Undergraduate Theatre Courses
THEU 101 Introduction to Theatre (3)
Examination of the history of the theatre, its literature, and various genres and styles of performance, as well as the artists who collaborate in realizing it on the stage. This course facilitates the appreciation and understanding of the theatre as an entertainment medium, a commercial entity, and an art form. Basic Christian aesthetic principles are introduced as a precursor to experiencing and producing theatre through the prism of a biblical world view. This course serves as the cornerstone course for the major in Theatre.
THEU 105 Stagecraft (3)
Training in the skills and techniques of technical theatre (including set construction, scene painting, lighting, and sound) through reading, lecture, and hands-on experience.
THEU 131 Beginning Acting for Non-Theatre Majors (3)
Designed for non-theatre majors seeking an introduction to basic acting technique. Students learn how to develop and apply acting objectives to the performance of theatrical characterizations. Emphasis is placed on beat analysis, concentration, imagination, improvisation, skills of observation and how to score a role for stage performance. Students perform monologue and/or scene work from major stage plays.
THEU 132 Basic Acting 1 (3)
Intensive study in a variety of techniques and exercises developed by Constantine Stanislavski (and variations developed by prominent instructors who succeeded him) in order to prepare the student for the creative and practical demands of stage acting. In this first of a two-course sequence, emphasis is placed on exercise work focusing on concentration and public solitude, imagination, improvisation, observation, scoring physical actions, beat analysis, definition of and pursuit of objective, and the defining and playing of an action. It is recommended the student take THEU 101 before taking this course.
THEU 180 Practicum in Theatre Performance (1)
Students will gain hands-on understanding of the theatre by performing on stage at Regent University. Repeatable up to a total of six (6) credit hours.
THEU 181 Practicum in Theatre Production (1)
Students gain hands-on experience by working on a technical crew assigned to Regent Theatre production. Crew assignments may be drawn from a variety of production opportunities in the areas of scenery, costume, makeup, sound, light and props. Majors must register for this course a minimum of six (6) credit hours. Minors must register for THEU 181 for a minimum of three (3) times. Repeatable up to nine (9) credit hours.
THEU 221 Movement for the Stage (3)
Theory and practice of training the actor to expressively communicate with the body. Special emphasis is placed on non-verbal communication and raising the student‘s awareness of movement as a foundation for developing a character. Lab required.
THEU 227 Makeup for the Theatre (3)
Affords the student the opportunity to gain expertise in designing and applying a variety of stage make-ups including: corrective, fantasy, animal, special effects, and old age. The course includes the introduction of latex prosthetic pieces. Students are required to purchase a personal makeup kit. Prerequisite: THEU 101 or instructor approval.
THEU 232 Basic Acting 2 (3)
Continuation of the techniques and exercises developed by Constantine Stanislavski (and variations developed by prominent instructors who succeeded him) in order to prepare the student for the creative and practical demands of stage acting. In this second of a two-course sequence, emphasis is placed on exercise work focusing on the use of transitive verbs as actions, physical characterization, active listening, inner monologue, subtext; and all of the aforementioned applied to monologue and multi-purpose scene work. Prerequisites: THEU 101 and THEU 131 or THEU 132.
THEU 234 Voice and Diction for the Stage (3)
The fundamental theory and practice of healthy and articulate vocal production: controlling breath, phonation, resonation, enunciation, projection, vocal quality and proper Standard American English. The intent of the course is to produce a vocally expressive actor.
THEU 251 Improvisation (3)
Provides an overview of modern improvisation techniques as taught by Viola Spolin, The Second City, The Groundlings, and The Improv Olympics. These core skills are useful to the performer, the director, and the teacher. Special emphasis is placed on techniques used to build an ensemble, the use of improvisation as a tool to boost creativity, and the spiritual parallels between faith and this unique art form. It is recommended the student take THEU 101 and THEU 232 before taking this course.
