Oral Interpretation

TH 2211

This course introduces the student to the study of literature through performance. The focus of this course is on the student’s discovery of the aesthetic, communicative and preformatted elements of literature. The objectives of this course are to develop an appreciation and an understanding of literature through performance, to provide the analytical tools and performance techniques necessary to explore literature and to provide new and interesting ways of approaching a literary text.


TEXTS: Oral Interpretation by Charlotte Lee
The Voice that is Great Within Us: American Poetry of the Twentieth Century ed Caruth
Fictions by Joseph F. Trimmer, 4th ed.

REQUIREMENTS:
1. Class attendance, discussion and participation
2. Final Project
3. Prepared performances and papers
4. Readings in texts

GRADING:
1. Class attendance, discussion and participation 50 pts
2. Poetry performance 20 pts
3. Prose performance 20 pts
4. Book test 25 pts
5. Dramatic Duo 20 pts
6. Reading to music 20 pts
7. Children’s Book 20 pts
8. Quiz 25 pts
9. Final 10 minute program on a theme 50 pts

GRADING SCALE:
250-225 = A
224-199 = B
198-173 = C
172-147 = D
146-0 = F

Students taking the class S/N must receive a "C" in the class to pass.

Class Attendance/Participation: Attendance in class is mandatory. Participation and discussion are integral to this course. You are required to be prepared for and be an active participant in class. You will have myriad homework assignments in preparation for your analysis and performances. WRITTEN Chancellor excuses will be accepted but the student remains responsible for the work missed, including rescheduling of projects, make-up assignments, etc. See Rebecca Web in Behmler 309 for family emergency excuses. Health excuses are not excepted but you are allowed two absences before your attendance grade is effected then it is 5 points per day no matter what the excuse is. Lates will be counted as 3 lates equals an absence. After 6 absences whether excused or not you will fail the class.

PREPARED PERFORMANCES: There will be six prepared performances in this class. The goal is to integrate the voice and the body into an evocative performance of the chosen text. All performances are to be polished; THE FINAL MUST BE
MEMORIZED. Additional information will be provided. Do not use children's lit. until we get to that assignment.

1. Poetry performance- this is a 4-6 minute prepared solo performance of a text
or text taken from the poetry book. A 1 page analysis paper will be due the
class period BEFORE the performance date.
2. Prose performance-this is a 5-7 minute prepared solo performance of a text taken from the fiction book. A 1 page analysis paper will be due the class
3. Dramatic Duo-this is a 6-8 minute scene from a published play. A 1 page
Write up about the play is due the class prior to performance.
4. Reading to music-this is a 5-7 minute reading of any kind to music, it must
Match the length of music, speed, energy and mood…
5. Children's book-this is an interpretation of a children's book using at least three character voices. The story must have a plot and no books will be used.
6. FINAL-this will be a 10 minute memorized presentation on a theme using at
Least three different genres in the performance.

ASSIGNED PERFORMANCES/WRITTEN WORK: ALL ASSIGNED performance and written WORK MUST BE ON TIME OR IT WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. If no written work is handed in by 10am on the day due your grade for the assignment will start at a C. All written work must be typed or it will not be accepted. Guidelines for papers is 1" margins, 12 point font and use the header for name etc. All papers should be free of spelling and grammatical errors. The grade of the presentation will suffer if the paper is not properly proofread. For your own protection, be sure to make copies of everything you turn in.

ACADEMIC HONESTY: Any student found guilty of cheating on an exam will forfeit the grade for that exam. Any student found guilty of plagiarism, passing someone else’s ideas, work or words as your own, will receive of F in this course. All incidents of academic dishonesty will be reported and acted upon.

EXTRA CREDIT/INCOMPLETES: No extra credit will be given to any student. There will be no incompletes given for this course.

POLICY: No smoking, eating or gum chewing is allowed in this class. Beverages, such as water, are encouraged.