Special Topics in Advanced Theatre Studies (340-0-20)

Topic

Comedy/Culture

Instructors

Peter Civetta

Meeting Info

555 Clark 230: Mon, Wed 3:30PM - 4:50PM

Overview of class

Comedy has always been engrained within culture, but often its significant impact and power have been minimized. There is a bias, certainly in American popular culture, against comedy, as can be seen in how few comic movies ever get nominated or win Academy Awards. However, comedy both set trends within society and is reflective of how people understand their world, so this course will take a serious look at the interrelation between comedy and American culture. Topics will include: philosophical theories of why we laugh, historical beginnings of prominent comic forms such as sitcoms and political humor, and comic innovations found in stand-up and sketch. There will also be opportunities to perform in class as a means of further deepening our understanding of comedy through lived experience. Through this class, we hope to gain a better understanding of comedy's influence in our culture and in our individual lives - plus, I hope we will laugh a lot.

Class Materials (Required)

Cost estimate: $1-25