Category Archives: Classes

The New Face of Dramaturgy at Oswego State Theatre

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‘Clybourne Park’, written by Bruce Norris, notably takes place in the time periods 1959 and 2009. With racism being evident the world of the play, the audience witnesses prejudice in America during both the Civil Rights Movement as well as the modern setting of 2009. Racism isn’t always obviously spoken about in the show, as it’s often shown in the context of microaggression. These contrasting worlds, one historically familiar and one that we live in, are portrayed in order to prompt the questions, “What am I like?” and “Do I do that?” Its prevalence takes different forms depending on the time period.With historical significance playing such a key part in the production, an important piece of the process is ensuring historical accuracy as well as performing script analysis. That is where the role of dramaturgy comes in.

This semester has brought many changes within Oswego State’s Theatre department, one of which has come from the hire of the new theatre history and criticism professor Dr. Toby Malone. Malone, whose experiences originated in acting, got his Ph.D. in Theatre at the University of Toronto and there shifted into focus on Dramaturgy. He was attracted to dramaturgy as it bridged the gap between performance and the scholarly aspects of theatre. His early work focused on the structure of Shakespearean plays. Through his work in dramaturgy with theatres, he ensured that the necessary cuts made to the heightened language of Shakespearean plays wouldn’t detract from the overall comprehension of the shows. His thesis research included analyzing cuts made to 16 different productions of ‘Richard III’ and analyzing the cultural beliefs and values of the different time periods based upon the cuts that were made to the individual productions. Malone within his teaching very much stresses the importance of the study of the textual structures of the plays as well as the typical research-based approach to dramaturgy.

The department in the past has become accustomed to assigning one student to act as the dramaturgy for each individual production. This semester, Malone’s THT334 Dramaturgy class are doing dramaturgy for both “Clybourne Park” and “Boeing, Boeing”. Students within the class are immersed in research and interpretation of texts within the realm of the current theatre season. Malone is integrating a digital aspect into the program, having students build a website known as a “Dramaturgy Hub” for both ‘Clybourne Park’ and ‘Boeing, Boeing’. Over his professional career, he had noted that having a book created by the dramaturg containing reference material for the actors often went underused, as actors often don’t have the time to sift through it. He then decided to adopt those resources into a website format. SUNY Oswego’s dramaturgy hub contains facts about different elements of the plays, an “Ask The Dramaturgs” section where members of the production team can submit questions, a glossary for complex language within the text, and other focused research developed by the dramaturg team. Students of the Dramaturgy class have been currently shadowing rehearsals and performances of the ongoing production ‘Clybourne Park’, which premieres Thursday, October 19th, 2017. The students are focusing on reviewing the progress of the show, checking for inconsistencies that need further research, and ensuring that the story being communicated onstage will be understood by the audience.

To see what SUNY Oswego’s THT334 Dramaturgy class has been up to, check out the updated Dramaturgy Hub for ‘Clybourne Park’ at https://sites.google.com/oswego.edu/clybournehub/home

Also, don’t forget to see ‘Clybourne Park’ at Waterman Theatre Thursday, Oct. 19th, and Friday, Oct. 20th at 7:30 pm and Saturday, Oct. 21st at 2pm. Next week the dates are Thursday, Oct. 26th and Friday, Oct. 27th at 7:30 pm and Saturday, Oct. 28th at 2pm with an ASL interpreter.

A Useful Tip for Incoming Freshmen

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Nervous about finding your classes on the first day of college? Don’t be, most students don’t know where their classroom is the first day. If you want to be ahead of the game and know exactly where you are going, you can do a run-through of all of your classes the day before they start. This way you know exactly what academic building and classroom you go to at each time. Although this may seem a little silly, it may help you have peace of mind the first day when everyone may be a little confused. Finding the most efficient routes from building to building in order to make it to your next class in a timely fashion will help to prevent mix ups and allow you to plan your days accordingly! Especially if you’d like to stop somewhere like Crossroads in the Campus Center or Cooper dining hall in the middle of campus for a quick bite between classes. Setting a game plan before your classes actually start will make your day go much smoother.

