MOLLOY COLLEGE

Rockville Centre, NY

COURSE OUTLINE

SEMESTER: FALL 2014

DEPARTMENT: Theatre

FACULTY: Wade J. Fransen Ph.D.

COURSE # THA 100

SECTION(S) 01/02

COURSE TITLE: Acting 1

CATALOG DESCRIPTION:
To enable the actor to approach a script with confidence, identify and employ specific text
dissection tools, and the successful application of those skills to scene work.

MOLLOY COLLEGE
THA 100 Acting I
Fall 2014
Meets Tue & Thu
Sec 01 9:05- 10:30am
Sec 02 7:30- 8:55am
Location MAIN KELLE K001
Instructor:

Wade J. Fransen, Ph.D.

e-mail: wfransen@molloy.edu
(When e-mailing, please identify your subject as THA 100)
Phone:
Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 11:00a- 1:00p And by appointment
Office Location: 228 The Public Square
Course Overview/Description:
This course is designed to enable the actor to dissect and deconstruct a play. The primary
elements of text analysis and research will be implemented to identify and develop the skills
necessary to enhance their comprehension of a role, and the overall journey of the play. The
course will focus its study on breaking scenes into beats, finding actions, and applying research
physically to the work. Two key texts from the Modern American Realism cannon will be
examined. The first text will be worked on solely in the classroom, and the second will be
studied in classroom, rehearsed and receive an in class performance.
Student Learning Objective:
Develop text analysis skills.
Create the world of the play.
Discover all the valuable information from the playwright within the text.
Develop a personal research process which will then support their personal rehearsal
process.
Enrich character development abilities.
Enable the student to read a play as an actor and understand how sense memory plays an
important part in the text analysis process.
Utilize research to support powerful storytelling as actors.
Working alone on a script; to bring it to life.
Influence understanding of time, place, character and action.
Instruction:
Text Analysis

Research (Historical & Experimental), appropriate and useful research, that affects your
performance
Themes
Storytelling
Metaphor

Required Reading:
1.
All My Sons by Arthur Miller
A second script will be chosen by the instructor appropriate for the class. Examples:
2.
Stage Door by George Kaufman and Edna Ferber
3.
Crimes of the Heart by Beth Henley
4.
Picnic by William Inge
5.
Awake and Sing by Clifford Odets
Recommended Reading: None.
Required Viewing:
1.
Saving Private Ryan
2.
The Best Years of Our Lives
Grading
Written Work 60%

Unpacking Themes (2)

Scoring the Script (2)

The Four Lists (2)

Environmental Impact Statements

Journal Assignments
Professional Behavior - 20%

Partnering/Collaboration

Effort/Commitment to New Skills

Attendance and Participation in Discussions

Class Presentations and Performances 20%

Creative Research Project

In-Class Scene Presentations

Grading Rubric:
A Excellent

93-100

4.0

Exceptional mastery of the skill required to complete the course objective.

The student fully grasps the technique and there is little room for
improvement.

A-

90-92.9

3.7

Excellent mastery of the skill required to complete the course objective. The
student understands the skill required but there is room for improvement.

B+

87.0-89.9

3.3

Strong development of the skill required to complete the course objective.

The student shows potential for excellent work but certain areas of the work
are not consistent.

B Good

83.0-86.9

3.0

Good development of the skill required to complete the course objective.

The student understands some areas of the work but the skill needs
development.

B-

80.0-82.9

2.7

Below average development of the skill required to complete the course

objective. The student needs to explore the skill in more depth.

C+

77.0-79.9

2.3

Minimal advance of the skill required to complete the course objective. The
work lacks depth and understanding.

C Average*

73.0-76.9

2.0

Inconsistent work and progress.

C-

70.0-72.9

1.7

Very little improvement or understanding of the skill required to complete

the course objective. Consistent lack of preparation.

D+

67.0-69.9

1.3

Significant lack of understanding or ability to demonstrate the skill required

to complete the course objective.

