Teaching Theatre History: Re-Directing an Existing Course

Abstract

TEACHING THEATRE HISTORY: RE-DIRECTING AN EXISTING CLASS By Brian Robert Vrtis, MFA A Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2006 Major Director: Dr. Noreen C. Barnes Director of Graduate Studies, Theatre This thesis is written to detail the process and results of the theatre history class that I assisted in teaching during the fall semester of 2005. It details the process of formulating the class structure, how the class proceeded, my lecture process, and finally the responses that the students had to the class. The first chapter of this paper goes into the process of getting the class formulated. When Shaun McCracken and I were asked to take over instruction of THEA 307 for the fall during Dr. Barnes' sabbatical, rather than exactly following the process that the class had previously taken, we decided to alter some of the elements of the class. We added in a