Still Looking For A Specific Class For The Fall Semester? Here’s Some Things To Do To Better Your Chances

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Didn’t get into the class you wanted for the Fall Semester? Do not worry! There are a few ways you might be able to improve your chances:

  1. Email the Professor! – Emailing the Professor for the class you wanted could get you on a waitlist. Or even better, sometimes Professors can just add you to the class. It does not hurt to ask!
  2. Check Registration Regularly – Many people change their schedule over the summer which means they might have dropped the class you want! Keep checking, a spot may open any day! *People also drop classes the first few weeks of school*
  3. Consider Other Times/Professors – Even if the class is not the exact time or Professor you were hoping for, the class itself has similar material from the one you wanted.

If none of these tips work, remember you can always take the class another semester. I know is frustrating but sometimes waiting a semester to take the exact class, at the time you want, with the right Professor is worth waiting for. Make sure not to stress about it!

Taking Classes This Summer? Here Are 5 Tips To Help!

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Taking classes over the summer isn’t the easiest thing. Classes are usually 3-6 weeks, which means that Professors cram the whole semester into that short time span. Last summer, I decided to take a few classes and found some things that helped me out.

  1. Read the class syllabus! – Everything you will be doing in the class should be listed in the class syllabus. Whatever projects you will be doing, as well as due dates will be listed in this packet
  2. Keep a Planner – Although this one seems simple, it is hard to remember due dates for certain assignments…especially when the class is done in such a short amount of time. During the summer, sometimes things may slip your mind so use either a planner or an alert system on your phone to ensure you don’t miss anything!
  3. Check Your Email Daily – Make sure you’re up-to-date with everything going on in the class. Professors can change the date or even add you to a group project over email
  4. Buy the Textbook – If a class requires a textbook that you absolutely need, just buy it. I know textbooks can be expensive but if you’re going to get a bad grade without it, it’s worth it.
  5. Stay Committed – Taking classes over the summer isn’t ideal but if you sign up, stay focused on the course. Classes tend to only last from 3-6 weeks and can be a great way to boost your GPA!

Good luck with your classes this summer! I hope these tips help you stay on track.

What I’m taking away from college

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IMG_8413As I’m sitting here trying to ignore how fast the clock is ticking, I’m reminded of all of the incredible experiences and memories I’ve had on this beautiful campus over the past four years. I’m taking away so much from my time here, and truly know that I am a vastly different person than I was at the start of my freshman year. I am proud of who I have become, but I know that I could not have become this person if I hadn’t made that initial decision to attend school here.

I am proud of all of the hard work that I have put into my degree and will be happily graduating in a few weeks with dual degrees in Marketing and Public Relations. Through the classroom lessons, professors, and internships, I am prepared to start a career in advertising. Let me tell you, it feels good to say that confidently. I am leaving college with a lot more than a degree. It truly is the lessons you learn outside of the classroom that matter the most.

I’m leaving with memories of the best four years I could have EVER asked for. There’s something amazing about this place. It’s more than the scenery of Lake Ontario and it’s more than the school itself. It’s really about the sense of belonging you gain here. I felt like myself at this school, only a better version of that person. I’ve learned how to be independent, how to stand up for myself, and appreciate who I am as a person.

I’m leaving with a sense of adventure. Sometimes, no matter how much homework you have, it’s important to just get up and be spontaneous, take a drive, or even host your own food eating contest (I may or may not hold a pretty decent chicken nugget record). Even if I may not be good at some things, I can at least say that I tried my best.