60.0-66.9

1.0

The work is lacking in preparation, understanding and skill. Student lacks

the drive to commit to the process.

F Failure

Unable to demonstrate technical skill or understanding of the course

objective.

WA

Incomplete- Computed as failure: Some requirements of the course is

lacking (Automatically becomes an F if requirement is not met within
specified time)
Withdrawn- Student Officially Withdrew before Finals (No credits earned
and no quality points)
Withdrawn- Absent/Passing (No credits earned and no quality points)

WF

Withdrawn- Absent/Failing (Computed as failure)

WIP

Work-in-Progress

Passed (Course taken for credit and no quality points)

AU

Audit (No credits earned and no quality points; attendance not needed to
record audit status)
* C is the lowest acceptable grade for a course required in major/minor fields.
Class Rules, Regulations and Teachers Expectations:
Due to the nature of the discussions in class, attendance is imperative.

Strict attention in class will be required.

Participation in discussions will be expected.

All written work must be completed and handed in on time or deductions will occur.

Students must be fully prepared and on-time for all partner meetings and Interp. Project
rehearsals.

Journal must be brought to each class.

Cell phones must be turned off before entering the classroom.

Classroom Courtesy and Etiquette

No eating or drinking (except for water) and absolutely no gum chewing; turn off
BlackBerries, computers, cell phones, beepers, and watches that chime, beep, or buzz on the
hour, half hour, quarter hour or in between, so as not to interrupt the class and the concentration
of your colleagues. Also, no text-messaging, no twittering, and no pets. Failure to comply will
result in a lowering of your class participation grade by 20% for each infraction. Thank you.
Use your Molloy email.
If for any reason a class is cancelled, whatever was scheduled or due for that class (e.g., an exam
or paper) will be postponed until the next class meeting, and no penalty will be applied to an
assignment.
Harassment:
Unlawful harassment is a form of discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of
1964 and other federal authority. Harassment includes unwelcome verbal or physical conduct
based on race, color, religion, sex (whether or not of a sexual nature and including same-gender
harassment and gender identity harassment), national origin, age (40 and over), disability (mental
or physical), sexual orientation, or retaliation (sometimes collectively referred to as legally
protected characteristics. Harassment will lead to disciplinary action.
Attendance
Students are expected to attend every session of this course. All performance classes are
participation centered; if you are not here you cannot participate. Regardless of academic
progress, a student can fail this course due to excessive absence. Excessive is 3. After the 2 nd
absence, the semester grade is lowered by a half (ex. B to B-).
Late Policy:
You will be marked late if you enter your class after the scheduled start time. If you are more
than 5 minutes late, you will be marked absent. After the 1st late, 2 will count as an absence. If
you are observing class due to illness or injury, be prepared to take notes. Please consult with
your teacher.

SESSION BY SESSION SCHEDULE:

Faculty may deviate within these sessions if necessary to achieve the course objective. Faculty
will communicate with students regarding changes to the syllabus.

THA 100 Acting I Schedule

(Subject to change for various unforeseen needs/events)
Assignment for each session:
Date
Prior to
Session 1
Session 1

Topics
N/A

Assignment for Next Class

N/A

Students will review the syllabus.

Students will identify the goals and
purpose of the class.
Students will explain the need to tell
stories.
Students will define text analysis and
research and uncovering themes in the
text.
Students will determine helpful
research and additional resources
(Friends & Family; Books & Plays;
Photographs & Paintings).
Students will describe themes in the
text All My Sons.
Students will examine and compare the
parallels in the films Saving Private
Ryan and The Best Years of Our Lives.
Students will demonstrate their
presentations of the assignment
Unpacking the Themes from the Text.
Students will describe the influence of
the different presentations on their own
choices as an actor.

Complete The Four Lists for

assigned characters in All My
Sons (male students for the
role of Chris, female students
for the role of Ann.)
Read All My Sons, Act 2

Session 2

Session 3

Session 4

Students will define The 4 Lists.

