Course Syllabus

INTRODUCTION TO DESIGN FOR THE THEATRE - TDDE1 Winter 2023

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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SECTION: Teaching Assistant:

A01-Tuesday: 2:00PM-3:20PM Taylor Olson: tkolson@ucsd.edu

A02-Thursday: 10:00AM-11:20AM Harper Justus: hjustus@ucsd.edu

A03- Thursday: 11:30AM-12:50PM Padra Crisafulli: jcrisafulli@ucsd.edu

A04-Friday: 1:00PM-2:20PM Shelby Thach: sthach@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:

For the main design project: "Eurydice" by Sarah Ruhl

For discussion and section exercises:

"Bunny, Bunny" by Raja Feather Kelly
"Blu" by Virginia Grise
"A Flea in Her Ear" by Georges Feydeau

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.

Submissions will be made directly to the T.A. by the designated deadlines. Students may also be expected to contribute to discussions on Canvas.

* Students are required to see the Theatre and Dance Department productions of “Bunny,Bunny" showing Week 5, and “Blu" by Virginia Grise , showing Weeks 8. and 9.

Additional department productions: "The Winter's Tale" and "A Flea in Her Ear" 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

Images to bring to class 10

Character collages 50

3-D environmental collage 50

Initial concept ideas 20

Costumes: initial design ideas 100

Scenery: initial design ideas 100

Lighting: initial design ideas 100

Sound: initial design ideas 100

Individual appointments 20

Section participation

Completed final project 200

Quizzes 200

Written review of one department production:

(two-page paper due) 100

Total 1100 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: "Eurydice" by Sarah Ruhl

Monday, January 9th

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

Wednesday, January 11th

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 1/13.

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

Monday, January 16th

LECTURE: No Lecture: Martin Luther King Holiday

Visual principles of design

Wednesday, January 18th

LECTURE: LECTURE: Quiz+ Discussion: “Eurydice"

SECTION: Present character collages--with written statement

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

READING: TBD

Monday, January 23rd

LECTURE: Visual elements of design continued

Wednesday, January 25th

LECTURE: Developing a design concept | committing to the design process

SECTION: 3-D environmental collage -with written statement

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

Monday, January 30th

LECTURE: Set design

Wednesday, February 1st

LECTURE: The design model as a tool

SECTION: Initial Vision Board due with research images-with written statement.

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

READING: TBD

Monday, February 6th

LECTURE: Costume design

Wednesday, February 8th

LECTURE: Costume design : Drawing character figures

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

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

Monday, February 13th

LECTURE: QUIZ I

Wednesday, February 15th

LECTURE: Lighting design

SECTION: Costume sketches due--with written statement

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

Monday, February 20th

LECTURE: President’s Day Holiday

Wednesday, February 22nd

LECTURE: Sound design

SECTION: Lighting collage due- with written statement

*Schedule individual appointments with your T.A.

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

Monday, February 27th

LECTURE: Design Implementation

Wednesday, March 1st

LECTURE: The final project: methods and materials

SECTION: Schedule individual appointments with your T.A.

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

Monday, March 6th

LECTURE: Final Guidelines

Wednesday, March 8th

LECTURE: Quiz II review

SECTION: Sound design presentations-with written statement

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

Monday, March 13th

LECTURE: Quiz II Review. Design presentation: preparation

Wednesday, March 15th

LECTURE: Quiz II

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

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.