Interdisciplinary Arts 0185 - Designers Reading Plays

When designing costumes, projections, sound, lighting, or scenery, do theatre designers read plays any differently than a director or an actor? To what does a designer respond? Theme, character, dialogue, stage directions, place, time, rhythm, flow, and arcs all play into a designer's process of discovering the visual and aural possibilities of texts. How does a designer sift through the body of a script to discover clues of the physical nature of the play? As students are introduced to different design areas (scenery, props, lighting, costumes, projections, or sound) they will read and discuss a variety of plays representing different periods and genres. Students will research aesthetic styles and present initial design ideas for each play. Students will expand their design vocabulary and practice design presentations. Keywords:Theater, Design, Plays

Time and Narrative Students should expect to spend 8 hours weekly on work and preparation outside of class time