Module Identifier DR33020  
Module Title DIRECTING PRACTICE II  
Academic Year 2005/2006  
Co-ordinator Mrs Joan G Mills  
Semester Semester 2  
Other staff Mr Richard A D Cheshire  
Pre-Requisite NOTE: Students who have successfully completed the pre-requisite will be interviewed for entry into the module and must prepare a short presentation, explaining his/her rationale for the choice of texts; showing adequate preparation in terms of casting, initial research, and selection for length , and structure of text. A lecture advising students on preparing for the interview will take place on Monday Dec. 5th. The interviews will take place, on Monday Jan 30th following the collation of examination results for prerequisite module DR33620 which completes at the end of Semester 1, DR33620 Students who have successfully completed the pre-requisite may apply for entry to this module  
Course delivery Lecture   5 x 1.5 hour lecture/seminars  
  Seminars / Tutorials   Tutorial. Observation and tutorial support of at least two rehearsals and one performance.  
Assessment
Assessment TypeAssessment Length/DetailsProportion
Semester Assessment Essay: 2,500 words due date March 13th 2006 30%
Semester Assessment Project Work: Assessment of practical project,supported by viva-voice examination. Dates of performances May 29th-June 1st 2006  70%
Supplementary Assessment Re-sits need to be arranged individually. Because of resources required and involvement of other students, it may not be possible to re-sit this module until the following academic year. The Department is in the process of preparing a standard policy for missed practical assessments which will be available in September 2005. 

Learning outcomes

Typically, upon completion of this module, the student will be able:
- To organise and realise a short theatre project from an initial informed choice of script and cast, through the rehearsal process to public presentation.
- To demonstrate a practical grasp of a range of appropriate rehearsal techniques and approaches to staging texts, and demonstrate the ability to communicate successfully with a team of actors and production staff
- To justify artistic decisions made and working practices adopted during the rehearsal period with regard to the chosen source material.
- To evaluate and criticise the completed project, and to assess the effectiveness of the rehearsal methodologies employed.

Aims

- To provide students with the opportunity to select and direct a 20 -30 minute extract or short play within a supervised context, and demonstrate an intelligent understanding of the playwright's intentions and dramatic method.
- To create an artistic concept for their chosen material, and select appropriate rehearsal techniques and exercises in order to realise this concept in performance.
- To work intensively in the rehearsal room with their chosen actors without the pressure of the design or technical process.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of the chosen rehearsal methodology in the light of their actors' achievement, criticism and comments from the course tutors.
- To discuss the potential career opportunities for aspiring professional theatre directors.

Content

This module is restricted to students who have demonstrated a developing ability in directing, and allows them to specialize and extend their knowledge and practice of the advanced skills, methodologies and approaches which are required for directing text from page to stage. It is open to those students who have shown particular talent and aptitude towards the art and craft of directing through their study of directing practice in DR22910 and DR33620. At the end of the rehearsal and performance process students will then be required to critically reflect on their experience in the light of professional feedback and self analysis.
Students will choose, cast and direct a play or dramatic extract of not more than 30 minutes duration for public performance in one of the Department's performance spaces within a supervised context, and should demonstrate an intelligent understanding of the playwrights¿ intentions and dramatic methods. A preparatory lecture will be followed by practical tutorials within the rehearsal environment and individual tutorials conducted privately, without the performers present.
Students will create an artistic concept for their chosen material, and select appropriate rehearsal techniques and exercises in order to realise these concepts in performance. The essay will be a preparation for practice and cause the student to research the playwright and text and consider the appropriate directorial approaches for these texts in detail
This module requires each student to work intensively in the rehearsal room for up to 15 hours a week, with their chosen actors but without the pressure of the design or technical process. They will need to evaluate the effectiveness of the chosen rehearsal methodology in the light of their actors' achievement, criticism and comments from the course tutors. Each student will reflect on the process through a viva-voce examination.

Module Skills

Problem_solving Theatre directing by necessity includes solving many problems - both practical and theoretical in order to present the text  
Research skills Directors must constantly use a wide range of research skills to examine the writer's background, other plays, style, the historical and cultural context of the play, approaches to rehearsal .  
Communication Directing is essentially a communicative profession. Learning to communicate with ease, clarity and within the aesthetics of the rehearsal atmosphere is essential and not only with actors but all the other co-workers - scenographers, technicians and administrative staff.  
Improving own Learning and Performance The module encourages the students to develop their techniques and explore new ways of working, gain confidence and independence and has a self assessment built into to the tutorial structure and assessments  
Team work All theatre practice depends on the ability to develop and understand team skills but especially directing  
Information Technology Research, communication with team, organisation of rehearsals, working on texts- all will use IT  
Application of Number The study of directing requires a good understanding of budget, dimension and time  
Personal Development and Career planning This module develops independence, self awareness as well as communication and presentational skills which are essential to success at interview and also examines the structure of the profession as well as realistically appraising the challenge of gaining entry to such a competitive field. The practical opportunity this module offers is invaluable in terms of evidence of experience when seeking further training or employment.  
Subject Specific Skills Development of intuitive, creative and physical skills  

Reading Lists

Books
Essential Reading or Viewing
This will depend on the production project assigned. The staff directors on a project-to-project basis will provide a detailed bibliography and suggest appropriate areas of research.
Recommended Secondary Reading
The Department has a supplementary booklet recommending reading lists for all practical modules.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6