THEU 312 Unarmed Combat for the Stage (3)
Explores a variety of aesthetic guidelines, safety principles, and practical techniques utilized in the staging of unarmed sequences of staged combat. Students examine such principles as: distance and measure, partnering, cue-reaction-action, masking, reversal of energy, the pyramid of safety, and victim-controlled techniques. Techniques explored include: rolls, falls, lifts, carries, throws, punches, blocks, kicks, and specialty moves. Instructor approval required.
THEU 314 Play Analysis (3)
Provides tools for students to analyze plays as theatre literature from the perspective of performance such as structural approaches, historical/biographical approaches, a study of genres, psychoanalytic approaches, and moral/philosophical approaches to include Judeo-Christian core values. Prerequisite: THEU 101.
THEU 321 Costume Design (3)
The principles and methods of costume design as they relate primarily to theatrical production. A survey of the evolution of clothing styles through history with emphasis on Western costume. Lab required.
THEU 322 Fundamentals of Directing (3)
The art and craft of directing for the stage. Examines the practical components of the director as artist, leader, and collaborator; seeks to instill the various skills necessary to analyze a piece of drama and lead a group of collaborative artists in realizing drama on the stage; focuses on the craft of directing modern realistic dramatic literature through text analysis, communication of concepts and stylistic techniques; and requires rehearsal time outside of regularly scheduled class hours.
THEU 323 Scenic and Lighting Design (3)
Studio-based examination of the practical and aesthetic considerations of scenic design as it applies to theatrical performance and other live events. Course contains both traditional lecture and hands-on design work including drafting, sketching, composition and the spectator/event relationship. Lab required.
THEU 324 Stage Management (3)
Examines the duties and responsibilities of a production stage manager. Emphasis is placed on students’ honing their organizational and communication skills with all members of a production team. Working with and adapting to Actors’ Equity Association equity regulations are included. Students are expected to create a prompt book as well as participate in departmental productions. Instructor approval required.
THEU 375 Special Topics in Theatre (1 – 3)
Intensive examination of a selected area of study in the field of theatre. Topics vary and are announced in advance. This course may be repeated for credit. Lecture, seminar, and/or team study. Instructor approval may be required.
THEU 400 Contemporary Trends in Theatre (3)
Intensive examination of selected major creative and interpretive artists of the contemporary theatre including dramatists, directors, designers, performers, theorists, critics, organizations, notable productions, and innovative teachers. This seminar-oriented course requires the student to produce either a major paper or a performance-related project in a capstone project that integrates the knowledge and skills the student has acquired over the course of study. Prerequisites: THEU 101, THEU 232, and THEU 313, or instructor approval.
THEU 405 Theatre History 1 (3)
Historical examination of significant developments in world theatre and drama from its origins through the European Renaissance. Prerequisite: THEU 101 or instructor approval.
THEU 406 Theatre History 2 (3)
Historical examination of significant developments in world theatre and drama from the 18th century through the 20th century. Prerequisite: THEU 101 or instructor approval.
THEU 495 Theatre Internship (1 – 3)
Approved internship in a field of the student‘s specialty. This guided learning experience is a culminating experience in which the student applies the principles and skills learned, demonstrating competency under the guidance of a specialist in the field. The number of credits available to the student is contingent upon the student‘s contracted responsibilities, but no more than three (3) credits per academic term may be earned. Prerequisites: THEU 101, THEU 105, THEU 232.
Graduate Theatre Courses
THE 595 Internship (1-3)
Gives the student an opportunity to apply classroom learning to professional work situations. (Pass/No Pass).
THE 597 Comprehensive Examination (1)
A written examination with a practical component serving as a culminating activity for the Master of Arts in Theatre degree. (Pass/No Pass).
THE 627 Makeup for the Theatre (3)
Opportunity to gain expertise in designing and applying a variety of stage make ups including: corrective, fantasy, animal, special effects, old age and will culminate in the introduction of latex prosthetic pieces. Student will be required to purchase a personal makeup kit.
THE 632 Theories & Concepts in Acting (3)
An in-depth examination of a variety of theories and techniques of dramatic stage acting. Emphasis placed on Constantin Stanislavski’s system and the application of his theories and principles in exercises and performance presentations.
