Course Objectives and Requirements

Objectives

1. This class is designed to introduce students to performance theory and basic performance studies texts as a way to approach both the challenges of charting performance history and the comparison of performance forms across culture. We will explore theatre history from the Paleolithic through to the Medieval, with focus on Europe, South Asia, Africa and some material from the Americas.

2. To stimulate rigorous questions about the functions of performance in the generation, propagation, and/or negotiations of culture(s). Theatre, dance, ritual, and forms of play are all considered.

3. To introduce students to various global performance forms in historical context, and apply performance theory in engagement with historical material.

4. To encourage students to work to identify the social assumptions informing as well as generated by various theatrical practices (such as the stage/house divide, practices of duration, ritual aspects, levels of codification, levels of improvisation, etc.).

5. To explore prehistorical, ancient, and medieval performance practices while considering the limits of these temporal categories globally.

6. To interrogate traditional historiographical reliance on written forms or archival remains over embodied practices.


Requirements

This course will be based on lecture and in-class discussion of the material we read and, in some cases, view. Due to the broad amount of cultural and historical material covered by this survey, it is essential that students attend all classes and complete all readings.  Whenever possible try and  print out readings and bring the readings in paper form to class. In general, we  strongly recommend reading from print and taking reading notes by pen or pencil. For some of my reasoning toward this recommendation, see this article.  Other studies have shown that note taking on a computer during a lecture is not as effective and handwritten notes for linking the material from  thought to hand and back to brain for recall.  In the days before Covid, no computers would be used during class except to look at reading material when directed by the professor or the TA. Now however, many if not all of the classes will be on zoom, so it is a matter of honor that you do not surf while in class.  In class on zoom you will be required to have your video on unless you have hardship or technical difficulty and, in that case, please communicate with the professor in advance or, if it happens in situ, reach out after class or in a private chat.

Undergraduate students:

General requirements: Reading responses are required and an edited and curated selection of 10-15 of those responses will constitute your final, so keeping up with this activity across the semester is vital to your success in this class.   You will be responsible for an in-class showing of documentation for a performance project. There are also two short papers due in the semester.  Participation in class discussion and focused attention to lectures in each class

Performance project: This is a group-based class presentation of research as performance. The performance part of the presentation should take no more than 10 minutes.  Your group will have time to then discuss research and take questions from the class, up to 10 minutes.  I expect careful research on the period/style as well as theoretical clarity in a piece that is creatively presented and well thought out. The whole group of you should arrange to meet with the Professor or the T.A. a couple of weeks beforehand so that we can talk about the presentation and plan accordingly. Office hours or staying after-class for a brief discussion can work for this.  See the Group Performance link for more on the pedagogical intention of this project.

Attendance and reading responses: You will be required to write a reading response, roughly 150-200 words in length (about half to one page), for each class, posted to the Canvas class site.  Please respond to the questions posted for each day on the syllablog.  While attendance and reading responses are only 20% of the grade, having more than two (2) absences over the course of the semester will adversely affect your grade. More than 5 unexcused absences may constitute failure. Only illnesses, religious holidays and family emergencies constitute excused absences and should have a note from a doctor or dean. Please see the professor or the TA immediately if you are having problems with attendance or doing the work for the course. Consistent tardiness will be counted as absences if chronic. Please act accordingly.

NOTE:  I discourage theatre arts and performance studies concentrators from taking this course S/NC. Please note that S/NC students must have at least 75% attendance and turn in 75% of the response papers, in addition to full completion of the other class requirements, to pass the class. Students who do not meet these requirements will fail to receive credit for the class.

Extra credit, non-required paper: For undergrads, if you would like to write a paper on any topic pertaining to this class that will allow you to do further research and present it to the professor, feel free to email me with the paper and I will consider it for extra credit. This paper should be 8-10 pages and can be due  by 5pm on December 17 and must be emailed to Rebecca_Schneider@brown.edu. The extra credit paper can bring your grade up 1/2 a mark if it receives a high mark.  So, a B would become a B+, a B+ would become an A-. If the paper is less than A work, it may not affect your final grade. That is, if your overall grade is B and you submit a B paper, the grade will still be B. If you have questions about this, please let me know.

Grading for Undergraduates:

Performance Projects: 10%

Midterm: 35%

Attendance/vocal participation/reading reports: 20% first half of semester, 35% after midterm

Please note that the readers reports after Nov. 7 will constitute, in essence, your final exam. We will evaluate your post-midterm responses and grade them as a final exam. So, note, 35% of your overall class grade will be evaluated based on these reading responses. Of the 9 reading responses scheduled post mid-term, 8 of them will be used to evaluate your final grade – so, one, your weakest, will not count. Eight reading responses will each be worth 12.5 points to total 100 for grading. We will not grade these responses until the end of the semester.

