THEA 036. Theater From Scratch: An Introduction to Devised Performance

This course offers an immersive introduction to devised theater, a dynamic art form where artists collaboratively craft original performances. Unlike traditional theater that centers the interpretation of existing scripts, devised theater empowers artists to build something entirely new from the ground up. Throughout the course, students will be introduced to diverse methods of creating original performance by studying the work of devised theater artists, participating in classroom exercises, and, most importantly, making work of their own. Students will explore creating original work through the lens of various theatrical genres including political theater, dance theater, site-specific theater, and adaptation, while also learning about the role of the director, actor, dramaturg, and designer in devised processes. Additionally, the course invites students to consider the ways devised theater-making can build community, create a space for collective processing, and challenge artists to create new ways to be in relationship with audiences. Students will participate in various devising experiments throughout the semester and, as their final assignment, students will present a public work-in-progress showing of their original work.
Prerequisite: THEA 001 OR THEA 002A
Humanities.
1 credit.
Fall 2025. Torra.
Catalog chapter: Theater
Department website: https://www.swarthmore.edu/department-theater

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