FFS 398 - Acting French: From the Page to the Stage

0.5 unit(s)

Who was Molière, and why is he still one of the most frequently performed playwrights in the world today? This discussion-based intensive focuses on two key comedies written by France’s most famous and subversive actor-playwright. It provides a language-immersion environment essential to improving oral skills and an overview of the cultural range and artistic diversity of classical and contemporary theater. To hone their language skills, students practice the same voice techniques and diction exercises used by French theater students at the Conservatoire National Supérieur d’Art Dramatique in Paris. They read Molière’s original texts, explore bold and surprisingly contradictory reboots and mashups imagined by professional directors and actors, and work together on their own personal interpretations of short passages. At the end of the workshop, they present one joint creative project: a compilation of carefully selected scenes from one or both plays, performed live or on tape.

Not offered in 2020/21.

Course Format: INT