IMG_0353I’m leaving having met the greatest people on this Earth (shoutout to my O.G. 3rd floor Scales crew). My friends are amazing and I can’t wait to see where life takes them. My appreciation for them can never be vocalized enough. Last night, we played our last intramural sports game together. If you knew me four years ago, you’d know that I wouldn’t have been sad about this. Flash forward to last night and I’m standing on the court fighting back the tears. My best friend is the one who encouraged me to play a sport for the first time, and after playing in many many games, I’m happy to have friends like her to encourage me because I had more fun than I could have ever imagined. College is about finding the people who inspire you and love you even at your worst moments. To me it’s the memories of dancing like idiots, late night food runs, shopping through each other’s closets, hours of Netflix, and laughing until our stomachs hurt that I will remember the most.

So here’s to you SUNY Oswego. I may be leaving, but you will always be a part of me no matter where this crazy world takes me.

A Busy Bee is the Best Bee

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“This semester I am going to go to the gym, stay ahead in my work, take as many hours at my job, and spend time with my friends while maintaining a steady sleep schedule and decent diet” is A LOT  easier to say than to follow through with.

My general goal going into any semester is to find a healthy balance between school, work, and friends. Here I am 6th week in and already sleep deprived and drowning in work. Rather than crying about it I decided that I would share some useful tips so stay awake and alert.

School: School comes first ALWAYS and when I say first I obviously mean after family. But this is why you’re here at Oswego to literally go to class. SO GO TO CLASS. Get smarter. Have intelligent conversations, have silly conversations, just as long as you are having them.

Tips about class-If you are not a morning person; don’t try and be one. Schedule afternoon and night classes. If you like to get up early sign up for the 8 am. There is nothing better than having your day over before noon. I also suggest actually getting to know your teacher. Have them know your name, participate in class. Getting to know your teachers can be useful in the long run.

Make money: Jobs are great. They teach you responsibility and give you some disposable income which can be very useful in college (every student is broke and if you aren’t congrats don’t brag). Jumping into a job too soon can be a huge risk. The transition from high school to college is immense. Your first semester is said to be one of the most difficult semesters you’ll have. Don’t stress yourself out even more by adding in a job. Figure out if you can manage one first without one.

Tips about working- I started working on campus my sophomore year. I had successfully completed a whole year of college with around a 3.5 GPA. Working for SUNY Oswego Campus Recreation is something that exponentially contributed to my time management skills. It became less Netflix and more work in the library. I had deadlines for classes and I set deadlines for myself.

Staying healthy: When you’re a college student, you can have your cake and eat it too. No parents, no rules. However, when your jeans get smaller it can be really discouraging. Once in a while, eat an apple. Don’t get fries for lunch and dinner, get a salad sometimes. Just because mom isn’t around doesn’t mean vegetables shouldn’t be either.

Tips on staying healthy- Two words: AIRBORN and WATER. Taking a vitamin can be annoying but college is so germy it is important to be proactive. We have all been sick but the worst thing is waiting until it’s too late. Dying in your residence hall isn’t fun for you, your roommate or anyone for that matter. Take preventative measures (especially in our winters).

Working out: If working out, sports teams, or even participating in gym class wasn’t your thing in high school it is never too late to start! If you were active in high school keep on trucking! Leading an active lifestyle promotes a healthy lifestyle, a better heart, and more active mind. Whether it is once a week or once a day, being active in college has a multitude of benefits.

Tips on being healthy- I met tons of my friends playing intramural sports and going to group exercise classes. It is a nice way to break up the week. Going to a Zumba class gives you a great workout for about 45 minutes and you can go back to lying in bed with Netflix ASAP. PSA: One does not need to have rhythm to partake in Zumba. It is four years later and I still participate in intramurals with the same friends. Intramural sports last about an hour a night. There are men’s leagues, co-ed leagues (called Co-rec) and women’s leagues!

Have fun: School is going to get stressful. If you have a job, it will get stressful. Your pants; sorry but they’ll probably get tighter. BUT with the right support system and good friends, you will be able to survive the toughest of times!!

Tip from a senior- Make these four years count, because they’ll be over before you know it!

Live in Hart, Do the IST

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Hello, How is your new semester going?

