Department of Dramatic Arts
DART 4P92: Text, Production, and Performance at the Shaw Festival Theatre
Studies in acting techniques. Topics may include Shavian Era Manners, Rhetoric and Scene Study. Lab, 3 hours per week plus viewing of plays at the Shaw Festival.
Prerequisite(s): two of DART 3P50, 3P51, 3P11; or DART 3F50.
Note: studio on location at the Shaw Festival when possible. Transportation is a student responsibility. Materials fee and field trip fee may be required.
Completion of this course will replace previous assigned grade and credit obtained in DART 4Y92.
DRE380H5: Repertory Theatre in Practice: The Shaw Festival
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 performed reading with the assistance of company members. Topics may include the performance history of plays by Shaw, Chekhov, Ibsen, 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.
Course Instructor: Dr. Lawrence Switzky
For more information, contact Merrylee Greenan or 905-828-5201
Anything Goes: An Exploration of a Classic Musical Comedy
Tuesdays: April 8, 15 & 22 | 10am-11:30am | Via Zoom | $75 (+ HST)
With brilliant music and lyrics by Cole Porter, Anything Goes premiered on Broadway in 1934 at a time of global financial woes. A much-needed audience respite was provided by this tap-dancing romp of a musical. Over a vast span of nine decades, the show’s allure of has not wavered, and its riches have been shared with new generations through effectively refreshed revisions.
The course will examine the context and creative development of this musical-theatre gem, its enduring audience appeal and its resonance in modern times. Throughout the course, excerpts of audio recordings and the musical book (original and revised) will be utilized for comparison and enhancement. This course will coincide with Shaw Festival’s production of Anything Goes and will be enriched by special opportunities for interactive conversation with artists of the cast and creative teams.
Facilitated by Dr Lois Kivesto, University of Toronto Music Education graduate; PhD in Theatre from New York University. Lois is a Toronto-based dramaturge, lecturer and long-serving Shaw Festival programme essayist. This course marks her 11th term as a facilitator with McMaster Continuing Education.
For further course information and to register, please visit https://continuing.mcmaster.ca/edxpress/ and scroll down for Anything Goes.
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