Overview
In this unit you will study the development and structure of various theatre styles from the second half of the twentieth century to the present. Beginning with the dada and surrealist theatre movements in the twentieth century, you will explore the theatre of cruelty, the theatre of the absurd and post-modern theatre trends to the present day. You will analyse important primary sources while studying the broader political, social and cultural contexts as they apply to the history of theatrical performance practice during this period.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2019
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Unit evaluation
Timing of assessments throughout the term
Ensure that assessment due dates do not clash with those set in other core units.
- Discuss the development and structure of various theatre styles from the mid twentieth century to the present
- Articulate attributes of performance practice relating to various theatre styles from the mid twentieth century to the present
- Relate the performance practices of the various theatre styles from the mid twentieth century to the present to their broader political, social, and cultural contexts.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 40% | |||
| 2 - In-class Test(s) - 60% | |||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||
| 5 - Team Work | |||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||||
| 2 - In-class Test(s) - 60% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
j.brown@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Topic 1: Symbolism to surrealism
Chapter
Topic 1 study notes provided on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 2: The theatre of cruelty
Chapter
Topic 2 study notes provided on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 2: The theatre of cruelty
Chapter
Topic 2 study notes provided on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 3: The theatre of the absurd
Chapter
Topic 3 study notes provided on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 4: New trends in theatre
Chapter
Topic 4 study notes provided on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 4: New trends in theatre
Chapter
Topic 4 study notes provided on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Self-directed study to complete research assignment.
Chapter
Topic 1 - 4 study notes provided on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Self-directed study to complete research assignment.
Chapter
Topic 1 - 4 study notes provided on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Self-directed study to complete research assignment.
Chapter
Topic 1 - 4 study notes provided on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Self-directed study to complete research assignment.
Chapter
Topic 1 - 4 study notes provided on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Self-directed study to complete research assignment.
Chapter
Topic 1 - 4 study notes provided on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 In-class Test(s)
The in-class test will consist of short-answer questions based on the learning materials provided for this unit.
Week 7 Friday (6 Sept 2019) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 9 Friday (20 Sept 2019)
- Accuracy of factual information
- Clarity of presentation
- Depth of treatment of topics.
The following criteria are equally weighted:
- Discuss the development and structure of various theatre styles from the mid twentieth century to the present
- Articulate attributes of performance practice relating to various theatre styles from the mid twentieth century to the present
- Relate the performance practices of the various theatre styles from the mid twentieth century to the present to their broader political, social, and cultural contexts.
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
2 Written Assessment
Task: Write a 2000 - 2500 word essay on one of the following topics:
Topic One: 21st century post-dramatic theatre
The term 'post-dramatic theatre' has emerged since the 1960s. Discuss the origin of the term and how it has been applied to performance works in the 21st century. Describe the aims of these works and how they fall under the description of 'post-dramatic theatre'. Support your argument with primary source materials (text, scores, images, designs, composer/performer manifestos etc.). All primary source examples must be appropriately referenced in-text and included in the reference list.
Topic Two: Minimalism in opera
Discuss the way that some composers and directors since the 1960s have made use of minimalist techniques in opera. What makes their work innovative and what was their aim in creating these works? Include examples from the theatre works of John Adams, Peter Sellars, Robert Wilson and Phillip Glass. Support your argument with primary source materials (text, scores, images, designs, composer/performer manifestos etc.). All primary source examples must be appropriately referenced in-text and included in the reference list.
Topic Three: Indeterminancy and modern dance
Discuss the ways that Merce Cunningham and John Cage explored new ideas for the creation of modern dance theatre through their exploration of indeterminancy. What makes their work innovative and what was their aim in creating these works? Support your argument with primary source materials (text, scores, images, designs, composer/performer manifestos etc.). All primary source examples must be appropriately referenced in-text and included in the reference list.
Presentation:
- This assignment is to be saved as a Word document and submitted online through the course website.
- Use 12 point Times New Roman font.
- Essays must be double-spaced.
- Sub-headings may be used as appropriate.
- All excerpts from scripts, music scores, diagrams and images should include an in-text reference, and full details included in the Reference List.
Word Count:
- The word count is considered from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion.
- It excludes the cover page, abstract, contents page, reference page and appendices.
- It includes in-text references and direct quotations.
Review/Exam Week Monday (14 Oct 2019) 11:45 pm AEST
Exam Week Friday (25 Oct 2019)
Assessment Criteria:
- Clear introduction and conclusion (10%)
- Accuracy of information and depth of treatment of the topic (25%)
- Appropriate use of primary and secondary sources to support the argument (20%)
- Ability to present the argument clearly and logically (25%)
- Correct spelling, grammar, punctuation and clear lay-out (10%)
- Correct use of APA style for the in-text referencing and reference list (10%)
- Discuss the development and structure of various theatre styles from the mid twentieth century to the present
- Articulate attributes of performance practice relating to various theatre styles from the mid twentieth century to the present
- Relate the performance practices of the various theatre styles from the mid twentieth century to the present to their broader political, social, and cultural contexts.
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
