THDA 240 - Brain to Bone: Aliveness, from Rehearsal through Performance

The performance experience, for both actor and spectator, is a collaboration in “aliveness:” switched-on cognition, participatory embodiment systems (muscles, nerves, organs, etc.), moment-to-moment discovery. This course will establish effective, body-based practices for character exploration, for curious and serious students of performance. Students will learn how to apply accurate and experiential knowledge of their own body - from brain to bone, ligament to heart - to the building of character: using playwrights’ language as cues for physical responses; finding and sustaining characters’ voices and physicalities; analyzing and inhabiting characters’ whole system(s), physical, emotional, social. The work of the class will involve anatomy study and research, exercises and explorations, original application of work to character, and ultimately monologue and original solo performance work. The class will be highly physical, and meet six hours per week. Preference will be given to students who have taken a Theatre acting course, though well-described curiousity and commitment will be considered favorably. Prerequisites: sophomore standing and permission of instructor required. Every fall. Prerequisite(s): sophomore standing and permission of instructor. (4 Credits)