Graduate Studies
Graduate Studies in Theatre
The Department of Theatre & Dance offers a Master of Arts degree with emphases in directing, history and criticism, and playwriting. Students have the option of a research thesis or a creative project, with a choice of fields in which to minor or take related courses
The overall mission of the graduate program is to provide high quality experiences for students who intend to teach at the secondary or college level, to continue graduate education at the doctoral level, or to seek a career in community or professional theatre. In pursuit of that mission, the members of the Theatre faculty are dedicated to the following objectives:
• To provide a stimulating and creative environment in which students may deepen their aesthetic experience, and to provide studies in a broad range of theatre skills and principles.
• To preserve in living form the great heritage of dramatic literature and to encourage experimentation in new forms and ideas of staging.
• To make a significant cultural impact on the campus and throughout the region served by the University.
Overview of the City and the University
San Marcos is located at the foot of the Hill Country in south-central Texas. The city enjoys the advantages of its relatively small size (approximately 35,000 population) with easy access on Interstate 35 to San Antonio (50 miles) and Austin (30 miles). It is only a three-hour drive to Houston and a little over four hours to Dallas and Fort Worth. San Marcos also benefits from a moderate climate and the beauty of the region's tree-covered hills and scenic rivers.Texas State University was founded in 1899 and currently has an enrollment of over 28,000 students. The Department of Theatre is one of the largest in the State, with approximately 330 undergraduates and 20 graduate students. There are 21 full-time faculty, 6 full-time staff, and 14 adjunct instructors.
Facilities
The Department of Theatre is housed in the beautiful and distinctive Theatre Center. The multi-million-dollar Center contains two theatres that provide for a variety of production styles. In addition, the Center houses completely equipped scene and costume shops, a computer drafting laboratory, a video editing laboratory, 21 offices, 7 classrooms with seating for 30 to 110 students, and extensive audio-visual resources for both research and teaching.For research, the Alkek Library houses over one million holdings including 5000 periodicals, an extensive computer laboratory, and a wide variety of cassettes, films and microform materials.
Admission Procedures
Students who wish to enroll in the graduate Theatre program should contact the Theatre Graduate Advisor at the earliest opportunity.An application for admission to the Graduate School, together with two transcripts for all college-level courses, must be submitted to the Graduate Office by June 15. June 1 is the deadline for international students.
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) should be taken early enough so that the score can be received by the Graduate Office prior to admission.
Students are expected to have a minimum of 24 undergraduate hours in theatre. These should include hours in acting, stagecraft, theatre history and literature.
In addition, prospective students should submit a letter of intent, detailing proposed area of specialty and related background information, along with two letters of recommendation to the Theatre Graduate Advisor.
As soon as the student has chosen an area of emphasis in theatre, the Theatre Graduate Advisor will prepare an official degree plan listing all course requirements for the degree.
Financial Assistance
Scholarships of $500 to $1000 per year are available for tuition and fees through the Department of Theatre. A single application, due in early March, covers all departmental scholarships. Scholarships are also available to qualified students on a competitive basis through the Graduate College. Information on graduate scholarships is available through the Texas State University’s Graduate College website.A limited number of assistantships (approximately 8) will be available each school year. Graduate assistants may be assigned to assist with the Introduction to the Fine Arts classes, to help with departmental publicity, to work in scenery or costumes shops, or to serve as box office manager or house manager.
Assistantships are normally granted for a nine-month school year and carry a stipend of approximately $10,000. A few summer assistantships are sometimes available with a stipend of approximately $750 for one five-week session. Assistantship recipients are reviewed each semester. The assistantships are normally continued for two years if the student is in good standing with the Graduate School and performing assigned duties satisfactorily. Out-of-state tuition is waived for graduate assistants, but all students pay the Texas-resident fees.
The normal course load for graduate students employed by the Department is 9 to 12 hours. The minimum load is 6 hours of regularly scheduled courses in the major field, in addition to any individual projects such as thesis or special problems.
Students who wish to apply for a graduate assistantship may obtain an application form from the Theatre Graduate Advisor. Most assistantships are assigned in April for the fall semester.
The Financial Aid office is also available to help students in obtaining loans and grants. Information on loan and grant options is available through the Texas State University Financial Aid website.
