Actor Training in Berlin (Core)
THEA-UT 9455 | 8 units
Create and perform realistic and devised theater. Strengthen and deepen your presence on stage. Craft performances that are intellectually informed, viscerally exciting, and theatrically courageous.
Experience a cosmopolitan city that holds a complex and crucial place in modern European history. Youthful, artistic, and hip, Berlin has traveled a path that led from the defining cultural avant-garde of the Weimar Republic to the devastation of World War II, from a divided city symbolizing the Cold War to today’s reunified and renewed capital.
Program Overview
Stanislavski, Brecht and Beyond: An Integrated Approach to Actor Training in Berlin is a one-semester program in theatre and actor training for advanced drama students. It is offered by NYU Berlin in conjunction with the Tisch Department of Drama, in affiliation with faculty from the world-renowned Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts, the Berlin University of the Arts, and the internationally acclaimed Berlin Schaubuhne.
Curriculum
Your semester abroad consists of your core program course and three additional companion courses, completing a full-time, 16 unit semester.
The curriculum will focus on the study and practical application of aspects of German theatre that have made and continue to make a significant contribution to international theatre practice. It includes the integration of the Russian based Stanislavski Method of Physical Actions with Brecht’s Epic Theater, Advanced Realistic scene study, classes with Gob Squad, Brecht scene study, Devised theater, Post Dramatic Theatre, movement, voice and rigorous actor-oriented Dramaturgical research. Students will study the history of 20th Century German Dramatic Literature, Dramatic Theory and Theatrical practice, German language, attend productions in several major theatres and take field trips to other cities in Germany. The program will culminate with workshop performances of several short plays by Brecht.
German Theatre of the 20th Century
THEA-UT 9612 | 4 units | Instructor: Katrin Dettmer
This course examines German theatre of the 20th century, from Expressionism to contemporary postdramatic forms of writing and performance. The course will first offer an overview of German theatre traditions before 1900 and will then engage in analyzing specific developments in German theater starting with Max Reinhardt and his work at the Deutsches Theatre Berlin. Other case studies will focus on Brecht’s epic theatre, theatre during the Third Reich, postwar theatre trends in East and West Germany, and current developments in reunified Germany. Not only will we closely read relevant plays and theory by the theatre makers of the respective periods but we will also explore aesthetics and performance issues as they have changed over time. As the involved practice of dramaturgy in Germany has greatly influenced theatrical developments, we will investigate this major aspect of theatrical work in Germany as a contribution to world theater and study how the extensive debate of ideas is being concretely realized in the theatre through the choices being made in a production. An integral part of the course will include visits to Berlin theatres, attending performances, which we will analyze in class, and engaging in discussion with contemporary theatre makers in Berlin.
German Language
Course Number TBA | 4 units | NYU Berlin Faculty
You will take one of the German language courses offered through NYU Global. Placement is based on your experience.
Program Dates
Spring 2018
Student Arrival: Monday, January 22, 2018
Student Departure: Saturday, May 19, 2018
Admissions
Prerequisites:
Tisch Drama Majors: Four semesters of studio training or equivalent.
NYU and Visiting students: One year of college or professional training.
Deadlines:
The spring 2018 application is closed. The spring 2019 application will open on Friday, April 27, 2018.
Application: Acceptance to the program is by audition/interview as well as application review. Please read the following admissions information before starting your application.
Expenses
- Academic Year 2017-2018 Full-time Tuition, 12-18 unit flat rate per term: $26,451
Additional Fees Include:
- Nonrefundable Registration and Services Fee: $1,261
- NYU Housing: Visit the NYU Berlin website for options and costs
Please review the Tisch Special Programs cancellation policy.
Visit the Office of Global Programs for additional study abroad costs.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
There are opportunities for financial assistance to study abroad.
Please review the Scholarships and Financial Aid for Study Abroad page for more information.
Housing
Visit the NYU Berlin website for housing options and descriptions.