Catalog Description

Advisory: Eligibility for ENGL 1A
Hours: 54 lecture
Description: Introduction to performance studies and issues of diversity and social justice with works that bring these issues to light. Through the analysis, selection, and interpretation of genres such as poetry, oral history, prose, humor, and drama, students deepen their appreciation for literature, gain skill in performance, and insight into the role of voice, identity, and social justice in spoken arts. Focus on critiquing performance in context with key concepts from the field. Includes analysis of literature for themes, script writing, delivery, and the co-production of solo and/or group performance events. (C-ID COMM 170) (CSU, UC)

Course Student Learning Outcomes

  • CSLO #1: Create verbal art for audiences.
  • CSLO #2: Deliver a story about an aspect of your culture and/or identity.
  • CSLO #3: Analyze the meanings of events as acts, performers, and audiences in cultural production.
  • CSLO #4: Co-produce a literary performance event that highlights issues of diversity and/or social justice.

Effective Term

Fall 2024

Course Type

Credit - Degree-applicable

Contact Hours

54

Outside of Class Hours

108

Total Student Learning Hours

162

Course Objectives

  1. Identify and explain what constitutes good literature in context. 

  2. Distinguish between various forms of literature.

  3. Analyze and critique literature and nonfiction for the purpose of interpretation.

  4. Create an act of verbal art.

  5. Research and construct individual and/or group oral performances for various live audiences.

  6. Edit literature for live performance using techniques that focus on unity of time, place, action, mood and character.

  7. Perform a variety of verbal and nonverbal skills to bring literature to life and heighten the effectiveness of the performer’s message.

  8. Identify a text's premises and assumptions in various social, historical, cultural, psychological, or aesthetic contexts. 

  9. Apply a performance studies approach to analyze events.

General Education Information

  • Approved College Associate Degree GE Applicability
    • AA/AS - Fine Arts
  • CSU GE Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU approval)
    • CSUGE - C1 Arts
  • Cal-GETC Applicability (Recommended - Requires External Approval)
    • IGETC Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU/UC approval)
      • IGETC - 3A Arts

    Articulation Information

    • CSU Transferable
    • UC Transferable

    Methods of Evaluation

    • Classroom Discussions
      • Example: Students will workshop texts they plan to perform in small groups. They will share copies of the text in groups and without saying a lot beyond what's on the text, read it to the group. The group will annotate the text with questions to clarify meanings, feedback on where the piece resonated for them as audience members, and suggestions on how to strengthen delivery.
    • Objective Examinations
      • Example: Quizzes will be given to assess student comprehension of key concepts in performance studies and interpretation raised in the readings and lectures. Understanding the terms will allow them to apply them in their interpretations and analysis. Sample questions: 1. What are four concepts that are useful in analyzing performance? Answer: Act, audience, performer, and event.
    • Projects
      • Example: 1. Students will do library research to contextualize a piece of literature they plan to perform and to discern its issues of diversity and social justice. They will write-up their findings in an essay with a works-cited page. Assessment will attend to the relevance and credibility of the sources in relation to the piece, critical thinking and reflection, and quality of writing. 2. Students will perform an act of verbal art or interpretation alongside other performers and audience members. After the performance they will write a critical reflection on the meanings of the event for them personally and for the class as a whole. (Objectives 4, 5, and 9)
    • Skill Demonstrations
      • Example: 1. Students will perform acts of interpretation for an audience. Assessment will focus on how well they achieve interpretive elements of unity of time, place, action, mood, character and overall delivery.

    Repeatable

    No

    Methods of Instruction

    • Lecture/Discussion
    • Distance Learning

    Lecture:

    1. Instructor will lecture on key concepts from the reading and show video exemplars of acts of performance. Concepts that illustrate different aspects of interpretation will be applied to the performance. Instructor will explain the performance event and the elements of act, performer, audience, and context and lead class in an analysis of what the performance does for the given group. During the lecture, the students will participate through whole-class discussion and/or small group discussion after the lecture.

    Distance Learning

    1. In the online modality, the instructor will post a lecture in the LMS on key concepts from the reading with embedded videos of performances. The elements of the performance event including: Act, verbal art, audience, and context will be analyzed to explain its meanings to the audience in situ, the performer, and in relation to the broader culture. Students will participate in a discussion tied to the lecture in which they engage the performance and discuss its meaning to them as audiences and performers.
    2. The instructor will post a lecture through writing and other media on the process of scripting for listening and/or watching audiences. They will provide short examples of a written text meant to be privately read, and an edited version of the text meant for public performance. The instructor will place students in small group discussions to upload photos of a short written text and a revised version they have marked-up to prepare for performance. They will practice reading each others revisions and give feedback on how they resonate and could be strengthened.

    Typical Out of Class Assignments

    Reading Assignments

    1. Read a chapter from the assigned course text. Answer the questions at the end of the chapter to define and apply key terms and demonstrate comprehension. 2. Research and read credible historical, cultural, and/or biographical sources to gain insight into the background of an author, character, or subject whose work you choose to perform.

    Writing, Problem Solving or Performance

    1. Interpret a selection of prose by editing it for performance, applying vocal and nonverbal delivery techniques, and writing a script. 2. Write a critical reflection on the ways in which performing a selection of literature from an author whose experience differs markedly from your own has deepened your appreciation and/or understanding of diversity.

    Other (Term projects, research papers, portfolios, etc.)

    Draw on an oral history interview from Studs Terkel’s “Working.” Do research to contextualize the interview, gain insight into its historical moment, and analyze its meaning and themes. Then script the interview and write an introduction to it that will aid your audience in appreciating it. Rehearse. Perform the piece for a classroom audience. Discuss the performance with the audience afterward. Lastly, write a short, critical reflection in which you comment on how performing the piece complicated or enlarged your understanding of the oral history and what you believe performing it accomplished for you, and for the audience.

    Required Materials

    • Oral Interpretation
      • Author: Timothy Gura and Benjamin Powell
      • Publisher: Routledge
      • Publication Date: 2019
      • Text Edition: 13th
      • Classic Textbook?: Yes
      • OER Link:
      • OER:
    • Performance Studies: An Introduction
      • Author: Schechner, Richard and Sarah Lucie
      • Publisher: Routledge
      • Publication Date: 2020
      • Text Edition: 4th
      • Classic Textbook?: No
      • OER Link:
      • OER:
    • Voices of a People's History of the United States
      • Author: Howard Zinn and Anthony Arnove
      • Publisher: Seven Stories
      • Publication Date: 2014
      • Text Edition:
      • Classic Textbook?: Yes
      • OER Link:
      • OER:
    • Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do
      • Author: Studs Terkel
      • Publisher: New Press
      • Publication Date: 2004
      • Text Edition:
      • Classic Textbook?: Yes
      • OER Link:
      • OER:
    • The Quarry: A Social Justice Poetry Database
      • Author: Split this Rock
      • Publisher:
      • Publication Date: 2023
      • Text Edition:
      • Classic Textbook?: No
      • OER Link:
      • OER: OER

    Other materials and-or supplies required of students that contribute to the cost of the course.