Directing and Producing

DRAM 3325
Spring 2008

Thomas Riccio, Professor, Performance Studies

Thomas.riccio.utdallas.edu
www.thomas-riccio.net
Class Time 1:00-2:15 PM Tuesday-Thursdays
Office # 972.883.2016 (Office/voice)
Office Hours Tu-Th 3:30-5:30
Office: JO 4.126

Course Objectives
The role of stage director is all encompassing: storyteller, interpreter, collaborator, people-
manager, producer, visual artist, counselor, literary consultant and creative artist. Why take on
this role? How do you become a director? Where do you learn your craft and how do you
formulate your directorial style? Directing and Producing for the Stage brings together the
diverse processes and methods beginning with script selection, research, and analysis, first
reading, concept and visualization. The rehearsal process and the details of producing the final
production will be emphasized. Directing and Producing for the Stage is a practical course
that aims to convey the preparation and experience of stage directing and the theatrical
mindset. The key elements of directing will be identified and will include dramatic interpretation,
working with actors and other theatre professionals, and the integration of elements into a
single, personal method. Production organization and the elements of producing will inform the
course.

Course Requirements
• Completion of reading assignments prior to class discussion
• Scene direction assignments
• Analysis assignment(s)
• Required attendance at all UTD fall theatre and dance productions
• Final project: one typed with visuals (15-20 page), directorial analysis portfolio.
• Final Scene presentation
• Class participation & attendance

Required Texts
• Play Directing: Analysis, Communication, and Style by Francis Hodge
• The Empty Space: A Book About the Theatre: Deadly, Holy, Rough, Immediate by
Peter Brook
• The Theater and Its Double by Antonin Artaud
• The Viewpoints Book: A Practical Guide to Viewpoints and Composition by Anne
Bogart and Tina Landau
Note:
Additional play scripts will be required and will be put on library reserve or WebCT

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Course Policy
• Late or incomplete work is not accepted
• Incompletes Grades will not be given in this class
• Plagiarism and cheating is unacceptable
• All dates and assignments are subject to change
• Assignments will be made with ample time for completion given please be alert to
alterations or corrections in the schedule

Attendance Policy
Two (2) unexcused absences permitted; however each subsequent unexcused absence will
result in the Loss of 5% per absence. Two late arrivals (30 minutes + after the hour unless
lateness is pre-arranged) will count as one absence. Note: No Gum Chewing or Eating in
Class. Soft Drinks, Coffee, and water permitted.

Class Participation & Citizenship

Students are expected to contribute to class discussion and debate, and be open to, and
respectful, of the opinions and perspectives of others. For those choosing not to participate
or participating in the class in a negative way, 5% to 10% will be deducted from their total
grade.

Grading Policy

NO INCOMPLETES WILL BE ISSUED FOR THIS COURSE

Class Participation 10%

Scene Work 25%
Analysis Assignment(s) 10%
Final Project 30%
Final Scene 15%
Attendance/Rehearsals 10%
1000 Point scale: 900 + = A 800 + = B 700 + = C 600 + = D 600 and below = F

Assignments & Academic Calendar

Each week will focus on general topics noted below.
The following is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor
Assignments and reading for the following week are found at the right column

January 8-10 Introductions/Review of Syllabus & Objectives

Being a director
Read
The Empty Space

January 15-17 Drama, culture, society and the stage director

Read
The Conduct of Life + MUD

January 22-24

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 Reading the play
The world of the play
Your world and the play
The Basics: Structural analysis.
Analysis—Dramatic Action, character, theme, conflict

Read
Stone, Cold, Dead, Serious

1st Scene assignment + Analysis

January 29-31
Relationships:
Character, space, objects, time, architecture and the larger context(s)
Where do you fit in?
Preparation: Thinking like an artist/researching

Read
Theatre and Its Double

Analysis Due

February 5-7

The Basics: pre-production and planning the work

Read
Hodge TBA
+ Ghost Sonata

1st Scene presentations

February 12-14 Rehearsal: organization and process

Read
Hodge TBA

2nd Scene assignment + analysis

February 19-21 Choosing & living with a play: traps & advantages

Read
Hodge TBA
+Buried Child
Analysis Due

February 26-28 Working With The Actor

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 Read
Seventy Scene of Halloween