THE 633 Theories & Concepts in Directing (3)
An in-depth examination of a variety of theories and techniques for directing live performances for the stage. Emphasis placed on various principles, techniques, and approaches to directing dramatically effective presentations. The student will participate in classroom exercise work designed to prepare the student to apply what they learn in various types of performance presentations. Emphasis placed on script analysis, principles of staging, and collaborating with actors.
THE 635 Theatre in Ministry (3)
Examination of strategies and techniques for integrating various forms and types of theatre into the Christian church setting. Examples include, but are not limited to: children’s theatre, puppetry, masks, sketch drama, drama in counseling, drama for seniors, prison ministry, Christmas and Easter cantatas.
THE 680 M.A. Practicum in Theatre Performance (1)
Affords students the opportunity to accrue academic credit for acting in Mainstage and/or studio productions. Acting/Directing students may earn these credits for directing Mainstage and/or studio productions. Course may fulfill elective requirements. (Pass/No Pass).
THE 681 M.A. Practicum in Theatre Production (1-3)
Affords students the opportunity to accrue academic credit though exploring the design/technical aspects of production, as many companies require actors to serve on running crews. M.A. students are required to register for THE 681 twice. Crew assignments may be drawn from a variety of production opportunities in the areas of scenery, costume, makeup, sound, lights and props. (Pass/No Pass).
THE 700 Research & Aesthetics in Theatre (3)
An in depth examination of the philosophical and methodological strategies of graduate study within the field of the theatrical arts. Emphasis is placed on historical/critical research methods, principles of formalist analysis, Christian Aesthetics and the completion of individual research projects designed to prepare the student for the culminating experience of the Thesis/Creative Project.
THE 710 The Meisner Technique 1 (3)
Meisner’s approach trains actors to get out of their own heads and into reading the behavior generated by their scene partners. It accepts as a basic premise that actors build each others’ characters, moment by moment, together. The course will explore, in some depth, such Meisner exercises as: The Reality of Doing, Point of View, Pinch and Ouch, What’s Happening, Working Off, Coming to the Door, Doing Fully, In the Extreme, Taking It Personally, In Relationship and Raising the Stakes. This course will take as its focal point exercise work as opposed to intense scene study. Any scene work will be drawn from contemporary dramatic literature.
THE 711 The Meisner Technique 2 (3)
A continuing study of Sanford Meisner’s Approach to actor training. Focuses on preparing the actor to access and control release of emotion. Exercise work includes: Setting the Stage, Emotional Preparation, Coming Home to Be Alone, Coming Home to Do, Roommates, and The Highest Stakes. Acting 2 has a more demanding scene study component than Acting 1. Scene work will draw upon the dramatic works of Henrik Ibsen and Anton Chekhov.
THE 712 Unarmed Combat for the Stage (3)
Introduces a variety of aesthetic/safety principles and practical techniques utilized in the staging of unarmed combat for the stage. Principles covered include: distance/measure, partnering, cue-reaction-action, masking, reversal of energy, the pyramid of safety, victim controlled techniques, and making friends with the floor. Techniques covered will be drawn from the following categories: rolls, falls, lifts, carries, throws, punches, blocks, kicks, and specialty moves.
THE 713 Text Analysis for Production (3)
Designed to familiarize students with the principles, methods, and procedures involved in the analysis of written dramatic texts intended for film, television, or theatrical production. Helps students identify the different elements contained within a script and to understand how each of these relate to one another and work together in creating the overall impression as a work of art. Examines the numerous devices used by artists and technicians in production to communicate their ideas about the written text and how these devices can affect interpretation and realization of the text in production. Focuses primarily on the examination and analysis of dramatic texts for the purpose of script, character and artistic interpretation.
THE 721 Rapier & Dagger for the Stage (3)
Introduces a variety of safety/aesthetic principles as well as practical techniques utilized in staging Renaissance sword fights for the stage. Principles covered include: distance/measure, partnering, cue-reaction-action, masking, reversal of energy, and the pyramid of safety. Techniques covered will be drawn from the following categories: footwork, cuts, thrusts, parries, cross parries, hand parries, reinforced parries, direct and complex attacks, prise de fer (taking of the blade) attacks, avoidances, dagger attacks, combining unarmed techniques with blade work.
