Theatre in the Age of Film and TV

Hitchcock Essays

theprof — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:09:46 +0000

I will be returning all on-time essays tomorrow in class. All other essays will be available for pick-up at the final exam, and possibly before that time at the drama desk (TBA).

This is also a reminder that I’ll be accepting late Hitchcock papers up until tomorrow in class – Wednesday April 1.

Anita Majumdar visit

theprof — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:28:28 +0000

Hello all,
This is to invite you all and students in your classes to the visit of Anita Majumdar this Thursday at 1:00 pm (either in the Rot or 106).

Anita Majumdar is the playwright actor of Fish Eyes, and The Misfit, the first two plays in her trilogy. In The Misfit she employs Kathak dance to address issues of marriage, domestic abuse and personal female bearing in society. Come and find out how Black Eyed Peas, Beyonce, Britney Spears, and Jem and the Holograms find themselves conscripted into a hybrid culture in this refreshing insightful theatre.

For more information… just ask Natalie Rewa or see the posters.

Scenography Exhibit

theprof — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:24:19 +0000

Hello all,
This is to let you and any class that you teach know that on Tuesday, March 31, from 3:30 -4:30 there will be a scenography exhibit in the Rot. The exhibit is an exploration of scenographic interaction, developed out of Pamela Howard’s observation that scenography begins from the actor and proceeds outwards.. so the members of the Scenography and Its History class have set up several interactive exhibits for you to experience. The briefness is meant to overlap classes in our departmental schedule. The exhibits are joyful … so if you have a moment… come engage with us.

With a warm invitation.
Natalie Rewa

Wendy Crewson’s note

theprof — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:11:11 +0000

* * *

Wendy Crewson sent the following note after her visit last week, and asked me to pass it along. You made quite the impression on her:

“I had a truly wonderful time… and was so impressed and inspired by your students. Thank them please for making me feel so welcome. I’m looking forward to great things from them”

This week’s videos now up

theprof — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:04:39 +0000

I have updated the Screenings page to include the videos and websites that we will discuss on Wednesday. I have divided the videos into several categories, but I think that there are other ways we can categorize them, so think about commonalities and differences when you watch them. I am particularly interested in how these sites and videos speak to their audience(s) — the theatre we have discussed so far assumes a live audience, but the relationship changes when videos are meant to be consumed on the internet in private, or shared through other forms of technology. See you on Wednesday!

NO Screening tonight

theprof — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:33:12 +0000

I’m cancelling the screening tonight because 1) I am sick and 2) it’s easy to watch everything at home. I will update the Screenings page later today so that you can watch the videos online before class on Wednesday. I look forward to our last day together – it should prove to be a very interesting class.

Films for course

theprof — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:38:54 +0000

ALL films for the course will be at the Drama desk for sign out until the exam is over. This includes Perfect Pie and Twilight Los Angeles, which were not previously available. Happy viewing.

Handing in late papers

theprof — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 17:22:53 +0000

You are welcome to hand late papers to me during class time, or to submit them to the Drama desk. If you choose the latter option, you must submit the paper to an attendant who will sign and date it. The office is open M-F, 9am-3:45pm. I will continue to accept papers up to and including our last class, on Wednesday April 1, 2009. After that point, I will not accept any more papers.

Hitchcock Essay: Q&A #1

theprof — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 18:18:41 +0000

Q: When I am referring to characters and events, need I mention which of the two films in which said character/event is featured? I will, of course, indicate in the essay that I am speaking about both “The Thirty-Nine Steps” and “The Lady Vanishes”, but must I always be writing things like: “Consider, for instance, the performance of Mr. Memory at the Music Hall in ‘The Thirty-Nine Steps’”, or can I assume sufficient familiarity with the films’ content on the part of the reader, and drop the “in The Thirty-Nine Steps”?

A: In terms of style and clarity, you should clarify the film the first time you mention a character, but you need not mention the film name every subsequent time you mention the character. There are exceptions, of course: if you are talking about one film for an extended period of time and then throw in something about the other film, it makes sense to highlight your change. Your basic aim is to make sure the reader can follow you, without repeating things unnecessarily!

2009 Dunning Trust Lecture

theprof — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:11:04 +0000

What: “After the Humanities,” by Marjorie Garber (Harvard University)
When: Thursday March 19, 5:30pm
Where: Ellis Auditorium
Sponsored by the departments of Women’s Studies, Cultural Studies, Drama, and Film & Media
See Poster for more detail