2nd Scene Presentations

March 4-6 Beats, objectives, scoring the scene

Read
Hodge TBA

Final Projects Assigned

March 8-16 SPRING BREAK

March 18-20 Concepts, Interpretations, Perspectives

Read
Hodge TBA
Preliminary analysis presentation

March 25-27 Visualizing the play

Read
TBA

April 1-3 Directing the Play

Read
Viewpoints

April 8-10 Style and language

Read
Touch

April 15-17 The Business Of Directing and Producing

April 22-24 Final Project in-Class Presentations

Final Projects Due

April 29-May1/2 Final Scene Presentation –Spring Arts Festival

APPENDIX A:

DIRECTING ANALYSIS
PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

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• 15 to 20 pages typewritten, double-spaced, with photos, drawings, diagrams, sketches, and
whatever else deemed appropriate.
• Presentation must be in a binder or folder
• Projects will not be accepted after the due date
• Projects will be presented to the class
• All material not photographic or photocopied must be typewritten

BEGINNING: A play will be assigned you.

Read the play to get a fix on what in the play appeals to you personally. Try not to absolutely
define what interests you. Note a scattering of impressions--try not to organize these
impressions--about mood, feel, space, emotion, images, memory, ideas, and proportion.

1) Historical Research
A summation of the play's historical context of its original presentation. Consider:
dramaturgy, acting, production practices and technology of the play's original production.
Consider the context of the original production's politics, society, economics, prevailing
philosophical worldview, and the status quo of theatrical presentation. What is the place they
are performing? Did this play break new ground? Organize and cite those facts that relate,
affirm, reflect, and associate, with your initial personal reactions.

2) Playwright Research
A summation of research on the playwright. Note any information, in whatever form
appropriate, that somehow reveals, associates, confirms, and aligns, etc. with your original
personal reaction to the play. You may need to read other plays by the same playwright,
criticism, a biography, essays by the author, etc. Extent and depth of this and all directorial
research is determined by time, means, and instinctual sense of "having enough" to feel
confident.

3) Contemporary Production Research

A summation of research that concerns significant or landmark modern productions of
the play. Note what catches your fancy, your imagination. Note variety and/or uniqueness of
production design, concept, interpretation, acting, casting, failings, and strengths. Keep an eye
out for re-occurring notation of failings, either with the play, casting, interpretation, direction--this
may save you the grief of discovering the play's deficiencies or "traps" on your own.
Refer to contemporary criticism on the play that can be found in collections on the
playwright, the play, and in periodicals/newspapers databases. Include photocopies of reviews
from previous and/or significant productions and at least one critical analysis of the work if
available

4) Overview Analysis
Cultural & social context analysis in narrative form: discuss the relevance of the social,
political, economic, and cultural aspects of the playscript of today. What aspect does the
playscript articulate, elaborate, affirm, and celebrate in regards to our particular time, place, and
context? What are the underlying ideas, cultural values, and moral assumptions implicit within
the playscript?
Character analysis of each character (one page for major characters and at least one
paragraph for all other characters. Character analysis includes: character profiles, relationships,
psychology, social, political, economic, cultural, ethnic, racial understanding; explain how does

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the character function within the play.
French scene break down (exit and entrances of all characters.)

5) Discussion of Interpretation and Elements

Discuss, using at least one page for each of the following playscript elements (you may
include examples from the play and drawings):
• Plot
• Themes
• Images/ideas
• Movement
• Language
• Preliminary floor plan for each setting

6) Structural Identification
Include one photocopy of your assigned playscript. Mark on the copy the following:
Identify and number all French scenes (to correspond with your typed list.)
Identify with a line in a script’s margins, the following with a highlighter:
• Exposition: yellow
• Complication/rising action: blue
• Climax: red
• Resolution: green
Identify by circling (with an ink pen) word evoked images, ideas, and lines significant to
your interpretation.

7) Interpretation and Concept

Read the play again--as many times as needed. Now, with the added information and
insight gained from your research, re-connect with the play. Does what originally turned you on,
invited you into the play, still make sense. Does the research assist you in seeing more? You
are now able to make an informed personal/subjective interpretation.
Note how you plan to use space; the play's tone, mood; rhythm, feelings; ideas; what are
the significant visuals/images? Is there a central image? How is the concept metaphoric and
how does this metaphor relate to your interpretation?
Note generally how you intend to bring the play to life: what are your casting thoughts?
Who would be ideal for the roles? Think of the UTD Main stage theatre as your production
space and inhabit it with the play. What kind of set? Lighting? Costumes? Consider colors,
shapes, and flow. What does each element need to do to communicate the story of the play--
what are the basics? Then how do you see the play, abstractly, in your mind's eye? Include
drawings, photos, etc.
Include drawings, photos, cloth, or whatever visual aid you deem necessary to convey
the look, mood and feel of your interpretation.
Note the play’s concept in one sentence.

