An introduction to the art and craft of writing for the stage. Through a variety of practical exercises, students will be encouraged to explore the unique properties of the theatrical environment. Topics for investigation will include general issues (such as language, plot structure, characterization, metaphor, and symbolism, etc.) as well as issues specific to the theatrical context (such as theatrical time and space, movement, engagement with an audience, relationship to other theatre practitioners, etc.). The class will involve writing in and out of class, as well as exercises in effective and constructive critique of one another's work.

This course is a continued exploration in writing for the stage for students who have already written one act or solo plays. Participant playwrights will complete a full-length play, incorporate complex structures and anti-structure, and advance their voices and skills as playwrights. The class will workshop scenes and prepare staged readings of participant work. A major focus of this course will be processes of development and revision while working with directors, actors, dramaturgs, and other collaborators.

Topics in the history of women in English-language theatre. Topics will vary from year to year, depending on available faculty. May include a practical workshop component.

In this course, students will be introduced to contemporary theatrical approaches to the most canonical of dramatists. Through selected theoretical readings, interviews, practical exercises, and screenings of recent productions, we will explore tensions between reverential and radical treatments of the Shakespearean text, including topics such as the politics of casting, the role of the director, and the authority of the actor. The course will ask what it means to stage Shakespeare now and will equip students to develop their own and conceptual and theatrical responses to that question.

A study of the role of repertory theatre in the historical and current development of dramatic literature and performance practices, held-on-site at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. Students will attend productions and lectures, interview actors, directors, designers, and administrators, and collaborate on a staged reading with the assistance of company members. Topics may include the performance history of plays by George Bernard Shaw, Anton Chekhov, Henrik Ibsen, Oscar Wilde, and other playwrights within the Festival's mandate, the analysis of production elements from the perspectives of directors, actors, and designers, and the relevance of "classical" drama for the modern world. 

Offered in partnership with the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, this course gives students an opportunity to create a new work collaboratively and without a pre-existing script that responds to one or more of the productions in the Shaw Festival season. During the course students will be in residence at the Shaw Festival and will attend plays, lectures, and discussions, participate in workshops with company actors, and learn skills in research, playwriting, and developmental dramaturgy by working as an ensemble. The devised performance-in-progress will be presented to members of the Shaw Festival company and an invited audience. Enrolled students will be required to complete some reading and independent research prior to the first day of class.

This course provides an opportunity for a limited number of students in the third or fourth year to gain practical work experience at a theatre or an institution or business closely related to theatrical production. Internships will allow students to apply knowledge and skills gained in their classes to part-time and unpaid positions in fields such as production, marketing and publicity, casting, dramaturgy, arts management, and arts education and outreach. Students will participate in regular class sessions and will give presentations and reports in addition to attending 100 hours of their work placements. Students enrolling in this course may need to commit to consecutive days of their internship placement as is consistent with industry norms. Students registered in any Drama program are eligible to apply.

An independent project in theatre and drama studies, chosen by the student and supervised by a member of the faculty. The form of the project will be determined in consultation with the supervisor. A written proposal, signed by the supervisor, must be submitted for approval to the Program Director by May 15 if an "F" course, by November 1 if an "S" course. Proposal forms are available from the Undergraduate Advisor. Independent Study courses may not be taken simultaneously.

An independent project in theatre and drama studies, chosen by the student and supervised by a member of the faculty. The form of the project will be determined in consultation with the supervisor. A written proposal, signed by the supervisor, must be submitted for approval to the Program Director by May 15 if an "F" course, by November 1 if an "S" course. Proposal forms are available from the Undergraduate Advisor. Independent Study courses may not be taken simultaneously.

For senior undergraduate students who have developed some knowledge of a discipline and its research methods, this course offers an opportunity to work on the research project of a professor. Students enrolled have an opportunity to become involved in original research, develop their research skills and share in the excitement and discovery of acquiring new knowledge. Project descriptions for the following fall-winter session are posted on the ROP website in mid-February and students are invited to apply at that time. See Experiential and International Opportunities for more details.

This senior research and creation seminar will explore topics in contemporary Indigenous performance. These topics will vary with faculty research interests; course may cover such matters as intergenerational cross-cultural collaboration, Anishinaabe star and land knowledge, working with culturally-codified objects, contextualizing projects in non-institutional spaces, international inter-indigenous productions, community outreach, and Indigenous feminisms and futurisms. The course may include a practical workshop component or a capstone research or performance project.

A senior research seminar in Theatre and Performance. Topic will vary with instructor.

A senior research seminar in Theatre and Performance. Topic will vary with instructor.

A senior research seminar in performance and popular culture. Topic will vary with instructor.

(Offered at Sheridan College) This course will introduce the elements of practical Vocal, Physical, Textual, and Improvisational training for the novice actor, together with an Introduction to Theatre Organization, with an emphasis on releasing the natural impulse. In addition, the student will spend a minimum of 3 hours per week (averaged) in Stagecraft Labs gaining basic backstage and front-of-house skills, and in production-related duties. Typical production tasks are concentrated in 3- to 9-week periods and may include evenings and/or Saturdays.

