credits)
• THE 391 Costume History and Design (3 credits)

Group B

• THE 216 African American Theatre (3 credits)
• THE 321 Contemporary Drama (4 credits)
• THE 381 Theatre Organization and Management (4 credits)
• THE 451 Theatre Criticism (4 credits)

Group C

• THE 325 Intermediate Acting (4 credits)
• THE 326 Voice and Movement (4 credits)
• THE 331 Principles of Directing (4 credits)
• THE 354 Puppet Production (3 credits)
• THE 461 Playwriting (4 credits)

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Dance Minor

Requirements

Minimum hours required for minor: 28

1. TECHNIQUE Choose 12 or more credits, each course may be repeated twice for credit. Must include both modern and ballet courses:
   
   
   • DAN 240 Modern Dance III (must be taken a min. of 2 semesters)
   • DAN 340 Modern Dance IV 2
   • DAN 250 Ballet III (must be taken a min. of 2 semesters)
   • DAN 350 Ballet IV 2

   Choose an additional 2 credits:

   • DAN 146 Jazz Dance I
   • DAN 154 African Dance
   • DAN 147 Tap Dance I
   • DAN 148 Tap Dance II


2. PERFORMANCE/ PRACTICUM Choose 6 or more credits:
   
   
   • DAN 100 Performance Practicum
   • DAN 300 Modern Dance Company
   • DAN 301 Dance Composition
   • DAN 410 Teaching Dance
   • DAN 496 Independent Study


3. THEORY Choose a minimum of 5 credits:
   • DAN 201 Introduction to Dance
   • DAN 499 Seminar (minimum of 2 times)


4. DANCE ELECTIVES Choose 3 credits.

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