Faculty Syllabus

DRAM-1310 Theater Appreciation

Carrie Kaplan


Credit Spring 2026

Section(s)

DRAM-1310-007 (28657)
LEC MW 3:00pm - 4:20pm HLC HLC1 1306.00

DRAM-1310-017 (48172)
LEC MW 5:00pm - 6:20pm HLC HLC1 2405

DRAM-1310-019 (48173)
LEC TuTh 5:00pm - 6:20pm HLC HLC1 2403

Course Requirements

  1. Course Work:

Preparation and Participation: This course is all about participation and discussion of foundational texts and ideas. Thoughtful and consistent participation is a very important part of the class. If you were not usually the one to participate in class discussion in the past, don’t worry, this is a supportive group where you will get an opportunity to practice participating. For each text we’ll discuss, I’ve crafted Study Questions that you’ll get to choose from and answer before class. Thinking through these study questions will help you prepare to participate in the class discussion more easily.

    1.  All course readings marked in the syllabus should be read prior to class. Read carefully, take notes and come to class prepared to discuss and apply the material. Homework is assigned to make sure you are completing the readings prior to class, to give you the chance to organize your thoughts, and to provide ample opportunity for students who may not feel comfortable speaking in front of large groups to express their thoughts and opinions. You are expected to use class time to pay active attention and take notes during lecture portions, contribute to discussions and take part in any application exercises.
    2. Blackboard posts: Students will submit answers discussion questions prior to our in class discussion. Posts must be 200 words in length to receive credit, minus any quoted material. Students must also pose a question of their own for our discussion.
    3. Project 1 Design SKM: Working in pairs, students will complete a character analysis and then translate it in to a visual costume design for their character(s). Students will also submit a reflection on their process.
    4. Project 2: Directing: students will create a pitch deck for a contemporary adaptation of one of the plays we watch/study in the history unit
    5. Project 3: Students will create a presentation on a piece of popular culture they love (or hate) that connects to the tradition of early popular culture discussed in lecture. They will show a clip/recording or visual and discuss its lineage and implications in current society. A reflection is also required.
    6. Project 4 live play attendance : Students will attend one live performance and write a short review using the terminology and ideas from lecture (see Blackboard for full assignment). Students MUST attach a program and ticket to the essay. Essays are due within 3 class periods of production attendance (either at ACC or in the Austin community)
    7. Extra Credit: Students may attend a second play/write a second review to gain up to an additional 50 points.

Readings

All readings (required and supplemental) will be available on blackboard. Students are required to attend one play of their own choosing (ticket/transportation are the only cost for this course) and may attend an additional production for extra credit.

Course Subjects

Unit 1: Plays on the Page and in Production

Unit 2: Theater Histories

Unit 3: Popular Culture

Unit 4: Contemporary Theater/Theater for Social Change

Student Learning Outcomes/Learning Objectives

LEARNING OUTCOMES: 

For Austin Community College:  Upon completion of the general education component of an associate’s degree, students will demonstrate competence in:

1.  Civic Awareness:  Analyzing and critiquing competing perspectives in a democratic society.

2.  Critical Thinking:  Gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and applying information.

3.  Cultural Awareness:  Comparing, contrasting, and interpreting differences and commonalities among peoples, ideas, aesthetic traditions, and cultural practices.

4.  Ethical Reasoning:  Identifying and applying ethical principles and practices.

5.  Interpersonal Skills:  Interacting collaboratively to achieve common goals.

6.  Life / Personal Skills:  Demonstrating effective learning, creative thinking, and personal responsibility.

7.  Quantitative & Empirical Reasoning:  Applying mathematical, logical and scientific principles and methods.

8.  Technology Skills:  Using appropriate technology to retrieve, manage, analyze, and present information.

9.  Written, Oral & Visual Communication:  Communicating effectively, adapting to purpose, structure, audience, and medium.

 

For the Department of Drama:  The purpose of Austin Community College’s Drama Program, playing its part in seeking to support the overall mission of Austin Community College, is to provide students with the opportunity to achieve an Associate of Arts Degree, which is compatible with and comparable to the first two years of Drama education at other universities and colleges. It also seeks to prepare degree and non-degree students for industry jobs through real experiences on and behind the stage, and to establish competency in voice and diction, movement, improvisation, scene work, audition techniques, production work, stagecraft, and theater history. DRAM 1310, Introduction to Theatre, is also part of the CORE Curriculum Requirements for General Education and other degree programs.

 

For the Course:  By the end of this course, the student should:

1.  Develop skills in principles of dramatic analysis.

2.  Illustrate competency in dramatic interpretation.

3.  Display a basic knowledge of theatre history and genre.

4.  Become acquainted with the various roles and responsibilities in theatrical production.

5.  Evaluate a theatrical production using terms, principles and concepts outlined in this course.

Office Hours

M W 4:20 PM - 5:00 PM HLC 1 2405

NOTE Fridays by appointment, tutoring hours Sun 12-6; Mon 7-9pm; Tues 10-3 and 7-9; weds 10-2

Office Hours

M W 4:20 PM - 5:00 PM HLC 1 2405

NOTE Fridays by appointment, tutoring hours Sun 12-6; Mon 7-9pm; Tues 10-3 and 7-9; weds 10-2

Published: 01/26/2026 09:38:46