The School of Theater offers programs leading to the Master of Fine Arts and Master of Arts degrees. To apply, you must have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and be able to demonstrate motivation and talent for the program of your choice. In addition, you should present a background of training that correlates with your professional goals. For unconditional admission, you must have a satisfactory academic record with strong indications of success in your chosen area and sufficient preparation to qualify for graduate courses to be included in the program. Any deficiencies must be made up by taking appropriate courses in addition to normal requirements.
Applicants for admission to one of the professional M.F.A. programs must demonstrate qualification by audition, submission of portfolio, interview, or other appropriate means before final approval is granted (see below). This requirement is in addition to the basic admission standards for entrance into the graduate program of the School of Theater.
It is expected that you will have a firm grounding in theater history and dramatic literature, as well as demonstrable proficiency in fundamental production techniques, or that these areas will be included in your graduate program.
Throughout the program, you are closely observed and counseled by the faculty. You are expected to show consistent progress toward improvement of those skills that the faculty deems necessary for entry into the profession. At the end of every quarter in residence, and in some programs also at midterm of each quarter in the initial year, a thorough evaluation is made. The faculty discuss with you particular areas of strength and weakness in your performance and how they may affect your professional potential.
If, in the judgment of the faculty, you fail to meet professional standards or to show improvement in necessary skills, you are placed on program probation for the following quarter. Normally this action occurs at the end of a quarter, and the probation is for the following quarter. However, You may be placed on program probation at any time if the faculty deems it necessary. Written notice of this decision is provided, along with an explanation of the academic or artistic reasons for the decision. You are expected to make improvement immediately in the indicated areas.
At the end of the period of program probation, the area faculty, in consultation with the director of the School of Theater, takes one of three actions:
If you are placed on program probation in the first five weeks of a quarter, the period of probation may extend until the end of that quarter. If you are placed on probation after the first five weeks of the quarter, the period of probation may extend until the end of the following quarter.
In no case will program probation continue for more than three consecutive quarters.
Students in the Professional Actor Training Program, the Professional Director Training Program, and the Production Design and Technology Program must begin their program of study in the fall quarter. Application materials for these programs must be received by April 1. Students in the other M.F.A programs are encouraged to begin their program in the fall quarter and should observe the April 1 application deadline. An M.A. degree candidate may apply for admission for any quarter.
Applicants seeking financial aid in the form of graduate scholarships or graduate associateships for the following academic year should submit application materials to the School of Theater by March 1. If you wish to apply for financial aid in the form of work study and/or loans, contact the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships. (See the Financial Aid section.)
Graduate candidates are required to participate each quarter in the production activities of the school as a supplement to and as an extension of their academic work. In addition, all graduate candidates are required to enroll for Lunchbag Theater Seminar each quarter of residence.
The production program of the school is conducted in two adjoining buildings on the Athens campus. The first is the newly renovated Kantner Hall, housing a comfortable and well-equipped proscenium theater; four small studio-classroom theaters; scenery, props, and costume laboratories; and related facilities. A second mainstage theater, incorporating a thrust stage and capable of modification for use in various theatrical forms, is located in the Radio-Television Communication Building next door. Significant repertory production opportunities are available through the university,s Monomoy Theater on Cape Cod (Chatham, Massachusetts).
Visiting artists from the professional theater are brought to the campus in all areas of the school to augment the teaching of the faculty. Full-term residencies, shorter-term (two or more weeks) residencies, master classes, and audition opportunities with theater professionals are supported by visiting artist funds. Recent visiting artists have included prominent actors, directors, designers, playwrights, administrators, and teachers from England and Europe, as well as the North American commercial and LORT theaters.
The M.A. in theater history and criticism is a one-year program requiring 45 credit hours and a minimum of three quarters of residency. You may choose either to write a thesis or to take a comprehensive examination on all coursework. If you wish to pursue the thesis program in place of the comprehensive examination program, an additional quarter of residency is expected. A quarter of internship with a professional theater as a dramaturg or literary advisor may substitute for the comprehensive examination or thesis.
The purpose of the degree is to pre-pare students for scholarly or research activity, whether associated with an academic institution or a professional theater. Students acquire a general knowledge of theater history and criticism and study specific areas in depth. The education emphasizes a knowledge of the history and literature of theater and research mehtodologies. Students are required to engage in independent research and to convey their ideas orally and in writing. The degree is an excellent basis for introductory teaching in higher education, work as a dramaturg, or further study toward a terminal degree in theater.
