Revised 2009
The Senior Seminar Course in Drama is an opportunity for students majoring in Drama to demonstrate proficiency in a selected area of drama and theater. It is designed to provide the means for the student to work independently while guided by Drama faculty and supported by departmental resources. A range of options-including either production or scholarship-is available, allowing the student to shape the experience to best meet his or her interests as well as program recommendations and requirements. Because much freedom of expression is given the student in realizing the experience, each applicant must first propose a plan for the individualized Senior Seminar Course, listing student expectations and area of interest in a well-written essay submitted by May 1 (April 1 for directors) to the Drama Program chair, which is then (within one week of submission) approved or denied by the Drama faculty and staff with suggestions for resubmission within one week of return. Once approved, the student is expected to meet certain requirements relevant to the fulfillment of the Senior Seminar. More specific details follow.
I) Range of Options
Options for the Senior Seminar may include, but are not limited to, the following: Design of set, lights, or costuming for a major production Technical direction of a major production Acting of a major and challenging role in a major production Direction of a major production Stage Management of a major production Dramaturgy of a major production Arts Management of a semester of shows Playwriting of an original script Historical research/writing on a significant issue in drama and/or theater NOTE: A "major production" is defined as every faculty- and Senior Seminar student-directed project. Other options not included in the list may be proposed, but approval will be at the discretion of the Drama faculty and staff.
II) Senior Seminar proposal submission deadlines
All proposals (with the exception of directing proposals) for admission to the Senior Seminar Course in Drama must be submitted by May 1 of the student's junior year. The directing proposals must be submitted by April 1 of the student's junior year. Although the proposal initiates the student's Senior Seminar process, submitting the proposal does not guarantee acceptance of the proposed project. Only those Senior Seminar proposals given written faculty approval, indicated by the supervisor's signature on the proposal, will be accepted. Non-accepted proposals will be returned within one week of submission with suggestions for revisions. Revised proposals must be resubmitted within one week of return. To help eliminate potential problems, students should discuss the proposed project with the supervisor well before the proposal submission deadline. Directing related proposals must be submitted by April 1 of the student's junior year. The earlier date is needed to allow faculty time to read the proposed scripts and coordinate the season of shows to insure variety, gender equity, availability of resources (theater space, actors, technicians, supervision), and so on. If a directing proposal is initially rejected, a revised directing proposal may be re-submitted by April 14. However, given the time restraints on developing a season of shows, if the proposal is rejected a second time, the student must then submit an alternative, non-directing related proposal for the May 1 deadline. Because uncertainty exists, prior to the announcement of the season, regarding the number and type of roles available to actors and the scenic needs applicable to designers, students submitting an acting- or design-related proposal should submit in their May 1 proposal the intention to pursue an acting- or design-related Senior Seminar. Once the season of shows has been announced, designers with accepted proposals should consult with the design staff regarding the show for which they want to design. For the actors, given the fact that being cast in a show is a pre-requisite of fulfilling the proposal, a student doing an acting Senior Seminar will formally declare the actual role for the Senior Seminar within a day after the cast list has been posted and the student has been cast in an acceptable part. If the student has auditioned for every play and has yet to be cast, the student is required to propose a written project for the Senior Seminar. In faculty-directed shows there will be no pre-casting of a part to fulfill a student's acting Senior Seminar. A student actor and a student director may collaborate on a particular play with an acceptable role. But student actors should be aware that each director's vision of the play determines casting, and not the wish by the student to fulfill the acting-related Senior Seminar. In no case will a faculty director cast a role prior to auditions.
III) Senior Seminar application procedure
Application for every Senior Seminar begins with the proposal. Each proposal should have met the following criteria:
A. It must be submitted on time: April 1 for directing projects; May 1 for all other projects. NO LATE PRODUCTION-RELATED PROPOSALS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
B. It must be well-written and typed (poorly written proposals will be returned unaccepted);
C. It must be focused on a single area of study (not, for example, both acting and directing);
D. It must describe the nature of the project in fewer than twenty-five words;
E. It must clearly state the student's expectations or goals for the project (what the student hopes to learn from it or be able to do at its conclusion);
F. It must contain a projected budget (if any);
G. It must list relevant academic and/or experiential preparation for the specific type of project, including all course work and grades in Drama and a list of each play in which the student has participated and the type of responsibility, such as role or crew assignment; and
H. It must include the student's over-all G.P.A.
IV) Expectations for success in the project Required standards will be set individually for each project, but at a minimum, the expectations for success for production-oriented projects include:
A. A written proposal of goals to be accomplished by the project
B. Necessary research and analysis, well-written and accurate
C. Journal of daily reflections for each rehearsal/meeting
D. Self-evaluation at the conclusion of the project
E. Weekly meetings (at a minimum) with the project's supervisor
F. Satisfactory completion of various established deadlines
G. Collaborative, professional attitude throughout the project
H. Quality of final result in terms of written proposal of goals
For scholarly, non-production related projects, the required level of standards will be defined by the faculty for each specific project, and will include at a minimum:
A. A written proposal of goals to be accomplished by the project
B. Necessary research and analysis, well-written and accurate
C. Self-evaluation at the conclusion of the project
D. Weekly meetings (at a minimum) with the project's supervisor
E. Satisfactory completion of various established deadlines
F. Quality of final result in terms of written proposal of goals
V) Factors affecting director-related projects
A. Given the various factors influencing the number of plays that can be effectively produced each year-such as competing academic course demands (e.g. "Fundamentals of Play Directing"), pool size of available casts and crews, technical elements, budget, and supervisory contact time-there are a limited number of directorial slots available during a semester.