Students are introduced to the foundational elements of acting, vocal, and physical training. In a studio setting, students undertake practical exercises focused on establishing fundamental skills, physical grounding, and professional behaviours. In addition, the course familiarizes students with the backstage and front-of-house working environment of a professional theatre. The course includes production-related duties assigned according to individualized schedules, typically concentrated in 3- to 6-week periods and including some work in the evenings and/or on weekends.

(Offered at Sheridan College) The continuation of Acting 1. Stagecraft Labs are replaced, outside class hours, by a minimum of 3 hours per week (average) of production-related duties over the term.

The course intensifies foundational work on voice and movement through class exercises and further develops acting techniques introduced in DRS121Y5 with a focus on presence and authenticity. In addition to these components, students expand their understanding of backstage processes through crew work supporting third- and fourth-year productions. Crew tasks are assigned according to individualized schedules, typically concentrated in 3- to 6-week periods and including some work in the evenings and/or on weekends.

(Offered at Sheridan College) Half of this course will continue and build upon the work begun in first year in Voice, Text, and Movement. The other half will be an Introduction to Scene Study, including character analysis for the actor, with realistic material from the Canadian and International repertoire. The student will be assigned a minimum of 75 hours of production-related duties outside class time over the year; typical tasks are concentrated in 3- to 9-week periods and may include evenings and/or Saturdays.

Students build upon the work initiated in first-year courses in voice and movement, with a focus on imagination, presence, physical connection, and access to impulse. They develop their vocal technique for the demands of Heightened Text. Their acting technique is further developed through work with contemporary scenes and exercises in Realism. They also deepen their understanding of rehearsal and production processes by taking on an advanced crew role on a mainstage production, such as Apprentice Stage Manager, Wardrobe Assistant, or Light and Sound Operator, and observe much of that production’s rehearsal process.

(Offered at Sheridan College) The continuation of DRS221H5 Acting 3.

Students continue to build their foundational acting skills as they explore and apply approaches to heightened text, including Shakespeare and contemporary experimental drama. They develop their vocal technique with a focus on expressivity and advanced physical techniques and extend their movement work through Neutral Mask training and exercises in clown. They also deepen their understanding of rehearsal and production processes by taking on an advanced crew role on a mainstage production, such as Apprentice Stage Manager, Wardrobe Assistant, or Light and Sound Operator, and observe much of that production’s rehearsal process.

Vocal, Physical, and Interpretive Techniques for the developing actor become more specialized at this level. Elements of the course include stage combat, advanced vocal technique (including dialect and extreme performance demands), an introduction to on camera acting, and the practical and theoretical techniques for creating Devised Theatre. Students also prepare and submit the proposal for their Solo Project, to be performed in the winter term.

Students address their acting challenges by creating and performing their Solo Project. They develop their skills in advanced on-camera techniques and integrate their vocal technique with singing training. Additional acting components include expanded scene study and Character Mask. Areas of focus are subject to change each year depending upon the needs of the group and instructor availability.

In this production course, students work with a director on a studio production of a Classical play. Course activities will include independent preparation and research, rehearsals, production coaching, technical rehearsals and public performances. Students are evaluated on their work during all stages of the Project. Work in this course will be concentrated in a 7-8 week period of rehearsals and performances, some of which take place in the evenings and on Saturdays.

In this second production course, students work with a director as an ensemble to research, devise, rehearse, and perform an original piece of devised theatre. Course activities will include independent preparation and research, rehearsals, production coaching, technical rehearsals, and public performances. Work in this course will be concentrated in a 7-8 week period of rehearsals and performances, some of which take place in the evenings and on Saturdays.

The course allows students to develop their work at an advanced level through specialized scene study and preparing theatre auditions; students will also be introduced to professional labour regulations and best business practices for the freelance artist. Movement training continues through explorations of dance and the introduction of self-care elements including yoga and other exercise practices. Vocal training expands into advanced singing classes.

Focussing on advanced voice and speech, the course draws on previous vocal training in continued dialect training and the exploration of voiceover techniques. Contemporary scene study units allow students to integrate their previous scene study experiences with advanced work on text analysis and character development. Units on mindful movement and dance further develop skills and physical expression. The course also includes a number of workshops exploring a range of current industry trends, from performance for video games and commercial work to intermedial theatrical performance.

In this first mainstage production course, students integrate their physical, vocal, and acting training in the creation and performance of a character, as part of an ensemble under the guidance of a professional director. Students sustain and develop their work throughout the rehearsal and a two-week performance run during the program’s mainstage season at the Erindale Studio Theatre. Emphasis is placed on rehearsal activities, public performances, and professionalism at all stages of the artistic process. Work in this course will be concentrated in an 8-week period of rehearsals and performances, some of which take place in the evenings and on Saturdays.

In this second mainstage production course, students further integrate their physical, vocal, and acting training in the creation and performance of a character, as part of an ensemble under the guidance of a professional director. Students sustain and develop their work throughout the rehearsal and a two-week performance run during the program’s mainstage season at the Erindale Studio Theatre. Emphasis is placed on rehearsal activities, public performances, and professionalism at all stages of the artistic process. Work in this course will be concentrated in an 8-week period of rehearsals and performances, some of which take place in the evenings and on Saturdays.