CCI 306/RCO 200 - Classical Comedy - Spring 2003

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.

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
 

Date

Topic(s)

Assignments

T 1-14

Introduction. What is Comedy? Greek Old Comedy and 5th century Athens

Comedy Names and Words

Th 1-16

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  Univ of Sask.theaters
Casting for production Greek Theater Web-Link

T 1-21

Aristophanes Clouds Bust of Socrates

Aristophanes 1: Clouds Performance Group #1

Th 1-23

Aristophanes Wasps

Aristophanes 1: Wasps  Performance Group #2
Begin rehearsals for Women Rule
PLEASE NOTE: We will discuss Wasps Tuesday 1-28

T 1-28

Oral Assignment: 5%

5%!! 1-2pp. "What makes me laugh: an examination of my sense of humor and the comedy that works on me"
ASSIGNMENT POSTPONED TILL TH 1-30

Th 1-30

Aristophanes Birds

Aristophanes 1: Birds Performance Group #3
10% Oral Presentations Begin

T 2-4

Greek actors and acting. Costuming. Masks. The Chorus. Dance. Music.

Three Plays by Aristophanes, pp. 15-20, 20-29 
10% Oral Presentation -

Th 2-6

Aristophanes Lysistrata

Three Plays by Aristophanes: Lysistrata
Performance Group #4  10% Oral Presentation - 

T 2-11

The Audience. Greek Tragedy. Fragments of Comedy 

Three Plays by Aristophanes, pp. 193-204
10% Oral Presentation

Th 2-13

Aristophanes Women at the Thesmophoria
Kinsman Kidnaps Wineskin

Aristophanes 2: Women at the Thesmophoria
Performance Group #5 10% Oral Presentation

T 2-18

Film Comedies that Draw on Ancient Comedy

3- 10% Oral Presentations

Th 2-20

Aristophanes Assemblywomen = Women Rule

Aristophanes 2: Assemblywomen  2- 10% Oral Presentations

T 2-25

Shift to New Comedy. 4th-3rd century Athens 
Menander Roman comedy (fabula togata) and 
Greek New Comedy (fabula palliata)

Intro to Plautus: Four Comedies, xi-xxiii - Handout 
Roman theater info from my book Latin Laughs
10% Oral Presentation

Begin Rehearsals of Women Rule – Scene 1

Th 2-27

Midterm Exam

STUDY GUIDE

T 3-4

Plautus Braggart Soldier

Plautus: Comedies 1: Braggart Soldier Performance Group #1
10% Oral Presentation

Rehearsal of Women Rule – Scene 2

Th 3-6

Plautus The Weevil

In Plautus: Comedies I: The Weevil Performance Group #2
10% Oral Presentation

Rehearsal of Women Rule – Scene 3

T 3-11, 
Th 3-13

* Spring Break *

 

T 3-18

The Roman Comic Poet. Festivals. Competition

Read production notices and author's prologues for each of Terence's six plays, pp. 9-11, 81-83, 153-156, 235-237, 307-309, 359-361 

Rehearsal of Women Rule – Scene 4

Th 3-20

Plautus The Captives

In Plautus: Comedies I: The Captives Performance Group #3 

Rehearsal of Women Rule – Scene 5

T 3-25

Roman Actors and Acting. The Stage. 
Costumes 

Roman Theater history
Roman theaters 

Rehearsal of Women Rule – Scene 1

Th 3-27

Stock Characters and Society. Music. Audience. Second-century Rome

original prologue of Poenulus (Puny Punic) 

T 4-1

Plautus A Funny Thing Happened...Wedding

Plautus: Comedies I: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Wedding
Performance Group #4

Rehearsal of Women Rule – Scenes 2& 3

Th 4-3

Plautus Amphitryon

In Plautus: Comedies I: Amphitryon Performance Group #5

Rehearsal of Women Rule – Scenes 4-5

T 4-8

Terence Eunuch

Terence Eunuch 

Rehearsal of Women Rule 1-3

Th 4-10

Rehearsal

Terence Brothers. Roman Mime. Imperial Theater. 
What Happened to Roman Comedy?

Rehearsal of Women Rule – 4-5

T 4-15

Rehearsal OFF BOOK

Run 1

Th 4-17

Rehearsal 

Women Rule Scene 1 "So off to assembly" - Liberty Bell March, long version

Run 2-3

T 4-22

Rehearsal 

Women Rule Scene 2 "Women march, stomp..." Stars&Stripes
listen for a bit, the theme we use is in the middle of this piece

Run 4-5

Th 4-24

 Rehearsal (8:30 AM sharp)

Women Rule Scene 3 "Athens come and share..." German nat'l anthem

Run

F 4-25

Rehearsal TBA 

Run

M 4-28

Rehearsal TBA PRODUCTION WEEK

Run

T 4-29

Rehearsal (8 AM sharp)

Women Rule Scene 4 "Dueling Bimbos - A Guy who wants a good time"
California Girls

Run

W 4-30

Rehearsal TBA

Women Rule Scene 5-end Finale "on our Nat'l buffet" Can-Can

Run

Th 5-1

DRESS REHEARSAL (8 AM sharp)

I Got you babeLet's Get it On

F 5-2

Women Rule performance (3:00 PM call; 4:30 show)

MOST OF MUSIC IN THE SHOW – To be linked here soon

T 5-6 or 
W 5-7

Arrange time to watch Video of show if possible

4 -10% Oral Presentations

Th 5-8

FINAL EXAM on Roman Comedy (8-11 AM)