The degree is intended for a number of different kinds of students. The program is for students interested in gaining an advanced degree in theater history and criticism in the context of a professionally oriented school of theater. This education can be especially valuable for students interested in dramaturgy. In this case, students gain the solid basis of general and advanced coursework in drama, theater history, and criticism, and are able to apply this work through dramaturgy on School of Theater productions. An internship at a professional theater is especially valuable in this case.
The program is also for students who want a first graduate degree in preparation for a terminal degree, whether M.F.A. or Ph.D. The academic rigor and broad scope of this degree can be a valuable testing ground for students to determine their subsequent educational goals.
Finally, this degree is for international students who are able to study in the United States only long enough to earn an M.A.. These students gain a thorough education in western theater history and criticism, as well as scholarly and pedagogical methodologies.
Degree Requirements
Total credits required: 45
Residency: 3 quarters minimum
Capstone experience: Thesis, comprehensive examination, or internship with completion of dramaturgy casebook
Specific Course Requirements
Intro to Grad Study (THAR500) 4 cr Production Practicum (THAR 505 or 535) 2 cr Dramaturgy or Production Practicum (THAR 505, 535, or 575P) 2 cr Readings in Theater Studies (THAR 570), 3 quarters 3 cr Dramatic Criticism (THAR 575, 576, 675) 8 cr Dramatic Literature (THAR 573, 670, 770, 771, 772, 773, 774, 775, 776, 777, CA 770, 771, 772,773, 774, 775, 776) 8 crIndependent Study in Theater History (preparation for comprehensive examination) 6 cr
Total Required Courses 36 cr
Electives 9 crCourses in directing and playwriting are strongly encouraged for students interested in dramaturgy. Other electives may include design, dance, music, literature, languages, etc., with the advice and consent of your advisor.
Admission is based on a 3.0 g.p.a. in undergradute work, three letters of recommendation, and a sample critical or reasearch paper. A personal interview is recommended.
Practicum in Design and Technical Theater
Seminar in Theater History
Greek Theater and Drama or Restoration and 18th-Century Theater or Seminar in Dramatic Writing (Playwriting)
Readings in Theater Studies
Dramatic Criticism I or Dramatic Criticism II
Roman and Medieval Theater or Baroque European Theater or Seminar in Theater History
Research Techniques for the Theater
Elective
Nineteenth Century European Theater or Modern Theater or First Principles of Directing
Readings in Theater Studies
Comprehensive Examination
Practical Work: two practicum assignments in production work, e.g., acting, technical production, or public relations crew work
Electives: classes in directing, theatrical design, dance, music, literature, languages, etc., with advice and consent of your advisor
Thesis/Comprehensive Exam/Internship
Providing a diverse education, this program enables graduate students and those entering the professional theater to broaden future goals and hone skills. The program is especially appropriate for individuals whose undergraduate major was in an area other than theater/drama, or for those who are returning to theater studies in mid-career. International students who wish to gain a knowledge of Western theater studies and practice are also encouraged to apply.
Admission is based on a 3.0 g.p.a. in undergraduate work, three letters of recommendation, and a writing sample. Admission to an area of specialization is required for entry. A personal interview is recommended.
Specific Course Requirements
Three quarters of residency including:
THAR 500 4
Theater History/Drama 12
Playwriting 4
Directing* 4
Design* 4
Practicum 5
Exam/Thesis/Project/Intern 4
Specialization Area** 8
TOTAL 45
For the thesis or internship option, an additional quarter of registration is required.
*Certain courses require permission for enrollment.
**Specialization areas include theater history/drama, playwriting, directing, and design.
The M.F.A.s offered by the School of Theater are professional degrees. The Professional Actor Training Program and the Professional Director Training Program each require a minimum of 135 credit hours over a nine-quarter (three-year) residency period. The M.F.A. in production design and technology is a professional degree and normally requires a minimum of 135 credit hours over a nine-quarter period, but may also be, with approval of the faculty, a six-quarter program with a 90-credit-hour requirement. The M.F.A. in playwriting is a professional degree and covers 90 credit hours of study. The theater general M.F.A. program requires a minimum of 90 credit hours.
The Professional Actor Training Program (PATP) prepares advanced students for a career as a professional actor. Led by a faculty of working theater practitioners, the school offers an intensive three-year practical program. The training is dedicated to the goal of producing well rounded, skillful actors who are as comfortable exploring the mysteries of the inner life as they are in meeting the external demands of technique-actors at home in any theatrical environment, regardless of content, style, or period. Particu-lar emphasis is placed on conditioning the actor,s vocal and physical instruments. Development of a reliable process for approaching and rehearsing a role makes up a vital part of the work. The program also includes career studies aimed at fostering an understanding of the entertainment business.
