Course Syllabus

 INTRODUCTION TO DESIGN FOR THE THEATRE - TDDE1                                                          Winter 2022

                                                                                   

Instructor:  Mark Guirguis

Lectures:  Monday and Wednesday 3:00 – 3:50PM

Office Hours:  Wednesdays 12-1PM (other hours by appointment)

Galbraith Hall 102.   Phone: 858–822-6708.  E-mail:  mguirguis@ucsd.edu

Theatre and Dance Department Office: located inside Galbraith Hall - grass level, south side

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Discussion sections will meet Via Zoom for the FIRST TWO WEEKS.  You will receive meeting ID and passwords from your T.A.s

SECTION:                                                      Teaching Assistant:                                                               

A01-Tuesday: 2:00PM-3:20PM                Raphael Mishler: rmishler@ucsd.edu

A02-Thursday: 10:00AM-11:20AM         Natalie Barshow: nbarshow@ucsd.edu 

A03- Thursday: 11:30AM-12:50PM         Daniella Toscano: dtoscano@ucsd.edu

A04-Friday: 1:00PM-2:20PM                    Salvador Zamora: sazamora@ucsd.edu 

(TA office hours, contact information, and office/studio room numbers announced in section.)                    

COURSE DESCRIPTION:      

This course is intended to be a survey of contemporary concepts and practices of the theatre design (set, costume, lighting, and sound). It includes reading of plays, introductory design work, visual criticism, and discussion of many studio practices. Students will execute digital models, drawings, as well as use other visual forms of expression to present their design ideas.

READINGS:

  • "No Exit" by Jean-Paul Sartre (for the main design project)

For discussion and section exercises:

  • “Everybody” by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
  • "In the Red and Brown Water" by Tarell Alvin McCraney
  • "Napoli Milionaria!" by Eduardo De Filippo

All readings will be available on Canvas

 

OTHER MATERIALS: 

 

  • Physical materials for collages

                                                                                                                                               

  • TBD: Color medium for rendering projects

 

  • All materials will be discussed in class and information provided on Canvas

 

  • All worksheets and templates will be available on Canvas

 

 

PAPERS / DISCUSSIONS:

 

*All handed-in papers must be typed. 

 

*Students are expected to participate in discussion sections.

 

*Those students who are participating asynchronously will be expected to submit written comments on their fellow student’s work. Submissions will be made directly to the T.A. by the designated deadlines.  Students will also be expected to contribute to discussions on Canvas.

 

* Students are required to see the Theatre and Dance Department productions of “Everybody”by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, showing weeks 6 and 7, and “Napoli Milionaria!” by Eduardo De Filippo , showing weeks 9.and 10  

Additional department productions: “The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity”, “In the Red and Brown Water”, and "WInterWORKS" are highly recommended.

*Opening dates and viewing details will be announced.

 

PROJECTS ARE DUE EACH WEEK IN SECTION: GUIDELINES ARE EXPLAINED IN LECTURE.

FINAL PROJECT –FINISHED DIGITAL MODEL & COSTUME RENDERINGS+LIGHTING CONCEPT

This is a script-based project. Complete instructions are going to be discussed in lecture

 

*Students are responsible for keeping their research images throughout the quarter.  These will be potentially uploaded with the final project. Keep all research images that you collect throughout the quarter.

 

REVIEW OF GRADING                                                      

Character collages                                                                                50

3-D environmental collage                                                                  50      

Initial concept ideas                                                                             50

Costumes: initial design ideas                                                          100

Scenery: initial design ideas                                                             100

Lighting: initial design ideas                                                             100

Sound: initial design ideas                                                                100

Individual appointments                                                                     50

Section participation                                                                        100

Completed final project                                                                    200

Quizzes                                                                                               200

Written review of one department production:

(two-page paper due)                                                                         100             

 

Total                                                                                                   1200 points

 

100 - 90 % = A+ - A-             

89 - 80 % = B+ - B-

79 - 70 % = C+ - C-

69 - 60% = D+ - D-

59 -0% = F

 

Check your grading option. The department does not approve retroactive grading options.

PASS/NO PASS students must complete all assignments, exams, etc, and must have a passing grade of a solid C.  No exceptions.

Attendance is very important. One unexcused absence drops your grade 1 grade point (i.e. A to an A-). Two unexcused tardies equals one absence.

-Projects handed in late will automatically receive a 25% penalty.

ATTENDANCE:

Participation in section discussions is expected.

This is a highly visually oriented class.  Use of images & other presentations during lectures provides essential information for development of individual projects.  This information cannot be obtained without attending/viewing lectures and sections. 

One unexcused absence (synchronous or asynchronous) drops your grade 1 grade point (i.e. A to an A-). Two unexcused tardies equals one absence.