Thesis
Students who expect to write a thesis should begin considering possible topics soon after their first semester of graduate work. The first step after meeting with the graduate advisor is to prepare a thesis proposal. The graduate advisor will then consult with the student regarding the thesis committee. The thesis will be directed by a faculty member whose specialization includes the area of the thesis topic. Another member of the Theatre faculty will serve as the second reader, and the third reader will come from the student's minor or cognate field. The six hours of thesis credit are normally taken over two semesters.Creative Project
Students whose emphasis is directing may apply to complete a creative project instead of a research thesis. Creative projects involve directing a play. The first step is to consult with the advisor in one's area of emphasis. If a project can be identified with the advisor, the student will prepare a written proposal that must be approved by a faculty committee. When the proposal meets with the committee's approval the student's advisor presents the proposal to the theatre faculty. Directing proposals are usually submitted a year in advance of the production date. The faculty may approve or disapprove a proposal, or they may require revisions and re-submission. Creative projects in directing are usually produced during the regular academic year and not during the summers.If the proposal is accepted by the faculty, the student's advisor and committee will guide the student and evaluate the creative project upon its completion. Students will write a detailed report on the preparation and execution of the project. A copy of this report will be bound and filed with the Department.
Directing students take TH 5398 when they are directing an approved final project. Graduate productions are laboratory experiences. Although the public is normally invited to the performances, the productions are primarily intended as learning experiences in which expenses and publicity are definitely limited. Students who are responsible for staging productions must be certain that all arrangements for the production s are approved by the faculty supervisor.
Minor or Cognate Hours
A minimum of six hours outside the Department of Theatre or in a different emphasis is required. Not all departments offer graduate programs (consult the Graduate Bulletin). If a student does not have sufficient undergraduate hours in a minor field, additional background hours may be required by the department offering that minor. Students may take hours in a cognate area (such as art, speech or English literature) without the requirements of background hours. It is also possible to take cognate hours within the Department of Theatre in a different area of emphasis, subject to the approval of the graduate advisor. Possible cognate areas within the Department include dramaturgy, directing, playwriting, stage management, and Shakespeare studies (through the Texas at Stratford summer study abroad course).Summer Program
Relatively few graduate theatre courses are offered during the two summer sessions. Normally, Directing Styles (5366) and Directing Theatre Activities (5320) are offered during the first and second sessions. During some summers Scene Design (5357) and Playwriting (5354) may be offered. In addition, the Texas at Stratford study abroad course offers an opportunity to fulfill 6 hours of graduate credit though a Shakespeare intensive. Otherwise, the summer sessions provide an opportunity to take courses in one's minor field; and for those students who are already in the program, the summers can be used effectively for research on a thesis or creative project.Areas of Emphasis: General Information
The Theatre Graduate Advisor coordinates the program and serves as the general advisor for all graduate Theatre students. Within each area of emphasis (directing, history-criticism, or playwriting), there will usually be another faculty member who will serve as the student's advisor for that particular area. Students should consult regularly with both advisors in order to be sure that all requirements for the degree are being completed on schedule.Students who emphasize directing may do a creative project if it can be worked into the season schedule. A creative project in directing normally involves the direction of a full-length production and the writing of a detailed analysis of the production's preparation. A research thesis in the area of directing may be more appropriate for some students, including those for whom daily commuting in order to direct a full-length production would not be feasible.
The history-criticism emphasis is especially recommended for students who plan to go into a doctoral program after completing their master's degree. A research thesis is part of the history-criticism degree plan. Some history-criticism students choose to specialize in production dramaturgy. Students who choose the dramaturgy specialization complete assignments as dramaturgs on Mainstage productions, and assemble a dramaturgical production book and production archive as part of their written thesis.
Entry into the playwriting program is dependent upon evidence of sufficient ability in this area. Prospective students are encouraged to submit samples of their writing at the time of application. These materials should be sent directly to the Graduate Advisor.
Production Activity
There are ample opportunities for participation both onstage and backstage in all productions. Production activity outside of course requirements or creative projects is not required of graduate students, and it is recommended that students become familiar with the pace of graduate studies before taking on voluntary production commitments.
Graduation Procedures
During registration for the final semester of graduate work, students should apply for their degree. (See the Graduate Bulletin for deadlines on this application.)When the student's advisor considers the thesis or creative project report to be completed satisfactorily, a date for the comprehensive examination will be set. The three-member examining committee consists of the project or thesis advisor, a professor from the student’s cognate, and a theatre professor who has taught the student or is otherwise familiar with the student’s work. Typically, the comprehensive exam consists of two hours of oral questioning. The first hour covers content related to the student’s coursework; the second hour concerns discussion of the student’s thesis or final creative project. The report on successful completion of the comprehensive examination must be filed at the Graduate Office no later than ten days prior to commencement.
