Classics 305/Theatre 389A – Ancient Comedy in Performance – Spring 2009, Binghamton University SUNY - Starks

Syllabus/Daily Assignments:
Readings and performance work are TO BE COMPLETED BY the date they appear on the syllabus as they will constitute the principal material for that day's discussion. On the nonreading days, I will present theater-related material and background for the comedy you will read for the next class. Oral Presentations are marked as 5% and 10% and are due on the days listed on the syllabus.

All Texts are on Reserve at the Library.

NOTE: ALWAYS read the introduction to each play before you begin and use any notes as you need to. Try to read as much as possible without stopping to read notes

Script and Blocking Notes for Femme Phantasmagoria (Thesmophoriazousai)

Date	Topic(s)	Assignments
M 1-26	Introduction. What is Comedy? Greek Old Comedy and 5th century Athens	Comedy Names and Words
W 1-28	Origins of Old Comedy. Ritual. Drama Festivals. The Comic Poet and Competition. The stage	Aristophanes 1: pp. vii-xxxv; Three Plays by Aristophanes, pp. 3-14, 19-20 Greek and Roman Theaters Univ of Sask.theaters Casting for production Greek and Roman Theater Web-Link
M 2-2	Aristophanes Clouds Bust of Socrates	Aristophanes 1: Clouds Performance Group #1 Rehearsals Begin Rehearse French Scenes 1-4
W 2-4	Aristophanes Wasps	Aristophanes 1: Wasps  Performance Group #2 Rehearse French Scenes 5-10
M 2-9	Aristophanes Birds	Aristophanes 1: Birds Performance Group #3 Rehearse French Scenes 11-15
W 2-11	Oral Assignment: 5%	5%!! 1-2pp. "What makes me laugh: an examination of my sense of humor and the comedy that works on me" Rehearse French Scenes 16-22
M 2-16	PRESIDENTS’ DAY (because everyone needs to celebrate William Henry Harrison, James Buchanan, Chester Arthur, Warren Harding and Richard Nixon with the same gusto as used to be afforded only to Washington and Lincoln) – NO CLASS (indeed!)
W 2-18	Greek actors and acting. Costuming. Masks. The Chorus. Dance. Music. Aristophanes Lysistrata	Three Plays by Aristophanes, pp. 15-19, 20-29 Three Plays by Aristophanes: Lysistrata Rehearse 1-4
M 2-23	Aristophanes Women at the Thesmophoria Kinsman Kidnaps Wineskin	Three Plays by Aristophanes: Women at the Thesmophoria Performance Group #4 Rehearse 5-10
W 2-25	Dance Rehearsal – I am delivering a paper and directing scenes from Plautus’ Curculio (The Weevil) at a Roman Comedy Conference at Florida State University	Rehearse Dance
M 3-2	Dance Rehearsal – still conferring in Florida	Rehearse Dance
W 3-4	Aristophanes Assemblywomen	Three Plays by Aristophanes: Assemblywomen  Performance Group #5 Rehearse 11-15
M 3-9	The Shift to New Comedy – Plautus Menaechmi REHEARSAL	Plautus and Terence Five Comedies: Double Bind 99-184 Rehearse 16-22
W 3-11	REHEARSAL	Rehearse 1-10
F 3-13
M 3-16	REHEARSAL DANCE STUDIO	Rehearse 11-22
W 3-18	REHEARSAL 3.30-4.30 Lecture 8, 4.30-5.40 Lecture 9	Work 1-10
M 3-23	REHEARSAL DANCE STUDIO	Work 11-22
W 3-25	REHEARSAL 3.30-4.30 Lecture 8, 4.30-5.40 Lecture 9	First Run (OFF BOOK)
F 3-27	REHEARSAL TBA in Lecture Hall 8	Work Show
Sa 3-28	REHEARSAL TBA in Lecture Hall 8	Run Show
Su 3-29	REHEARSAL Lecture Hall 8	Run Show
M 3-30	REHEARSAL 3.30-5.40 DANCE STUDIO, 8-10 In Lecture Hall 8	Run Show
T 3-31	REHEARSAL 6-9 In Lecture Hall 8 MIDTERM DUE BY END OF REHEARSAL	Run Show Midterm Posted here
W 4-1	REHEARSAL 3.30-4.30, 6-9 In Lecture Hall 8 – I am delivering a paper on Roman Comedy at CAMWS in Minneapolis	Work Scenes and Dance
Th 4-2	Dance Rehearsal 6-9 In Lecture Hall 8 Still in Minneapolis	Work and Run Dance
F 4-3 - Su 4-12	Spring Break	Work lines and blocking over break
M 4-13	PLEASE NOTE need to return from Spring Break this day for late afternoon rehearsal 4-9 in Lecture Hall 8	Tech Run, Full Run Partial Dress
T 4-14	6-9 in Lecture Hall 8	Full Run Partial Dress
W 4-15	8-9.30 Lecture Hall 8 3.30-4.30 Lecture Hall 8 – 4.30-5.40 in Class 6-9	Tech Work at early rehearsal, Work Scenes afternoon Full Dress Rehearsal evening
Th 4-16	Dress REHEARSAL 6-9
F 4-17	CALL 5.00 SHOW 7-8 PM
Sa 4-18	CALL 1 PM, SHOW 3-4 PM
M 4-20	Film Comedies that Draw on Ancient Comedy  Read Plautus Towelheads (Poenulus)	I'll bring several clips from great comedies to share and discuss Rome and the Mysterious Orient, 183-271 original prologue of Poenulus (Puny Punic)
W 4-22	Shift to New Comedy. 4th-3rd century Athens  Menander Roman comedy (fabula togata) and  Greek New Comedy (fabula palliata) Roman Actors and Acting. The Stage.  Costumes Stock Characters and Society. Music. Audience. Second-century Rome	Greek and Roman Theaters Univ of Sask.theaters Greek and Roman Theater Web-Link Intro to Rome and the Mysterious Orient 1-53 Plautus and Terence Five Comedies Introduction vi-xii + each of the intros to individual plays
M 4-27	The Roman Comic Poet. Festivals. Competition Roman Mime. Imperial Theater.  What Happened to Roman Comedy? Terence Hecyra (The Mother in Law) – what went wrong with this play?	Perform Scenes from Roman Comedy: Everyone Reads Plautus and Terence Five Comedies: The Mother in Law 295-344 Perform 10 minutes of scenes from Plautus: Five Comedies: Major Blowhard Performance Group #1 Plautus: Mysterious Orient: Weevil Performance Group #2 Terence: Hecyra: Mother in Law Performance Group #3  Plautus: Five Comedies: Menaechmi (Double Bind) Performance Group #4 Plautus: Mysterious Orient: Towelheads (Poenulus): Performance Group #5
W 4-29	Video Presentations	8 - 10% Oral Video Presentations
M 5-4	Video Presentations	8 - 10% Oral Video Presentations
W 5-6	Video Presentations	8 - 10% Oral Video Presentations
	FINAL EXAM on Roman Comedy (12-3 PM)	Plautus: Comedies 1: Braggart Soldier Group #1 In Plautus: Comedies I: The Weevil Group #2 In Plautus: Comedies I: The Captives Group #3  Plautus: Comedies I: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Wedding Group #4 Comedies I: Amphitryon Group #5