THE 722 Advanced Directing for the Stage 1 (3)
Review of the basics of composition, text analysis, ground plan development, moving on to Central Image Concept and advanced Actor Coaching techniques in directing for the theatre. Deals with contemporary and period dramatic analysis. Students will be prepared for both the practical and visionary aspects of the art of directing.
THE 723 Advanced Directing for the Stage 2 (3)
Examine the contributions of a variety of innovative directors of the 20th and 21st centuries. Research application and a variety of dramaturgical techniques are examined. An in-depth examination of the role and function of the director as visionary, artist, craftsman, team leader, dramaturge, scholar, and practitioner, also is a blend of scholarly research and practical application via selected scene work.
THE 724 Stage Management for the Theatre (3)
Covers the duties and responsibilities of a production stage manager. Emphasis is placed on honing organizational skills and in communication with all members of a production team. Working with and adapting to Actors Equity Regulations is included. Students are expected to create a prompt book as a project as well as participate in departmental productions.
THE 725 Theatrical Design Process 1 (3)
Provides an intellectual analysis as well as practical and emotional perspective of the process of creating a scenic, costume, lighting or audio design. Emphasis is placed on script analysis, research methods, implementation and evaluation. Students investigate the impact of resources on the creation of a work of art.
THE 726 Theatrical Design Process 2 (3) Explores in depth the tools and techniques utilized by theatrical designers to bring their work to the stage. Students produce designs for creating scenery, costuming and lighting for a production.
THE 727 Movement for the Actor (3)
Well-trained actors have voices and bodies that register the subtlest of thoughts and emotions generated by the actor while in character. Movement for the Actor is a process-oriented course that trains the actor’s body to be fully responsive to the demands of physical characterization. Utilizing a mix of stage movement modalities, the student will develop an evolved kinesthetic awareness as a tool in the acting process.
THE 728 Scene Study (3)
Utilizes the concepts of ―practical aesthetics to further solidify the advanced actor’s application of objective-driven acting technique to scene work. Drawing heavily from the work of the Atlantic Theatre Company, this course proposes practical solutions to balancing pre-production analysis (intellect) and spontaneous, moment-to-moment discoveries in performance (intuition). Course concepts are applied to an intensive scene study, primarily in contemporary theatrical literature.
THE 730 Screen Acting 1 (3)
Designed to teach the techniques and methods of screen acting for single-camera productions (although multiple-camera productions are also addressed). Students are required to prepare and perform scenes for presentation in class, to actively participate in classroom exercises and discussions, and to perform as on-camera talent for student productions outside of class in conjunction with other Film and/or Television classes taking place at Regent University.
THE 731 Screen Acting 2 (3)
An advanced-level acting course for on-camera performance. Students are expected to already have a basic knowledge of and experience with the unique requirements of screen acting. Students should already be able to adapt the level of performance to various types of camera shots. The class builds on this base knowledge and concentrates on intense scene study to isolate and target those specific moments that define and shape believable, artistically appropriate on-screen performances. The course also focuses on commercial and professional scenes.
THE 734 Vocal Production for the Actor 1(3)
Developing the speaking voice as an instrument capable of a full range of expression must be a primary objective of the actor. In order to achieve this goal, students focus on a variety of exercises based on the work of Kristin Linklater designed to reconnect speaking with the actor’s impulsive center and remove habits of vocal misuse. Emphasis is placed on freedom and release rather than control, believing that the actor’s focus should be on the integrity of his or her role and the voice should be free to follow the actor’s intuition and imagination. Voice work should make the vocal instrument available while remaining healthy. Its use is not limited to the creation of beautiful sounds. While this course is not designed to be a singing class, better singing may be a by-product of the work.
