Professional Documents
Culture Documents
TH.101.101.2015FA
Acting I (3.00 cr)
Fall 2015
Instructor
Office
Meeting times
Office hours
Charles Goforth
email: cgoforth2@su.edu
Ruebush 129-B
Mon, Wed 11:00 to 12:40
TBA, and by appointment
Course description
This course is the first semester of the acting training
sequence. It guides students through a single, progressively
sophisticated exercise conceived by Sanford Meisner. The
exercise takes its final forms in the second semester.
Course foundation
Applied study demonstrates the following tenets of the
Shenandoah University mission statement: Celebration of
creative performance, expression, teaching and discovery.
Applied study demonstrates the following tenets of the
Shenandoah Conservatory mission statement: development of
artistic, intellectual and creative excellence
Required Texts / Materials
Students are required to bring a notebook to class (acting
journal), to make a habit of note taking, and to rely on
themselves to recall feedback and concepts that they found
helpful. The instructor assumes feedback will be remembered,
taken into practice and eventually be reflected in subsequent
class work. This process is integral to the technique and the
level of ownership expected of first year actors.
Eventually, first year work requires that objects be brought to
class. Students should anticipate having to bring a significant
amount of stuff during certain parts of the Exercise. Lugging
things to and from class is an expected part of training.
Learning Outcomes
At the conclusion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. repeat through Doing with freedom and spontaneity
2. In the creative state be able to take in at the door,
and, with an activity, repeat freely and impulsively
through the execution of the Independent Activity with its
elements in place.
3. Give over to contact, and demonstrate an ability to work
from the acting object freely, impulsively and personally.
Evidence of Student Learning
1. Daily practice has turned the rules of repetition into a
second nature ability to work freely, unfettered and
responsively moment to moment;
2. Crafting of activities incorporates the added elements;
3. Habit of creative state is increasingly clear through...
4. deepening and personal responsiveness to the behavior of
the partner;
5. behavior born of a personal relatedness to circumstances in
the Independent Activity (command of crafting) and a
responsive, lively taking in of the partner at the door
(second nature working off and taking in).
SU Grading System
A
B+
C+
D+
93-100%
87-89%
77-79%
67-69%
AB
C
D
90-92%
83-86%
73-76%
60-66%
BCF
80-82%
70-72%
<60%
Course Evaluation
Rehearsal: 45%
Attendance and participation: 30%
Growth in the exercise as evinced by increasing command of the
progression and the added elements: 25%
Attendance Policy
We assume students have come here because they are serious about
becoming professional actors. There is no tolerance for
lateness. For a lateness, students are penalized half an
Student Privacy
Annually, Shenandoah University provides information to students
concerning their rights under the Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (FERPA). This act was designed
to protect the privacy of education records and afford students
certain rights with respect to their education records. Refer to
the student catalog for specific procedures.
Student Support Services:
The Library online materials are available 24/7:
http://www.su.edu/university-libraries/
The IC Help Desk are available 24/7:
https://workorder.su.edu/helpdesk/
The Counseling resources are available at:
http://www.student-life.su.edu/counseling-center-home/
COURSE CALENDAR
Week
Week
Week
Week
Week
Week
Week
Week
Week
Week
Week
Week
Week
Week
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Repetition
Repetition
Repetition / Objects/ Crafting
Beginning Independent Activity
+ Door
+ Door
+ Door
+ Door
+ Door
+ Door
+ Door
+ Door