Get a jump on the action with SPRING 2021 THEATRE CLASSES!

Even though the pandemic has put all theatre on hold indefinitely, learning about theatre at LA Mission College continues. Remote classes have provided new educational opportunities that previously were not part of our Theatre Arts program. Between two new online classes—Script Analysis and History of the World Theatre—and the writing and development of a brand new production, theatre is still alive, vital, and continuing to grow in our community.

TH100 • INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE

3 UNITS • CSU • No prerequisite • GE COURSE
Fully online | Feb 8–Apr 1 | Section 11863
Fully online | Feb 8–Apr 1 | Section 24390

Fully online | Apr 12–Jun 7 | Section 11873
Instructor: Robert Cucuzza or Aubree Friedrich

Students examine all elements of live theatre, its cultural and historical background, the contributions of various theatre artists, and its overall purpose and influence within our society. Students explore all aspects of play production: playwriting, directing, acting, criticism, theatre architecture, set design, costume design, lighting design, and the role of the audience.

TH114 • SCRIPT ANALYSIS

3 UNITS • CSU • No prerequisite • GE COURSE
Fully online | Feb 8–Apr 1 | Section 23046
Instructor: Robert Cucuzza

Using techniques that he developed at revered drama schools like CalArts and the Lee Strasberg Institute, Associate Professor Robert Cucuzza will use such diverse resources as Raiders of the Lost Ark, plays by Shakespeare and Lynn Nottage, and David Ball’s seminal manual, Backwards and Forwards, to unlock the secrets of storytelling and make the tools accessible to the amateur as much as the professional. These techniques will culminate in the analysis of student scripts, written and developed right in the course. 

TH110 • HISTORY OF THE WORLD THEATRE

3 UNITS • CSU • No prerequisite • GE COURSE
Fully online | Apr 12–Jun 7 | Section 24391
Instructor: Robert Cucuzza

Did you know that all of the shows and movies that you watch have their roots in theatre? The films of Quentin Tarantino are heavily influenced by Japan’s ancient kabuki theatre. The Office has its roots in the 1600s Italian commedia dell’arte. Game of Thrones is a direct descendent of the history plays of William Shakespeare and, even further back, the soaring tragedies of Ancient Greece. In fact, the origins of theatre can be traced back 4,000 years (at least!), far longer than the first presentation of film in 1895. This course charts the winding path of the art and craft of theatre as it cropped up in every culture across the globe. Through a survey of the classics of theatre and climactic world events, we draw parallels between the past and present, learning as much about our predecessors as we do about ourselves in the world today.

The Fall of Montezuma and the City of Dreams at the Hand of the Spanish Conquistador Hernán Cortés

3 UNITS • No prerequisite • Instructor-added course
Feb 7–Jun 7
Instructor: Robert Cucuzza

LA Mission College Theatre has begun research and development of an ambitious original theatre project. The Fall of Montezuma and the City of Dreams at the Hand of the Spanish Conquistador Hernán Cortés is a devised theatre piece that both tells the story of the cataclysmic events that led to the fall of the Aztec Empire and the beginning of modern Mexico. Personal stories will be woven with historical fact to bring this history to vivid life, highlighting the connection between the past and present. Associate Professor Robert Cucuzza will lead a group of students through the exciting process of script development—from the beginning stages to the creation of a completed script. An interview with Cucuzza is required to be added to the course. Email for more information and to set up a meeting.