Immersion in the acting, voice, and movement studios constitutes the bulk of the first two years. Additional coursework includes text analysis, dramatic literature, theater history, special areas of movement, and audition technique.
The first year of training features a back-to-basics curriculum concentrating on the authentic use of self, the reality of doing, and living truthfully within imaginary circumstances. The classical repertory forms the basis for the second year of work, with an emphasis on the Greeks, Shakespeare, Moliere, and Restoration comedy.
The third year is devoted exclusively to an internship at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park.
The first 10 weeks are dedicated to the diagnosis of individual needs. In succeeding quarters, performance opportuities abound. Every actor per-forms a practicum role each quarter, either in the School of Theater,s mainstage offerings or in its many laboratory productions. Special stress is placed on the emerging ability to synthesize the lessons learned in the studio with the practical realities of his or her casting.
Some actors are afforded the opportunity to be involved in a full summer of performance activities at Monomy Theater on Cape Cod. Operated in conjunction with the Ohio University School of Theater, Monomy has for forty years been an enduring experience for students and public alike.
There is continual communication among the PATP faculty members, aimed at monitoring and advancing the training of each student. Quarterly evaluations are scheduled to inform students of their progress and outline specific areas of strength and weakness. Students showing consistent growth are invited by the faculty to continue in the succeeding year of training.
Admission to the program is by interview and audition. The PATP is open to a limited number of talented, mature, and motivated students. Minimum requirements for the M.F.A. include 78 credit hours in acting courses, 10 credits in acting practicum, 2 credits in technical or management practicum, 2 credits in introduction to graduate studies, 12 credits in istory/criticism/literature, 12 credits in thesis production, and 15 credits in internship. Independent studies and/or electives comprise the remaining requirements.
First Year
Fall Quarter
Introduction to Graduate Studies
Acting I
Voice and Speech I
Movement I
Improvisation
Technical Practicum
Winter Quarter
Acting II
Movement II
Voice and Speech II
Audition Techniques
Practicum in Acting
Spring Quarter
Acting III
Voice and Speech III
Movement III
Text Analysis
Practicum in Acting
Second Year
Fall Quarter
Acting IV
Voice and Speech IV
Movement IV
Dramatic Literature or Theater History
Practicum in Acting
Winter Quarter
Acting V
Voice and Speech V
Movement V
Elective
Practicum in Acting
Acting VI
Voice and Speech VI
Movement VI
Dramatic Literature or Theater History
Practicum in Acting
Third Year
Fall Quarter
Independent Studies in Acting
Internship in Acting
Winter Quarter
Independent Studies in Acting
Internship in Acting
Spring Quarter
Independent Studies in Acting
Thesis Performance
The Professional Director Training Program is designed to train and prepare directors for a career in the professional theater. It embodies the faculty,s belief that a classical foundation better prepares a director to work in any style or medium. The program is structured so aspects may be designed according to the talents, background, and professional goals of the individual student. The program admits no more than two candidates each year. Admission is granted as a result of admission to the university and a combination of recommendations by those familiar with the applicant,s work and an interview with the program head.
During the three-year course of study, directors will develop and practice their craft in a variety of ways, ranging from scene work to directing fully supported mainstage productions. The primary focus of the first year is for the director to become familiar in working with the elements and people involved in producing theater. Given satisfactory progress, the second year has a focus on the application of work done during the first year through a variety of laboratory and other directing experiences. Given continued satisfactory progress, the third year is the culmination of the previous two and serves as an entry into the theater. This may be accomplished by directing a fully supported thesis production .
Requirements for a M.F.A. in directing are 135 hours. Detailed requirements will be given to the student upon enrollment. There is a quarterly evaluation of each student. Students exhibiting consistent growth and preparation for a career in the professional theater will be invited to return for the next year of training.