Graduate Program in Directing
The graduate program in directing at Texas State University is a two-year course of study (36-39 hours) leading to a Master of Arts degree. It includes both theoretical and practical courses as well as the option of a research thesis or a creative project. Students enter the program in the fall semester.I. Basic Plan (15 hours)
5301 Drama Research
5367 Dramatic Theory and Criticism
5357 Scene Design
6 hours from:
5365 Backgrounds of Modern Drama
5371 Classical and Renaissance Theatre
5369 Contemporary World Theatre and Drama
II. Minor or Cognate (6 hours)
6 hours in a different emphasis or 6 hours outside the Department of Theatre.
III. Options (Students in directing must choose one of the two options below.)
A. Creative Project Option (18 hours)
12 hours of directing:
5364 Stage Directing -or- 5363 Directing for Film and Television
5366 Directing Styles -or- 5320 Directing Theatre Activities
5377 Studies in Advanced Theatre Directing
5387 Directing Practicum
5330 Stage Management
5398 Final Creative Project
39 hours total
B. Thesis Option (15 hours)
9 hours of directing:
5320 Directing Theatre Activities
5364 Stage Directing -or- 5377 Studies in Advanced Theatre Directing
5366 Directing Styles -or- 5387 Directing Practicum
5399A Thesis in Directing
5399B Thesis in Directing
36 hours total
Graduate Program in Theatre History and Dramatic Criticism
The graduate program in theatre history and dramatic criticism at Texas State University is a thirty-hour course of study leading to a Master of Arts degree. It is especially appropriate for those who plan to continue graduate studies in a Ph.D. program. Students enter the program in the fall semester.I. Basic Plan (18 hours)
5301 Drama Research
5372 Dramaturgy
5365 Backgrounds of Modern Drama
5367 Dramatic Theory and Criticism
5371 Classical and Renaissance Theatre
5369 Contemporary World Theatre and Drama
II. Minor or Cognate (6 hours)
6 hours in a different emphasis or 6 hours outside the Department of Theatre.
III. Thesis (6 hours)
5399A Thesis in Theatre History or Dramatic Criticism
5399B Thesis in Theatre History or Dramatic Criticism
30 hours total
Graduate Program in Playwriting
The graduate program in playwriting at Texas State University is a thirty-hour course of study leading to a Master of Arts degree. The playwriting thesis usually entails writing an original full-length play which is typically produced by the Department, and completion of a written paper detailing the writing and production processes. Students enter the program in the fall semester.I. Basic Play
5301 Drama Research
6 hours of Theatre History chosen from
5365 Background of Modern Drama; 5369 Contemporary World Theatre and Drama; 5371 Classical and Renaissance Drama
5367 Dramatic Theory
5354 Playwriting
5360 Problems in Theatre: Playwriting
5399A Thesis
5399B Thesis
II. Minor or cognate (6 hours)
Six hours in a different emphasis or hours outside the Department of Theatre.
Graduate Theatre Courses
5301 Drama ResearchAn examination of problems and research techniques in drama. Historical, critical, descriptive, and experimental research approaches will be surveyed and basic procedures in research report writing will be considered. This course should be taken during the first fall semester of a student's graduate program.
5320 Directing Theatre Activities
Designed to assist any teacher in directing theatre activities. Typically the course is taught as the summer high school theatre workshop and involves the directing of a one-act play. May be repeated with different emphasis.
5338 Advanced Stage Lighting
Graduate Lighting Design is a continuation of the principles covered in Lighting Design (undergraduate). This course will concentrate primarily on the aesthetics of stage lighting, and will cover such topics as: viewer psychological and physiological responses as they pertain to visual perception; color; script analysis; use of light in creating both static and dynamic visual compositions; development and graphic representation of a theatrical lighting design. May be repeated with different emphasis. Prerequisite: TH 2338.
5345 Advanced Studies in Costume Design
Principles and elements of theatrical costume design. Includes experience in utilizing various rendering techniques in solving the costume problems for entire productions.
May be repeated for credit provided that the student's major emphasis is costume.
Graduate Theatre Courses
5347 Advanced Costume ConstructionA graduate course on the advanced level that studies the construction of costumes for the stage. Advanced techniques in sewing, pattern drafting/design as well as accessories/ crafts construction is included.
5349 Studies in Advanced Technical Theatre Production Techniques
A study of advanced contemporary staging, construction, and lighting techniques, with attention given to the use of operating theatre equipment. Practical experience in university productions is required for one semester.
May be repeated with different emphasis.
5355 Scene Painting
Theory and practice of scene and costume painting as developed in the Italian Renaissance and continuing into new media available today.
May be repeated with different emphasis.
