THR 421 - Advanced Acting: Postrealism

Course unit(s): 1
Prerequisite(s): Any 300 level acting course or THR 251 Acting II: Scene Study
This course affords the advanced acting student an opportunity to explore methods for rehearsing and performing 20th and 21st Century postrealist drama. Three major interrelated stylistic veins will be considered: 1. The Absurd, as exemplified by the work of Samuel Beckett; 2. Theatre of Cruelty/Theatre of Physical Metaphor, as constituted by the foundational work of Antonin Artaud and Jerzy Grotowski, and exemplified by others; and 3. Postmodern Interrogations of Meaning in Performance, as exemplified by the work of artists like Charles Mee and Goat Island. With a focus on the historical, philosophical, and aesthetic underpinnings of these avant garde styles, the course addresses the practical demands of performance as they relate both to the interpretation of material and to physical and vocal embodiment.