APPENDIX B

FINAL PROJECT
ANALYSIS WORKSHEET
What defines the ensemble group? Define individuals and characterize the group in terms of:

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 • Politics
• Economics
• Family
• Social setting
• Cultural heritage
• Environment
• Community
• Work experiences
• Theatre experiences
• Therapy history
• Special factors working on an individual or the group

PRACTICAL ANALYSIS
• Number in the group
• Space--size, conditions (noisy, hard floors, dark, classroom, etc.) and how will these
factors effect and shape the work?
• Time of meeting--morning, night, weekend, daily--how will this effect your work with
the group? Your personal relationship with the group?
• Convenience of meeting place and time
• Difficulties and distances to travel to and from the meeting place
• Are they required to be there or is it voluntary?
• Attitudes of being in the group
• Attitudes towards one another
• Attitude towards the organization sponsoring or administrating the group
• What are they doing before and after the group meeting and does that affect the
work?
• Are there any antagonisms inside of the group?
• Does this group have a prior identity or has it just come together?
• How many people know one another and how well?
• Difficulty in getting to and from the meeting place
• What are their expectations about the work?
• What are their pre-conceptions about the work?

FACILITATOR AND THE PROJECT

• What is the sponsoring organization's expectation for the workshop?
• Are you developing a performance?
• What are your objectives?
• Are these objectives shared with the group? Yours or group generated?
• How can you work for closure/completion?
• Why are you doing what you are doing?
• What is your personal agenda?
• Define your responsibility to self
• Define you responsibility to the group, sponsoring organization
• Who are you in relationship to the group--how do they see you?

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY
The Theory of the Modern Stage
by Eric Bently, Penguin Books

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Playing Shakespeare
by John Barton, Methuen

The Way Of Acting

by Tadashi Suzuki, Theater Communications Group

Grotowski
by Jennifer Kumiga, Methuen

The Presentation Of Self in Everyday Life,

by Erving Goffman, Penguin Books

The Shifting Point

by Peter Brook, Perennial Library

Erwin Piscator's Political Theater

by C.D. Innes Cambridge University Press

Theater East And West

by Leonard C. Pronko, Univ. California Press

Film Form or Film Sense

by Sergi Eisenstein, various publishers

Training For The Theater

by Michel Saint-Denis, Theater Arts Books

Towards A Poor Theater

by Jerzy Grotowski, Touchstone Books

Theater Games
by Clive Barker, Drama Books Specialists

Grotowski And His Laboratory

by Zbigniew Osinski, Drama Books Specialists

Environmental Theater
by Richard Schechner, Hawthorn

Stanislavsky Directs
by Nikolai M. Gorchakov
Grosset's Universal Library

On The Art Of The Theater

by Edward Gordon Craig Theater Arts Books

American Dreams, The Imagination Of Sam Shepard

by Bonnie Marranca, PAJ Publications

Theatre of the Oppressed

Augusto Boal, Pluto Press, London

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Games for Actors and Non-Actors
Augusto Boal, Routledge Press, London

Aboriginal Voices, Amerindian, Inuit, and Sami Theatre

by Per Brask and Willam Morgan ed.
Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore

“A Survey of Indigenous Scripts of Liberia and Sierra Leone Vai, Mende, Loma, Kpelle, and
Bassa.”
by David P.Dalby, African Language Studies: Vol. 8

The Development of African Drama

by Michael Etherton, Africana Publishing Company

People's Theatre Handbook

by Omoregie Fani-Kayode, Harare: University of Zimbabwe

Afrique: New Plays from Togo, Madagascar, Mauritania

Louis Gates, Jr., ed., Ubu Repertory Theatre Publications

Where The Spirits Ride The Wind

Felicitas D.Goodman, Indiana University Press

The Way of the Shaman: A Guide to Power and Healing

by Michael J.Harner, Harper and Row

“Participatory Popular Theatre:The Highest Stage of CulturalUnder Development?”