5356 Advanced Theatre Drafting
A study of computer drafting techniques and procedures used in the preparation of design and technical drawings for theatrical scenery, costumes, and lighting.
5357 Scene Design
Seminar on design, emphasizing presentation and justification of executed renderings or models for selected plays. Emphasis on styles of staging, settings, lighting and proprieties, and their relationship to the complete production. May be repeated with different emphasis.
5360 Problems in Theatre
Designed to give supervised experience to qualified advanced students in theatre history, playwriting, directing, acting, technical, or other theatre problems. Research problems or actual production problems may be chosen. May be repeated with different emphasis.
5363 Directing for Film and Television
An in-depth examination of directing theories and procedures for film and television with practical exercises.
May be repeated with different emphasis.
5364 Stage Directing
Development of skills in analysis, research, staging, and production, with practical experience provided by directing scenes.
5365 Backgrounds of Modern Drama
An analysis of those developments in dramatic literature that formed the basis of modern drama. Primary emphasis will be on European and American theatre from 1850 to World War II.
5366 Directing Styles
A study of directing different dramatic styles. Students will direct a one-act play during regular semesters.
Prerequisite: TH 5364 or permission of instructor.
5367 Dramatic Theory and Criticism
The study of dramatic theory and criticism from Aristotle to the present.
Required of all theatre majors.
5369 Contemporary World Theatre and Drama
Studies of patterns and trends in world theatre from World War II to the present.
Graduate Theatre Courses
5370 Studies in Advanced Creative Dramatics for ChildrenStudies of the methods of creative dramatics and their use in the classroom. Attention is given to creativity and creative teaching.
May be repeated with different emphasis.
5371 Classical and Renaissance Drama
Seminar in Greek, French Neoclassical, and English Renaissance theatre, with intensive examinations of selected works by Sophocles, Euripides, Shakespeare, and Marlowe. Primary focus will be on analysis of the plays as performance texts, and on the historical cultural environments in which the plays were created and first performed.
5372 Theory and Practice of Dramaturgy
Study of the practical application of historical research and textual analysis in the production of period plays and new works. Emphasis is upon the dramaturg as an instrument of collaboration between members of the artistic team and as a facilitator of audience outreach.
5377 Studies in Advanced Theatre Directing
A study of directors, theories, and problems of directing in the contemporary theatre.
May be repeated with different emphasis.
5387 Directing Practicum
Study of and experience in choosing, preparing, and directing a theatre production from analysis to performance.
May be repeated with different emphasis.
5397 Diagnostic Creative Project
To be taken in the first year of graduate training. This project involves the design of a relatively simple theatrical production that is produced by the University Theatre. Complete production plans are prepared under faculty guidance, followed by faculty evaluation and debriefing after production. Requires department approval.
5398 Final Creative Project
To be taken the last year of training. This project requires the student to direct or design a major University Theatre production. The student must demonstrate mastery of directing or design discipline. A faculty committee must approve a complete written report of the project. The report is a part of the final examination for the degree of Master of Arts in Theatre for students in Directing as well as Design and Technology.
5399A Thesis.
This course represents a student's initial thesis enrollment. No thesis credit is awarded until the student has completed the thesis in TH 5399B.
5399B Thesis.
This course represents a student's continuing thesis enrollments. The student continues to enroll in this course until the thesis is submitted for binding.
Theatre Faculty
Bishop, Paige, Senior Lecturer, Acting for Stage and Film.B.F.A., M.F.A., University of Texas at Austin.
Charlton, Debra, Director of Graduate Studies, Dramaturgy.
B.F.A., Texas State University; M.A., Ph. D. University of Texas at Austin.
Copeland, Tom, Lecturer, Business of Film, Film Development
B.A., Texas State University
Costello, Michael, Head of Acting, Directing for the Stage.
B.F.A., Virginia Commonwealth University; M.F.A., Southern Methodist University.
Fleming, John, Chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance, Theatre History.
B.S., University of Wisconsin at Madison; M.A., Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin.
Grogan, Melissa, Assistant Professor, Vocal Coach
B.F.A., Texas State University; M.F.A. University of North Carolina--Greensboro
Hargett, Sheila, Professor, Costume Designer.
B.A., Texas State University; M.A., Louisiana State University; M.F.A., Southern Methodist University.
Hood, John Robert, Senior Lecturer, Playwriting
B.F.A. Vanderbilt University; M.F.A. Yale University
Jennings, J. Jay, Senior Lecturer, Movement and Acting for the Stage.
B.S., Texas A&I University; M.A., Texas State University.