Today, i want to talk about the IST! If you are a resident in Hart hall, probably you heard about it.

IST is the class which you MUST take, if you want to live in Hart. If you don’t? You will be kicked out from the Hart.

As you know, Hart hall is the global residence hall. There are many international students from lots of countries. I worked as an international Orientation Leader last month and there were about 60 new international students in this spring semester. (In the fall, usually there are more than 100 new international students in SUNY Oswego!)

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Thus, it is essential to understand diversity. IST is the program that helps to learn cultures of other countries with a credit. To take a credit, you have to handle 6 essays and 10 hours of community hours until the end of semester. For 6 essays, you can participate many kinds of discussion programs, presentation programs, and documentary programs. For the community hours, 10 hours of participation at the both on-campus and off-campus activities are required.

It sounds difficult to do, but it is not. The average grade of the class is A. There are many interesting programs signed up for this course, so you just need to go, listen and write an one-page essay. Even though you are not living in Hart, still you can attend the program.

Do you want to know what kinds of programs there are? Here is the IST calendar!

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https://acquia-prod.oswego.edu/hart-hall-global/ist-events-calendar

Australia Bound

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After a nice meal and a few tears, my family sent me off to the security checkpoint. My heart is pounding out of my chest. The day has finally come; I will soon be boarding my plane to Australia.

Hello everyone, I’m Lydia and I will be studying and interning through CAPA, The Global Education Network, in Sydney. I am filled with excitement and prepared for the unknown. Yes, living in a foreign country for five months may seem daunting. However, in order to grow as an individual, one must be pushed out of their comfort zone. The next post you read will be posted from the “Land Down Under.” See you soon America, you will be missed!

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Go to the writing center!

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Hello~ An Nyeong!! Today all classes canceled because of the snow!

BUT i know, you know, we know that we have lots of assignments to do.

Because my major is public relations, usually my assignments are writing papers such as case analysis, persuasion essay and so on.  Even though I studied in English which is my second language, the reason why I could survive in American university is the writing center. Today, I want to talk about how much benefits you can get by going to the writing center before submitting your assignments.

In my case, I’ve always been to writing center, since I was a freshman. In my first semester, I had never wrote an essay in English before, but I had to write an essay in English class. Fortunately, my English professor was a director of the writing center in the time, I got information about writing center and started to visit. I was so shy to show my work to tutors at the first time, but I did to get good grades. Once you showed, it was not hard at all from the second times. Since they know I am an international student and English is not my first language, they explain and help give me more detail so that I can understand. Here are more benefits!

  1. Save your time! (You can organize your thoughts before you actually write down in your paper.)
  2. Be more logical! (The most important factor of your essay is the logic.)
  3. Get rid of typos! (Letting other people read your papers always leads to a better job.)

I believe that your classes are coming down to finals. Please do your best until this semester is done and get good grades for every class you are taking.

Korean say “Fighting!!” when we want to cheer friends up!

FIGHTING!!!! 파이팅!!!

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Register for spring semester!

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Hello~ How was your October? Busy for the midterms? So am I.

I think this week will be less tough than the other weeks for all of us, hopefully. This week I am planning to register for spring 2017 semester. Some of students already start to register, but here is tutorial for registration for students who didn’t do yet.

  1. Go to ‘Myoswego‘ and click ‘registration’
  2. Check the start and end date of your registration
  3. Open your ‘Degreeworks’ and check the classes which you need to take next semester and write down.
  4. In ‘Myoswego-registration,’ click ‘Look up the class’ and select the term and searching the classes you need.
  5.  Make a schedule by yourself and list some alternative choices for the situation which the class already full.
  6. Make an appointment with your adviser and ask pin code for registration and check your class plan.
  7. After all of above, go to registration site, and register.

You should read class description before you register, because sometimes they have requirements for the class or some classes may be different than your thought when you read only class title.

Please don’t forget and get things done before due date, so that you can take all classes you want to take next semester.

Good luck !

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Yes, i am so excited to take finals