B. As a result, application to direct does not mean automatic acceptance. Directing proposals will be selected on the basis of merit of the proposal, its timely submission, the student's relevant academic achievement and experiential extent (such as successful completion of Advanced Directing and/or Stage Management work), record of achievement in theatre productions, over-all G.P.A., availability of time slots, and the composition of the season of shows in terms of academic and theatrical balance and diversity. Your application will be viewed more favorably if you have been a regular participant in drama program productions, have been involved in a wide range of theatre production duties, and have demonstrated proficiency in theater work.
C. Because all directing proposals may not be approved, directing students should consult with the supervisor for the project before handing in the proposal to mitigate potential problems.
D. Directors are not allowed to act in a play they are also directing.
E. Directing students are responsible for finding and/or ordering a single perusal copy of each script they are considering. Once approved, the Drama program will pay for additional scripts and royalties.
F. Given the required lead time to order perusal copies, distribute and read proposed play scripts, and determine production and performance dates, a directing project must be proposed by April 1 of the student's junior year, regardless of when in the senior year it is produced.
G. A directing proposal must include the following:
a. It is well written and typed
b. It clearly states the goals of the directing project
c. It has met the deadline for submission (April 1)
d. It includes a list of all courses taken in Drama with grades received
e. It includes current G.P.A for all courses.
f. It has demonstrated that the student has taken Fundamentals of Play Directing and has taken or will take Advanced Directing or has had extensive Stage Management experience.
g. It includes a perusal copy of the script.
VI) Additional considerations
1. If registering for the course means the student will incur the costs of an over-load, the student may register for the course in the immediately following semester or May Term. B. The determining factors regarding the number of accepted proposals each year include the following: 1. For production related proposals, the number of accepted proposals will be dictated by several factors:
a. The number of accepted directing-related proposals will range from zero to a maximum of three, depending upon the quality of the proposed project and its integration in the season of shows.
b. Proposals related to stage management, design and technical theater projects may be applied to any major production;
c. Dramaturgy projects may relate to any major production;
d. Acting projects must relate to those roles determined to be acceptable for Senior Seminar projects by the Drama faculty and staff prior to auditions. Actors are strongly encouraged to work on projects that will offer significant challenges or new learning experiences. Collaborative proposals between a student director and a student actor, each submitting individual proposals but related to a single production, are appropriate, but the Drama faculty reserves to right to define acceptable roles for the acting proposal. Students are urged to consult the supervisor for such projects prior to submitting a proposal to avoid unnecessary frustration.
2. There is no limit on the number of scholarly related projects. C. A student has the right to withdraw a proposal prior to its approval. D. Changes to an approved proposal must be in writing and be formally accepted by the faculty. VII) For production-related projects, the Drama Program will provide the following: Essential design consultations and/or construction $500 for expenses for set, costumes, props, lights, etc. Access to available costumes through the Costume Shop Supervisor Access to available props through the Drama Technical Director Access to available lights/sound effects through Technical Coordinator Scripts and royalties paid for by the drama department Technical support at tech rehearsal and for the run of the show Supervisor attendance at minimum of two rehearsals prior to tech week Supervisor attendance at minimum of two rehearsals during tech week Supervisor attendance at minimum of one performance during run
SENIOR SEMINAR PROPOSAL APPLICATION FORM
Application for every Senior Seminar begins with the proposal. Submit on time: April 1 for directing projects; May 1 for all other projects. NO LATE PRODUCTION-RELATED PROPOSALS WILL BE ACCEPTED. Copy and complete the following in a well-written and typed proposal; poorly written proposals will be returned unaccepted.
NAME:
CURRENT OVERALL G.P.A.
PROJECT SUPERVISOR NAME:
AREA: focus on a single area of study, not, for example, both acting and directing
NATURE OF THE PROJECT: describe the nature of the project in fewer than twenty-five words
STUDENT EXPECTATIONS: clearly state your expectations or goals for the project, that is, what you hope to learn from it or be able to do at its conclusion
PROJECTED BUDGET (if any):
RELEVANT PREPARATION: list relevant academic and/or experiential preparation for the specific type of project, including all course work and grades in Drama and, for production-related projects, a list of each play in which the student has participated and the type of responsibility, such as role or crew assignment. For directors, the proposal must show that the student has taken Fundamentals of Play Directing and has taken or will take Advanced Directing or has had extensive Stage Management experience. For designers, the proposal must show that the student has taken Technical Theater and Stage Design, and has taken or will take Advanced Design.