Lane, Laura, Senior Lecturer, Acting for the Stage.
B.S., University of North Texas; M.A. Texas Women’s University; M.F.A., American Conservatory Theater
Lee, Eugene, Artist in Residence.
B.A., Texas State University
Mayo, Sandra, Associate Professor, Ethnic Theatre, Director of Center for Multicultural and Gender Studies.
B.S., M.A., State University College at Buffalo, N.Y.; Ph.D., Syracuse University.
McCroom, Darren, Assistant Professor, Lighting Design.
B.F.A., Rockford College
Michell, Monica, Senior Lecturer, Head of Teacher Education and Child Drama.
B..A., University of California, Irvine; M.F.A., University of Texas at Austin.
Mozon, Nadine, Assistant Professor, Movement, Acting for the Stage.
B.A., University of Hartford- Connecticut; M.F.A. American Conservatory Theater
Ney, Charles, Professor, Acting and Directing for the Stage.
B.F.A., Illinois Wesleyan University; M.F.A., Southern Methodist University;
Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Ney, Michelle, Professor, Head of Design and Technology.
B.F.A., University of Illinois; M.F.A., University of Texas at Austin.
Pascoe, Charles, Professor, Head of Child Drama.
B.S.Ed., U. of North Dakota; M.S., Colorado State University; Ph.D., Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.
Peeler, William R., Professor, Introduction to Fine Arts
B.A., Texas State University; M.F.A., University of Mississippi.
Smith, Shane K., Assistant Professor, Technical Director
B.F.A., Texas State University; M.F.A. Yale University
Sodders, Richard, Professor, Directing for Film and Stage.
B.S.Ed., Texas State University; M.A., Ph.D., Louisiana State University.
Theatre Staff
Patton, Annie, Administrative Assistant III
Smith, Lori, Administrative Assistant I
Foglia, Sandra, Dance Administrative Assistant
Markus, Dwight, Scene Shop Supervisor
Jones, Lindsay, Costume Shop Manager
Khosh-Khui, Homa, Costume Cutter/Draper
Basic List of Plays
The Department of Theatre & Dance will assume that all theatre majors have read this basic list of plays before completing their graduate degree at Texas State University:The Oresteia by Aeschylus
Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus
and Antigone by Sophocles
Medea or The Bacchae or The Trojan Women
by Euripides
Lysistrata by Aristophanes
The Menaechmi by Plautus
The Second Sheperd's Play (Anon.)
Everyman (Anon.)
Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
King Lear by Shakespeare
A Shakespearean comedy
A Shakespearean chronicle play
Volpone by Ben Jonson
The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster
The Cid by Pierre Corneille
Phaedra by Jean Racine
Tartuffe or The Imaginary Invalid by Moliere
The Country Wife by William Wycherley
or The Way of the World by Congreve
She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith
The School for Scandal by Richard Sheridan
Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand
The Doll's House or Hedda Gabler
by Henrik Ibsen
Miss Julie or The Father by August Strindberg
The Sea Gull or The Cherry Orchard by Chekhov
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
Pygmalion or Saint Joan by George Bernard Shaw
A Dream Play by August Strindberg
or From Morn to Midnight by Georg Kaiser
or The Adding Machine by Elmer Rice
Six Characters in Search of An Author
by Luigi Pirandello
Juno and the Paycock or The Plough and the Stars
by Sean O'Casey
Blood Wedding or The House of Bernarda Alba
by Federico Garcia Lorca
Our Town by Thornton Wilder
Mother Courage or The Good Woman of Setzuan
by Bertolt Brecht
Long Day's Journey into Night
by Eugene O'Neill
The Glass Menagerie or Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
by Tennessee Williams
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee
"Master Harold " . . . and the Boys by Athol Fugard
Fences or The Piano Lesson by August Wilson
Angels in America by Tony Kushner
How I Learned To Drive by Paula Vogel
For Further Information
We have tried to provide a general description of the graduate Theatre program, but you may have specific questions about the areas of emphasis, policies , or procedures. The people listed below are available to answer your questions.Director of Graduate Studies in Theatre:
Dr. Debra Charlton
Department of Theatre & Dance
Texas State University
601 University Drive
San Marcos, TX 78666
512-245-2147
DC21@txstate.edu
Chair, Department of Theatre:
Dr. John Fleming
Department of Theatre & Dance
Texas State University
601 University Drive
San Marcos, TX 78666
512-245-2147
JF18@txstate.edu
University Graduate Admissions:
The Graduate College
Texas State University-San Marcos
601 University Drive
San Marcos, TX 78666
512-245-2581