Performing Arts & Theatre Syllabus
A complete, free survey of live performance — from ancient Greek tragedy to contemporary performance art. Ten courses covering theatre history around the world, the crafts of acting, directing, and playwriting, technical production, and the musical forms of Broadway, opera, and dance.
10Courses
100Chapters
600Topics
History and Traditions
How theatre developed across cultures — from Dionysian festivals to Noh, from Shakespeare to contemporary global performance.
1 History of Western Theatre (Ancient Greece to Present) 10 ch.
- Greek Theatre: Tragedy and Comedy
- Roman Theatre and Performance
- Medieval Mystery and Morality Plays
- Renaissance Theatre: England and Europe
- Shakespeare and Elizabethan Drama
- Restoration and 18th Century Theatre
- Romanticism and Melodrama
- Realism and Naturalism
- Modernism and Experimental Theatre
- Contemporary Theatre Movements
2 World Theatre Traditions (Non-Western Performance) 10 ch.
- Sanskrit Drama and Indian Theatre
- Noh and Kabuki: Japanese Theatre
- Beijing Opera and Chinese Theatre
- Indonesian Wayang (Shadow Puppetry)
- African Performance Traditions
- Latin American Theatre
- Middle Eastern Theatre Forms
- Indigenous Performance Practices
- Ritual and Ceremonial Performance
- Intercultural Theatre
Creating Theatre
The core artistic disciplines — how actors perform, directors shape productions, and playwrights write for the stage.
3 Acting Techniques and Performance Theory 10 ch.
- Stanislavski System and Method Acting
- Meisner Technique
- Classical Acting and Text Analysis
- Physical Theatre and Movement
- Voice and Speech for Actors
- Improvisation Techniques
- Character Development
- Scene Study and Rehearsal
- Camera Acting vs Stage Acting
- Contemporary Performance Practices
4 Directing for Stage and Screen 10 ch.
- Director's Vision and Concept
- Script Analysis for Directors
- Casting and Working with Actors
- Blocking and Stage Composition
- Rehearsal Techniques and Process
- Collaborating with Designers
- Film Directing Fundamentals
- Camera Placement and Movement
- Editing and Post-Production
- Contemporary Directing Practices
5 Playwriting and Screenwriting: Craft and Analysis 10 ch.
- Dramatic Structure and Plot
- Character Development in Drama
- Dialogue and Subtext
- Theme and Meaning
- Genre in Playwriting
- Screenplay Format and Structure
- Scene Construction
- Adaptation: Page to Stage/Screen
- Revision and Dramaturgy
- New Play Development Process
Production and Design
Behind the scenes — how sets, lights, costumes, and sound bring productions to life.
6 Stagecraft and Technical Theatre Production 10 ch.
- Stage Management Fundamentals
- Set Design and Construction
- Lighting Design and Technology
- Sound Design for Theatre
- Costume Design and Construction
- Props and Scenic Painting
- Rigging and Stage Safety
- Technical Direction and Production Management
- Theatre Architecture and Spaces
- Production Scheduling and Budgeting
Musical Forms
Performance with music — from Gilbert and Sullivan to Hamilton, from Mozart to contemporary opera.
7 Musical Theatre: History, Theory, and Practice 10 ch.
- Origins: Operetta and Vaudeville
- Golden Age Musicals (1940s–1960s)
- Concept Musicals and Sondheim
- Rock Musicals and Contemporary Forms
- Musical Theatre Acting and Performance
- Music Direction and Vocal Coaching
- Choreography for Musical Theatre
- Book, Music, and Lyrics Integration
- Production and Design for Musicals
- Contemporary Musical Theatre Trends
8 Opera: History, Analysis, and Production 10 ch.
- Baroque Opera and Early Forms
- Mozart and Classical Opera
- Italian Bel Canto Tradition
- Wagner and German Romantic Opera
- Verdi and Italian Opera
- French Opera Traditions
- 20th Century Opera
- Contemporary Opera and New Works
- Opera Production and Staging
- Vocal Technique for Opera
Movement and Body
Performance through physical presence — from classical ballet to hip-hop, from Dada happenings to Marina Abramović.
9 Dance History, Theory, and Choreography 10 ch.
- Classical Ballet Technique and History
- Modern Dance Pioneers
- Contemporary Dance Practices
- Jazz Dance Evolution
- Hip-Hop and Street Dance
- World Dance Traditions
- Choreographic Process and Composition
- Dance Notation and Documentation
- Dance and Technology
- Somatic Practices and Dance Science
10 Performance Art: History, Theory, and Practice 10 ch.
- Origins in Dada and Futurism
- Fluxus and Happenings
- Body Art and Endurance Performance
- Feminist Performance Art
- Identity and Performance
- Participatory and Interactive Performance
- Performance and Technology
- Durational Performance
- Documentation and Ephemera
- Contemporary Performance Art Practices