First Year
Fall Quarter
Introduction to Graduate Collaboration
520A Directing I
510A Acting I
517A Voice I
Movement I
Scene Design
Production Practicum
Winter Quarter
520B Directing II/Performance Collaboration
510B Acting II
517B Voice II
Costume Design
Directing Practicum/Realism Project
Spring Quarter
520C Directing III/New Play Collaboration
510C Acting III
517C Voice III
Playwright's Workshop
Lighting Design
Directing Practicum/Realism Project
Second Year
Fall Quarter
620A Directing IV
610A Acting IV
Directing Practicum/New Play Project
Dramatic Criticism I
Director/Designer
Winter Quarter
620B Directing V
610A Acting V
Directing Practicum/Verse Project
Dramatic Criticism II
Advanced Lighting Technique
Spring Quarter
610C Directing VI/New Play Collaboration
Seminar in Directing/Thesis Preparation
Directing Practicum/Verse Project
Directing Theories
610C Acting
Third Year
Directing VII,VIII,IX
Thesis Production
Plus
Management Seminar
Playwriting/Screenwriting
Intro to Film
Directing for Camera
The Professional Playwriting Program at Ohio University seeks to train playwrights who will, through a lifetime of professional experience, become artists who contribute to the culture. Playwrights are craftspeople as well as artists. The basic and advanced principles of the craft can be learned through earnest study of our dramatic literary heritage and intensive practical application of the craft.
The M.F.A. is earned through the completion of a minimum of 90 credit hours of study. The program of study may include 135 credit hours of course-work (three years) where appropriate. The third year may include an internship with a professional theater company. Coursework includes theater history, criticism, a continuing dramatic writing seminar and workshop, a variety of electives, and a course in the collaborative process. The degree is awarded for the completion of a body of work that is ready for production and for significant progress in the development of dramatic writing skills.
Scripts are developed at several levels. Assignments and early drafts are developed in the Seminar in Dramatic Writing, where students examine and employ the principles and advanced theories of dramatic writing. Later drafts are presented in the Playwrights Workshop, where guest audiences are invited when appropriate. Script development and presentation are a component of a second section of the Playwrights Workshop, which focuses on playwright and director collaboration. New work is presented in department-produced workshop readings, and production-ready plays are produced in the school,s Lab Series.
For the Seabury Quinn, Jr., Playwrights Festival, theater professionals are invited to the university to respond to the work of OU playwrights. Playwrights experience public readings, audience feedback, professional response, and individual mentoring. Note: Plays begun before enrollment in the School of Theater will not be developed in the Playwriting Program.
In the first year, playwrights are likely to develop a monologue play, a one-act play, and a later draft full-length play. Wither the one-act play or the full-length play is eligible for a rehearsed reading in the Annual Playwrights Festival. This work is rewritten, based on festival feedback. Projects at various levels of development will receive readings. A new piece may be created for the Playwright and Directors Collaborative Workshop. First-year playwrights are encouraged to apply for Lab Series Production.
In the second year, students may finish the first-year full-length play, develop another full-length play and a draft of a full-length screenplay or a completed short screenplay. Students who have not had an original work produced must participate in the production of their work in the Lab Series or an equivalent venue. Second-year students serve as the producers of the Playwrights Festival, where their works are read.
In the optional third year, students may work as an intern for a professional theater and/or assist a professional playwright. Our circle of theater is always expanding; we now have internship contracts with Off-Broadway theaters, regional theaters, and production companies. Third-year students are expected to produce a full-length play in the Lab Series or complete an equivalent experience and to develop a full-length play or screenplay.
New work may be submitted for production on the School of Theater,s mainstage.
As a graduation requirement, each student must turn in a bound copy of collected works developed at Ohio University.
Note: Scripts must be judged by the playwriting faculty as ready for production development to receive production approval.
Minimum standards for acceptance include a 3.0 g.p.a. for undergraduate work and the submission of two sample manuscripts in dramatic form. Admission is based on evaluation of the applicant,s writing sample, resume, goals statement, and recommendations. A visit to the university and an interview are encouraged.
Introduction to Graduate Studies
Practicum
Playwrights Workshop
Seminar in Dramatic Writing
Independent Studies
Theater History And Criticism sequence to be selected from the following:
Dramatic Criticism I & 2
Greek Theater and Drama
Roman and Medieval Drama
Renaissance Theater and Drama
Restoration and 18th Century
Baroque European Theater
19th-Centruy European
Modern Drama
American Theater and Drama
Independent Study
In consultation with program advisor, students may take courses in theater or outside courses to further support their major area. Courses in screenwriting are encouraged.
The M.F.A. in production design and technology is a three-year program that strives to prepare students for professional careers. For designers, the first year of the program deals primarily with unleashing the imagination and examining the process of how to translate the written word into meaningful visual images. The second and third years allow for refining skills and increasing specialization in an area of concentration with an emphasis on professional portfolio development. Technology students are involved in production, craft, and skill classes each quarter of residence. The development of fine craft and technical skills is essential, but the focus is on the development of top-notch managerial skills.