 

 

WEEKLY CALENDAR OF TOPICS AND ASSIGNMENTS (subject to modification)

TDDE 1 - Introduction to Design for the Theatre

WINTER 2022

 

WEEK 1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

READING:  "No Exit" by Jean-Paul Sartre

Monday, January 3rd

LECTURE:       Introduction to class, organization of sections, introduction to projects, papers, and readings                     

Wednesday, January 5th

LECTURE:       Role of the theatre designer, Visual elements of design.

SECTION:      

 All sections meet this week at scheduled times- Collect shapes, colors, textures that reflect you personally. (aim for at least 6-8 things). Compose all of these into a collage.  Be ready to share these in section.  Take a picture of your final collage with a brief statement to upload on Canvas by End of Day on Friday 1/7.

 

WEEK 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Monday, January 10th

LECTURE:        Quiz+ Discussion: “No Exit”

 Visual principles of design

Wednesday, January 12th    

LECTURE:       Elements and principles of design: continued                  

SECTION:       Present character collages--with written statement

                                               

WEEK 3 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

READING:  “Everybody” by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins

Monday, January 17th

LECTURE:        No Lecture: Martin Luther King Holiday                                           

Wednesday, January 19th                                                                

LECTURE:        Developing a design concept | Using SketchUp as a design tool

SECTION:       3-D environmental collage -with written statement

              

WEEK 4-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday, January 24th

LECTURE:       Set design    

Wednesday, January 25th

LECTURE:       Using SketchUp

SECTION:       Initial Concept collage due with research images-with written statement. 

 

WEEK 5---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

READING:   "In the Red and Brown Water" by Tarell Alvin McCraney

Monday, January 31st

LECTURE:       Costume design 

Wednesday, February 2nd

LECTURE:       Costume design : Drawing character figures                                               

SECTION:       Initial Scenic design due for discussion -with written statement

 

WEEK 6----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday, February 7th

LECTURE:       QUIZ I

Wednesday, February 9th

LECTURE:       Lighting design

SECTION:       Costume sketches due--with written statement

*See “Everybody” this week.

 

WEEK 7------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday, February 14th         

LECTURE:       President’s Day Holiday

Wednesday, February 15th   

LECTURE:       Sound design

SECTION:       Lighting collage due- with written statement

*Schedule individual appointments with your T.A.

*See “Everybody” this week.

 

WEEK 8 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

READING:  "Napoli Milionaria!" by Eduardo De Filippo

Monday, February 21st        

LECTURE:       Design Implementation

Wednesday, February 23rd   

LECTURE:       The final project: methods and materials

SECTION:       Schedule individual appointments with your T.A.

 

WEEK 9------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday, February 28th

LECTURE:       Final Guidelines

Wednesday, March 2nd       

LECTURE:       Quiz II review

SECTION:       Sound design presentations-with written statement

See "Napoli Milionaria!" this week

 

WEEK 10--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday, March 7th               

LECTURE:       Quiz II Review. Design presentation: preparation

Wednesday, March 9th        

LECTURE:      Quiz II

SECTION:       All sections meet for final presentations: final project due

See "Napoli Milionaria!" this week

 

FINAL--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday, 3/16/2022

3:00 PM-5:59PM         Final presentations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Office for Student with Disabilities

 

Students requesting accommodations and services for this course due to a disability need to provide a current Authorization for Accommodation (AFA) letter issued by the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) prior to eligibility for requests.  Receipt of AFAs in advance is necessary for appropriate planning for the provision of reasonable accommodations.  OSD Academic Liaisons also need to receive current AFA letters if there are any changes to accommodations.  For additional information, contact the Office for Students with Disabilities:  858-534-4382 (V); 959.534.9709 (TTY) – reserved for people who are deaf or hard of hearing; or email: osd@ucsd.edu.  For more, see:  http://disabilities.ucsd.edu.

 

 

 

Standards of Academic Integrity

 

Each student is responsible to know and observe the UCSD rules concerning academic integrity and plagiarism.  Familiarize yourselves and be cognizant of your responsibilities and rights under the UCSD Policy on Integrity of Scholarship:

http://senate.ucsd.edu/manual/appendices/appendix2.pdf

Your responsibilities and rights under the UCSD Student Code of Conduct can be found at: http://ugr8.ucsd.edu/judicial/22_00.html.  

A student found to have violated the university’s academic integrity standards will be subject to penalties ranging from failing the assignment or course to suspension or expulsion from the university, and an academic misconduct charge will be noted on your academic record.  If you have any questions about what constitutes plagiarism and how to avoid it, or how to credit the work of others properly, or how to evaluate sources for quality and reliability, or about any other pertinent issue, speak with your professor or TA.  Ignorance of these standards will not be accepted as justification for their violation, so be sure to understand and abide by them.