Students will participate in a reading
and discussion of Act I of All My Sons.

Session 5

Students will examine extracting,

Read All My Sons.

Watch the films Saving
Private Ryan and The Best
Years of Our Lives and
take notes.
Bring the play All My Sons
and a journal to class.

Begin work on the Unpacking

the Themes from the Text for
All My Sons with assigned
partners.

Write a journal entry

identifying how your research
discoveries influenced their
work as an actor in All My
Sons.

unearthing and mining usable

information from the text.
Students will apply The Four Lists
assignment to characters.
Students will define proper etiquette at
a table read of Act II of All My Sons.

Session 6

Session 7

Session 8

Session 9

Session 10

Session 11
Session 12
Session 13

out loud in its entirety,

focusing attention on
speech patterns and

rhythms for different

characters.

Notate any discoveries and

examples in your journals.
Students will read and discuss Act III of All Find 2 examples of how a
My Sons.
discovery from your Four
List work directly
impacted your acting
choice and/or
understanding of a moment
in the Act I, Proposal
Scene. Write your two
examples with explanation
in your journal.
Prepare to present your
examples in the next class.
Score a scene from the play
Students will discuss and examine
including moment-to-moment
applying The Four Lists to acting
choices: Unpacking the Proposal Scene. work, physical actions and
personalization.
Students will define scoring a script.
Students will review and examine their Complete The Four Lists
and Unpacking the Themes
achievements analyzing the text of All
from the Text for the new play
My Sons.
Students will be introduced to new
play.
Reflection on integrating work
Application: Environment and
from Acting I class into scene
Objective.
from the new play, rehearse
with scene partner(s).
Application: Beats (Moment to Moment)
Score a scene from the play
including moment work,
physical actions and
personalization; rehearse with
scene partner(s).
Application: Tactics
Integrate work from Acting
class into scene from new play,
rehearse with scene partner.
Application: Rhythm and Pace
Integrate work from Acting
class into scene from new play,
rehearse with scene partner.
Application: Perform scenes in class
Reflection on the synthesis of
Acting I work and Script

Analysis.
Session 14

Wrap-up/Review

Any changes are at the professors discretion.

Academic Integrity: Academic integrity will be upheld. Students found guilty of intentional
fraud, cheating or plagiarizing will be disciplined according to Molloy College guidelines.
Honor Pledge: As a member of Molloy College, Catholic and Dominican in tradition, I dedicate
myself to the ideals of truth, scholarship and justice. I pledge to demonstrate personal and
academic integrity in all matters. I promise to be honest and accountable for my actions and to
uphold the Honor System to better myself and those around me. I will refrain from any form of
academic dishonesty or deception.
Artistic Integrity: You must do your best for you and you know when you are and when you
are not, dont cheat yourself. Find your ideas your voice.
Communicating Across the Curriculum:
This course has been specifically designed to address the standards for Communicating Across
the Curriculum in the following manner:
Written Communication: Written assignments will be graded for clarity, content,
grammar, spelling, etc.
Information Literacy/Technological Competency: Required reading, viewing and written
assignments necessitate resource use as applied to the study of acting technique.
Oral Communication: Discussions and demonstration assignments (scene work) are
graded for the application of oral skills, efficient production of sound, vocal clarity, etc.
Critical Thinking: Demonstration assignments (acting scene work) have a major focus on
applying, synthesis, and skillfully conceptualizing acting techniques.
Students with Disabilities: Molloy College provides a supportive environment for students with
documented disabilities and is committed to complying with all applicable provisions of:

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA)

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Students with documented disabilities who need accommodations are encouraged to schedule an
appointment Disability Support Services (DSS/STEEP), Disability Support Services Success
Through Expanded Education Program. To schedule an appointment please send an email to
dss@molloy.edu or contact: 516-323-3315.