Participation in a specified production activity each quarter is required. These assignments relate directly to the studentsÕ area of concentration. At specified times they will consist of assuming senior staff positions on the main stage, such as designer, technical director or cutter/draper.
The thesis for all students consists of a main stage design (or equivalent technical assignment) and a formal exit portfolio review. For scenery and costume designers, this simulates the United Scenic Artists Union interview/exam. In all cases, portfolios are expected to meet prevailing pro-fessional standards for job placement in the field.
At least one-quarter of the third year is expected to consist of an internship at a major LORT or commercial theater in the United States or abroad (usually London). Students are expected to attend at least one national convention every year. Qualified design students are invited to participate in the Annual National Portfolio Review at Lincoln Center. Students are strongly encouraged to spend their summers and winter breaks working in leading professional theaters.
Total credit-hour requirements are based on a normal load of 15Ð18 credit hours per academic quarter for nine quarters of residency. Minimum course requirements for the three-year MFA include 60 credits of core courses and at least 75 credits of specific area requirements for a total of 135 credits. Any course may be waived at entry in recognition of previous academic or professional experience. For exceptional students with significant prior experience, a maximum of 45 credits may be waived at entry.
Admission to the program requires either a B.A. or B.F.A. and is based on an evaluation of your portfolio, resume, and recommendations, as well as a review of your academic qualifications for graduate work. A visit to inspect the facilities and an interview with the design staff is encouraged. P
Core Courses
Introduction to Graduate Studies
Practicum in Design and/or Technical Production (18 cr.)
Lighting Design
Scene Design
Historical Bases of Design I and II
Thesis (3 cr.)
Internship (15 cr.)
Scene Design
Scene Design (8 additional cr.)
Advanced Scene Techniques (8 cr.)
Studies in Scene Design (12 cr.)
Advanced Costume Design
History of Costume
Lighting Design or Advanced Lighting Techniques
Model Construction for the Scene Designer
Drafting for the Stage
Scene Painting
Studio Art (8 cr.)
Practicum in Design and/or Technical Production (8 additional cr.)
Photography for the Theater
AutoCAD
Directed Electives (7 cr.)
Costume Design
Advanced Costume Design and Studies in Costume Design
Costume History (24 cr.)
Costume Crafts Construction
Props Construction and Organization for the Stage
Fabric Painting
Costume Period Patterning
Advanced Studies in Clothing
Studio Art
Scene Design (4 additional cr.)
Internship (6 additional cr.)
Directed Electives (3 cr.)
Scenic Technology (Props and/or Scenic Artist)
Scene Design (8 additional cr.)
Props Construction and Organization for the Stage
Advanced Scenic Techniques or Studies in Scene Design
History of Costume
Model Construction for the Scene Designer
Drafting for the Stage
Costume Crafts Construction
Scene Painting
AutoCAD or Computer Graphics
Photography for the Theater
Directed electives (35 cr.)
Costume Technology
Advanced Costume Design
History of Costume (8 cr.)
Costume Crafts Construction
Props Construction and Organization for the Stage
Fabric Painting
Costume Period Patterning
Advanced Studies in Clothing
Advanced Studies in Textiles
Studio Art and/or Scene Painting
Internship (6 additional cr.)
Directed electives (19 cr.)
Lighting Design
Stage Management
Lighting Design
Electrics
Advanced Lighting Techniques
Advanced Lighting Studies
Advanced Costume Design
Scene Desgn (4 additional cr.)
Advanced Scene Techniques
Practicum in Design and/or Technical Production (8 additional cr.)
AutoCAD
Photography for the Theater
Directed Instruction
Directed Electives (21 cr.)
Technical Direction
Technical Direction
Advanced Technical Studies
Electrics, Scene Design (4 additional cr.)
Props Construction and Organization for the Stage
Practicum in Design and/or Technical Production (8 additional cr.)
Drafting for the Stage
Costume Crafts Construction
Scene Painting
Welding, Rigging
AutoCAD
Photography for the Theater
Directed Electives (15 cr.)
Sound Design
Stage Management
Electrics
Practicum in Design and/or Technical Production (8 additional cr.)
Drafting
Sound Design I
Sound Production
AutoCAD
Scene Design Collaboration
Film Topic Seminar
History of Musical Styles I, II, III
Audio and Video Production
Directed Instruction
Directed Electives (21 cr.)
University Publications and Computer Services revised this file (https://www.ohio.edu/~gcat/99-01/areas/thea.htm) December 11, 2000.
Please e-mail comments or suggestions to "gcat@www.ohiou.edu."