This course will introduce students to the art of developing personal narrative. From full speeches crafted for their presentations to the improv of saluting a wedding, birth or graduation, students gain the confidence to rise to the occasion as needed. Through guided writing exercises and exposure to the works of Nora Ephron, Billie Holiday, and others, students will listen, write and support each other weekly, all while attending select on campus sessions in the Ruth Nagel Jones Theater. Finally, while preparing for a final afternoon of speeches to be offered to the public at the end of the semester, students learn to speak for others, placing their words in context with authenticity and research.

Students are introduced to the fundamentals of contemporary acting, as devised by such stage theoreticians as Constantine Stanislavsky, Lee Strasberg, and Sanford Meisner. Instruction focuses on the proper methods for breaking scenes down into component units or "beats," and achieving a measure of authenticity discernible in person or through the camera lens.   Students perform with a rotating roster of partners, emphasizing group learning and mutual support in the pursuit of an individual acting aesthetic. It is intended for any and all levels of experience.

Think outside the box! Learn the abstract art of scenic design for the theatre and beyond. Students will learn basic drafting, sketching, script analysis and visual research to create a scenic environment for scripts written by THST playwriting students. Students will be taught the artistic and technical skills needed in order to facilitate communication and collaboration with directing and stagecraft students. Students will participate as designers in the Theatre Showcase at the end of the semester.

This course focuses on the study and practice of skills and techniques for the performance of scenes and monologues and the realization of theatrical characters from Shakespeare's texts. Speeches and scenes will be performed for class criticism. The class will be subdivided by instructor according to skill levels. Students are expected to rehearse and prepare scenes outside of class time.

This course offers the advanced students of the theatre arts an opportunity to incorporate the performance, stage management, set design, lighting design, costume design, sound design, and directing disciplines available within the department into one focused and fully-produced project through an immersive investigation of a full-length script. Students will conduct dramaturgical research to contextualize the world of a play, establishing connections among the text, actors, and production elements, and creating a platform for conversation in the Wellesley community. Concurrently, students will implement performance and production techniques, engaging every aspect of the collaborative process of theatre-making.  Actors and stage management will commit to 3+ scheduled rehearsals weekly. Students interested in participating as a designer or stage manager should contact the instructors significantly prior to registration.   Students interested in performance must audition in the first week of each semester - invitations will be issued by the instructors within the add/drop period. The course will culminate with a fully supported public production, to be directed, managed, and advised by Theatre Studies faculty, serving as a capstone of integrated learning in the department. 

Exposing students to the live theatre in the Boston area and encouraging lively discussion of the productions is the focus of this introductory course. Scripts will be read and rigorously analyzed in the classroom. Women's presence in the arts, contemporary issues as seen on stage and the history of theatre in society will all be addressed by the group.The syllabus will be fluid and drawn from classical, musical and contemporary offerings each year. Visiting artists in all the disciplines will augment discussions. Attendance at productions will be arranged for Thursday evenings and paid for by the Theatre Program. This is an opportunity to have a hands on, up close and personal interaction with those who write, design, direct and act in the theatre.

A survey of American Drama that takes a journey through America’s history from the early 20th century to the present. Issues explored will include: family trauma; the American Dream; evolving ideas of race, class, gender and sexuality; and identity. Works will include: Eugene O'Neill’s classic, Long Day's Journey into Night; Edward Albee’s absurdist satire, The American Dream; Lorraine Hansberry’s story of a Black family’s struggle, A Raisin in the Sun; Sam Shepard’s dark story about secrets, Buried Child; Tony Kushner’s meditation on the AIDS era, Angels in America; Melinda Lopez’s story of Cuban emigrés, Sonia Flew; Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer winner about class, race and social inequality, Sweat; the filmed version of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton; and the playwright Celine Song’s film about transcultural romance, Past Lives.

This course invites the developing student of acting to approach the solo interpretation and performance of song as a powerful storytelling medium. In addition to reading, viewing, listening and evaluative assignments, visits by working professional actors in the musical field will enhance our exploration throughout the course. In-class/synchronous master classes rehearsing songs-in-progress should be expected weekly. It is strongly encouraged that students have been exposed to singing technique, which will benefit their work in this course. Students will learn to apply acting philosophies and performance techniques to disentangle the voice from the body and expand their avenues of physical expression, while preparing the imagination through lyrical interpretation and even character development. Students will get the in-joke "do you have an uptempo?" as they learn the constitutive elements of the cabaret genre. Students will propose multi-song plot narratives for an imagined one-person cabaret show, while considering how this underground art provides a liberating space for representation and expression. Each student will ultimately prepare a selection chosen from that envisioned show for public performance.

This course is for the advanced theatre student who aspires to put into practice the collaborative creative and research responsibilities of devising and producing a one-act performance as an ensemble. Enthusiasm and curiosity (but no course prerequisites) required.  In '24-'25, we will focus on creating a piece centered around the theme of climate change. The live performance will be intended for young audiences, and shared in partnership with local organizations. Students will take inspiration from the examples of renowned devised contemporary global theatre companies, whose work we will investigate. Students will learn how to build a production from physical impulse and observation, game, improvisation, research, sound and image collage, group gesture, collaborative writing, and more - and to learn to engage consistently with a scenographic team as co-creators. To prepare our students to become autonomous artists in the world, this course uniquely provides the opportunity to explore the creation of a performance event outside of text-driven modalities. To support this goal, students will receive the technical & training tools, ensemble rehearsal and individual assignments, concurrent critique, and an intensive structure within which to immerse themselves in the exciting devising process.