Books can be bought at the bookstore (see link to book order). But all books are also on reserve at the Rock. All other reserves are available as PDFs or links on OCRA. Some PDFs are on the Canvas site. If you can't find it at OCRA, check Canvas. And remember: you must have a paper copy in class,  or share with only 1 other person.

Note: No in-class recording of lectures or other classroom activities is allowed without permission in advance. 

Statement on Graphic Nature of Some Materials:

Some material may be explicit in terms of gender, race, class, trauma, religion, eating habits, violence, sex, and other categories. All of the material in this class may be difficult for someone – difficulty is, in fact, part of what we will explore. There is, historically, a lot of violence in theatre -- even in comedies. There are rape scenes in theatre, beheadings, bestiality, everyone is almost always at least playing at transgender (or trans-person) in many places and many times and we will engage with this material in a forthright manner. In the medieval period, for example, there is a very large amount of blood split in the name of Christ, and anti-Semitism on the part of early Christians. And the Roman empire has a long arm – arguably reaching us here where we sit today – so we will not always discuss attitudes, practices, worldviews as of a distant past. This material clearly could "trigger" emotional responses. Theatre is often about the triggering of emotional responses, and you may find yourself in the theatre.  There is brutal slavery in the ancient world as there has been in the modern,  both pagan and Christian. There are widely open or rigidly closed attitudes to sexuality in many parts of the world that we may discuss as well. Please see the Professor in advance, or at any time, regarding questions or concerns.

Statement on Diversity and Inclusion

It is my intention that students from all backgrounds and perspectives be well served by this course, that students' learning needs be addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity that students bring to this class be viewed as a resource, strength and benefit. It is my intention to present materials and activities that are respectful of diversity: gender, sexuality, ability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, and culture. Mutual respect and a spirit of intellectual generosity will further everyone’s learning experience. Students are encouraged to express themselves openly with the expectation that their voices will be heard. Finally, if there is anything that I or members of the seminar need to know to communicate respectfully and effectively with you -- for example, your lived name, preferred pronouns, access needs, pronunciation of your name(s), etc. -- please let me know.

Learning Accommodations

Brown is committed to full inclusion of all students. Please inform me early in the term if you require accommodations or modification of any course procedures. For more information, please contact Student and Employee Accessibility Services at 401-863-9588 or SEAS@brown.edu. Whatever the circumstances, please speak with me if you’re having a problem in the class and I will work to find a solution. Accommodations are available for absences due to religious observances.

Academic Code and Plagiarism:
Those who violate either the letter or spirit of Brown University regulations will face disciplinary proceedings and may automatically fail the course. See: http://www.brown.edu/academics/college/degree/policies/academic-code. 

Credit hour statement: 
Over 14 weeks, students will spend 2.5 hours per week in class (35 hours total). Required reading for the seminar meetings is expected to take up approximately 8 hours per week (112 hours). Working on reading responses and studying for the midterms including the final reading responses, is estimated at approximately 60 hours over the course of the term. Actual times will vary for each student. Final grades are not determined by the amount of time a student spends on the course.

Academic Code for ALL STUDENTS:

Below is a statement on Brown’s Academic Code. Please feel free to ask many any questions about the code or proper citation for your research projects. I will not tolerate academic dishonesty.

Norms regarding the quality and originality of academic work are often much more stringent and demanding in college than they are in high school. All Brown students are responsible for understanding and following Brown's academic code, which is described below. Academic achievement is ordinarily evaluated on the basis of work that a student produces independently. Students who submit academic work that uses others' ideas, words, research, or images without proper attribution and documentation are in violation of the academic code. Infringement of the academic code entails penalties ranging from reprimand to suspension, dismissal, or expulsion from the University. Brown students are expected to tell the truth. Misrepresentations of facts, significant omissions, or falsifications in any connection with the academic process (including change of course permits, the academic transcript, or applications for graduate training or employment) violate the code, and students are penalized accordingly. This policy also applies to Brown alums, insofar as it relates to Brown transcripts and other records of work at Brown.Misunderstanding the code is not an excuse for dishonest work. Students who are unsure about any point of Brown's academic code should consult their courses instructors or an academic dean, who will be happy to explain the policy.