THE 735 Vocal Production for the Actor 2 (3)
For an actor, it is necessary to acquire specific vocal techniques which refine and enhance the development of a free, available voice. The actor must possess skills in the area of phonetics, speech and dialects in order to fulfill a wide range of vocal demands. This course will focus on the study and application of such skills. Previous work with the Linklater Technique from Vocal Production 1 will be expanded upon and further applied to scripted text. The International phonetic Alphabet will be introduced as a tool in the correction of individual speech problems and as a basis for the study of major performance dialects. The later part o the semester will be devoted exclusively to dialect study.
THE 740 Acting Shakespeare (3)
Provides the advanced actor with the various facets of approaching Shakespearean dramatic texts. An emphasis is placed on scansion, voice quality, builds, playing through lines, and finding a physical and emotional subtext for the language. Work is memorized from Sonnets, soliloquies, and dramatic scenes both serious and comic. An ensemble and individual work in vocal dexterity and sensitivity is also applied.
THE 741 Acting in Periods & Styles (3)
Focuses on the drama and performance styles of the theatre of Ancient Greece, Neoclassical France and England, the Commedia dell’ Arte of Renaissance Italy, and Theatre of the Absurd. Students are introduced to the cultural milieu of each of the above-mentioned historical periods and the theatrical conventions in force at that time; and participate in a variety of exercises designed to immerse him/her in that particular period or style of theatre. Each student performs scene-work drawn from dramatic literature written during each of the abovementioned periods or styles of theatre or drama. Work with Greek and Commedia dell’ Arte mask is also included.
THE 742 Weapons of the Stage (3)
Introduces a variety of safety and aesthetic principles, as well as a substantive number of techniques utilized in staging scenes of violence for multiple periods and styles. Principles covered include: distance/measure, partnering, cue-reaction-action, masking, reversal of energy, and the pyramid of safety. Techniques covered are drawn from the following weapons/styles: 18th century small sword, medieval broadsword, medieval quarterstaff, sword and buckler, singles word, and knife fighting.
THE 750 Auditioning & the Business of Acting (3)
Variety of approaches to auditioning examined: the prepared audition, cold reading, and improvisation. Students work on a series of audition pieces so as to have a polished repertoire available upon completion of their degree. Course covers the tools necessary for an actor to market themselves, including head shots, resumes, cover letters, interview technique, and finding survival jobs while maintaining a career as an actor.
THE 775 Special Topics in Theatre (1-3)
Intensive examination of a selected area of study in the field of acting. Topics vary and are announced in advance. This course may be repeated for credit. Past Special Topics courses have included: Scene Study 2: 20th Century Playwrights, Improvisation, The Hagen Approach, Acting in Musical Theatre, Acting in Voice-Overs, The Michael Chekhov Technique, Historical Dance, Mastering the Dance Call, Developing One-Person Shows and Acting in Sketch Comedy.
THE 780 MFA Practicum in Theatre Performance (1)
Affords students the opportunity to accrue academic credit for acting in Main stage and/or studio productions. Acting/Directing students may earn these credits for directing Main stage and/or studio productions. Students may register for this course to fulfill elective requirements. (Pass/No Pass).
THE 781 MFA Practicum in Theatre Production (0-3)
Affords the student the opportunity to explore the design/technical aspects of production, as many companies require actors to serve on running crews. All acting students are required to register for this course three times over six semesters of residency for a total of 3 credit hours. If the student accrues more than three credit hours in THE 781 these additional credits may be applied to fulfilling elective requirements. Crew assignments may be drawn from a variety of production opportunities in the areas of scenery, costume, makeup, sound, lights, and props. (Pass/No Pass).
THE 795 Theatre Internship (3)
Students may fulfill elective requirements by being engaged to act with a professional or semi-professional company. The number of credits available to the student is determined based upon the student’s contracted responsibilities, but no more than three credits per academic term may be earned. Students may earn a maximum of six credit hours of THE 795 to be applied to fulfilling degree elective requirements. (Pass/No Pass).
THE 799 MFA Creative/Thesis Project (1-3)
MFA Acting students perform a major role in a Mainstage production during one of their final two semesters in residence. MFA Acting/Directing students direct a full-length production. This creative project includes a written component, or thesis, requiring research, analysis, and clear evidence of application. (Pass/No Pass).
