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College of Fine Arts and Communication Department of Theatre and Dance
Texas State College of Fine Arts and Communication Department of Theatre and Dance Graduate Degrees MFA Theatre, Directing The Curriculum

The Curriculum

MFA Directing Course Descriptions

TH 5342 MFA Studio 1

Working with Actors. Explore various methods for working with actors on several scenes.

TH 5302 Textual Analysis, Research & Interpretation

Examine ways to analyze and research a text; discuss issues in interpretation.

TH 5343 MFA Studio 2

Rehearse and perform plays from 20th and 21st century. Depending on student background, past classes have directed one acts/scenes from Tennessee Williams, Pinter, and Brecht. Discuss scheduling and staging issues.

TH 5312 Director/Designer Collaboration

Develop collaboration skills for working with designers - taken with MFA designers in a combined class culminating in a fully executed project.

Year 2

TH 5352 MFA Studio 3

Rehearse and perform the work of late 19th century/early 20th century playwrights. Past classes have included Ibsen and Chekhov. The course includes initiating career planning.

TH 5303 Conceptualization and Composition

Conceive and develop concepts and contexts for production. Students collaborate with designers to conceptualize approaches to a play, an opera and an text adaptation. Each student walks with a portfolio project to pitch upon graduation.

TH 5353 MFA Studio 4

Examine experimental and devised work and direct experimental/devised projects. Weekly directing investigations with a global approach to creating theater. Includes explorations into text, media/technology, and performance.

TH 5313 History of Directing & Scenography

Historical review of directors and designers with particular emphasis on seminal productions.

Year 3

TH 5382 MFA Studio 5

Directing Shakespeare. Investigate contemporary methods and approaches to directing Shakespeare. Jointly held lab classes with senior BFA actors taking a studio Acting Shakespeare course.

TH 5383 MFA Studio 6

Directing Period Styles. Directing multiple periods and styles from the following: Ancient Greek, Restoration, Moliere, Georgian, High Comedy, Farce, Melodrama. Jointly held class with senior BFA actors taking a studio Acting Styles course.

TH 5398 - Final Creative Project

Direct a full -length production with our fullest support and highest budgets in one of our two largest spaces: the Harrison Theatre or the Mainstage Theatre.

TH5340 Internship

Get credit for working in a professional situation as a director or assistant director. (may be repeated for credit)

 

Electives:

TH 5323 Shakespeare Through Performance (England Study Abroad) 3

TH 5324 Shakespeare: Text and Context (England Study Abroad) 3

TH 5330 Stage Management 3

TH 5338 Advanced Stage Lighting 3

TH 5345 Advanced Studies in Costume Design 3

TH 5347 Advanced Costume Construction 3

TH 5354 Playwriting 3

TH 5355 Scene Painting 3

TH 5359 Advanced Screenwriting 3

TH 5360 Problems in Theatre (may be repeated) 3

TH 5361* Oregon Shakespeare Festival Intensive 3

TH 5363 Directing for Film and Television 3

TH 5372 Theory and Practice of Dramaturgy 3

TH 5373 Advanced Film Directing 3

TH 5375 Advanced Playwriting 3

TH 5378 Play Development Lab 3

 

Directing Projects

Students direct at least 5 additional productions. These include:

Year 1 Spring: Direct a full length new play from MFA 2nd year dramatic writing class in a 100 seat theatre.

Year 2 Fall: Direct a full length play in the Studio Theatre (black box).

Year 2 Spring: Direct a full length play in the Studio Theatre.

Year 3 Fall/Spring: Direct a full length play in either the Harrison Theatre or the Mainstage Theatre.

Year 3 Fall/Spring: Opportunity to direct an additional new play.

These productions are in addition to class projects, staged readings, and other opportunities to direct.

Past third year projects have included: Tartuffe, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Ajax in Iraq, Evita ,and Cabaret.