What Acting Programs Are Encouraged To Teach

Guidelines developed by the Association for Theatre in Higher Education. STAGE DIRECTIONS. October 1996

1. Awareness of the complex nature of the human condition acquired through aesthetic and intellectual perceptions as evidenced in various modes of theatrical production.

2. Knowledge of the various means (acting, directing, designing, constructing, playwriting, etc.) through which a theatrical concept is realized.

3. Knowledge of plays that are representative of the development of theatre and drama.

4. Knowledge of theatre history, including its cultural context and its modes of production.

5. Knowledge of various critical theories, research sources, and methodologies.

6. The ability to analyze and interpret plays and other theatrical events with special attention to the skills involved in acting and performance, directing, designing, and playwriting.

7. The ability to reach an audience effectively through at least one of the components of theatrical art.

8. The ability to function safely and effectively using contemporary theatre technology.

9. The ability to use the skills and techniques needed in research.

10. The ability to express in performance, in writing, in speaking, and through other modes of communication the results of research, critical judgment, and other findings and discoveries.

11. The ability to relate theory to theatrical literature and performance.

12. The ability to respond as a critically informed member of the theatre audience.

13. The program also should help develop a creative imagination, an inquiring mind, a sense of social responsibility and professional discipline, a collaborative attitude, artistic standards and judgment, and respect for the art form.