by David Kerr, Research in African Literatures v22 Fall

“Theatre and Social Issues in Malawi: Performers, Audiences, Aesthetics”

by David Kerr, New Theatre Quarterly v4 May

“Unmasking the Spirits: Theatre in Malawi”

by David Kerr, The Drama Review v31 Summer

“Didactic Theatre in Africa”

by David Kerr, Harvard Education Review, Vol. 15, No. 1

“Popular Theatre: One Road to Self-DeterminedDevelopment Action”

by Pru Lambert, Community Development Journal, Vol. 17, No. 3

Plays from Black Africa

Fredric M Litto, ed., Hill and Wang

African Divination Systems: Ways Of Knowing

Philip Peek, ed., University of Indiana Press,

Five African Plays

Cosmo Pieterse, ed., Heinemann

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Magic, Divination and Witchcraft Among the Barotse of Northern Rhodesia
by Barrie Reynolds, Chatto and Windus

Between Theatre and Anthropology

by Richard Schechner, University of Pennsylvania Press

"Who Am I?" : Fact and Fiction in African First-PersonNarrative.”

by Mineke Schipper, Research in African Literatures v16 Spring, 1985

From Ritual to Theatre: the Human Seriousness of Play

by Victor Turner, Performing Arts Journal Publications

Celebration: Studies in Festivity and Ritual

by Victor Turner, Smithsonian Institution Press

University Mandated Addendum

Student Conduct & Discipline

The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and regulations
for the orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It is the responsibility of each student and
each student organization to be knowledgeable about the rules and regulations, which govern
student conduct and activities. General information on student conduct and discipline is
contained in the UTD publication, A to Z Guide, which is provided to all registered students each
academic year.

The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of
recognized and established due process. Procedures are defined and described in the Rules and
Regulations; Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Part 1, Chapter VI, Section 3,
and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities of the university’s Handbook of Operating
Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the
Dean of Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules
and regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-6391).

A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of citizenship.
He or she is expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the Regents’ Rules,
university regulations, and administrative rules. Students are subject to discipline for violating the
standards of conduct whether such conduct takes place on or off campus, or whether civil or
criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.

Academic Integrity

The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty.
Because the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done
by the student for that degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrates a high standard of
individual honor in his or her scholastic work.

Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related to
applications for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s own work or
material that is not one’s own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one of the
following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or falsifying academic records. Students
suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary proceedings.

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 Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from any other
source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on plagiarism (see
general catalog for details). This course will use the resources of turnitin.com, which searches
the web for possible plagiarism and is over 90% effective.

Email Use
The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication between
faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the same time, email raises some issues
concerning security and the identity of each individual in an email exchange. The university
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identity of all individual corresponding and the security of the transmitted information. UTD
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The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-level courses.
These dates and times are published in that semester's course catalog. Administration
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Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities,
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In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other fulfillments
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Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of
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Incomplete Grade Policy

As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably missed at
the semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An incomplete
grade must be resolved within eight (8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester.
If the required work to complete the course and to remove the incomplete grade is not submitted

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 by the specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed automatically to a grade of F.

Disability Services

The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational opportunities
equal to those of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in room 1.610 in the
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The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:

The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)

Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable adjustments
necessary to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For example, it may be necessary
to remove classroom prohibitions against tape recorders or animals (in the case of dog guides)
for students who are blind. Occasionally an assignment requirement may be substituted (for
example, a research paper versus an oral presentation for a student who is hearing impaired).
Classes enrolled students with mobility impairments may have to be rescheduled in accessible
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note-taking, or mobility assistance.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an
accommodation. Disability Services provides students with letters to present to faculty members
to verify that the student has a disability and needs accommodations. Individuals requiring
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Religious Holy Days

The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required activities for
the travel to and observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose places of worship are
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The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible
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be allowed to take the exam or complete the assignment within a reasonable time after the
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who notifies the instructor and completes any missed exam or assignment may not be penalized
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If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose of
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Off-Campus Instruction and Course Activities

Off-campus, out-of-state, and foreign instruction and activities are subject to state law and
University policies and procedures regarding travel and risk-related activities. Information
regarding these rules and regulations may be found at the website address given below.

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 Additional information is available from the office of the school dean.
(http://www.utdallas.edu/Business Affairs/Travel_Risk_Activities.htm)

These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the
Professor.

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