Curriculum & Course Details

SEMESTER 1

Syllabus for One Year Intensive Course in Acting at NSD Bengaluru Centre One year course shall be divided into Two Semesters of 5 months each. Each Semester shall have Two Sub Semesters. There shall be four Sub semesters of 10 weeks duration each.

SUB-SEMESTER 1

This sub-semester shall be of 10 weeks duration

• Introduction to tribal art forms, performing rituals, ritual invocation and narratives from tribal culture shall be included.
• Physical skills and daily exercise shall be derived from the tribal art forms of the southern regions suitable for an actor's physical training and for building stamina.
• Music derived from tribal art forms shall be practiced along with the vocal skills derived of these tribal forms. Tribal literature and texts shall be made available, documents to be read, analyzed and discussed in detail.
• Crafts and design elements such as masks, headgear, ornaments and costumes shall be practiced. Scene work based on tribal art forms, written or devised text shall be presented at the end of sub-semester one.

SUB-SEMESTER 2

This sub-semester shall be of 10 weeks duration

• It includes an introduction to the folk theatre of India with focus on the southern states and union territories and folklore of the southern regions.
• Physical skill exercises shall be derived from the folk art forms of the regions.
• Focus will be on performer oriented interpretative improvisations of local myths in the repertoire and characters larger than life, with their energy expressed in movements.
• Music and vocal skill exercises shall be derived from the folk art of the southern regions and incorporated into the actor's training. Rhythm, stance and movement patterns will also be studied.
• Folklore and folk drama texts shall be read, discussed and analyzed in detail.
• Theatre crafts and design elements from the folk art forms shall be prepared and practiced. This also includes makeup expressions, use of masks, symbolic representation etc..
• Scene work based on tribal art forms, written or derised text shall be presented at the end of sub-semester two.
• The viva examination shall be followed by two weeks of holidays.

SEMESTER 2

This semester shall consist of two sub semester of 10 weeks duration. Modern Indian literature, western literature, physical and vocal skill, games improvisation and other teaching inputs from modern theatre training may be included as a regular input throughout the course.

SUB-SEMESTER 3

• This sub-semester shall be dedicated in understanding and practicing the elements of Natyashastra and classical Indian theatre.
• The sub-semester focuses on Dashrupakas and detailed study of any two of Rupakas with interpretation on classical elements and analysis.
• Abhinaya according to Natyashastra, Aangikam, Vachikam, Aaharyam and Sathvikam. Hasth Mudras - codified gestures and Bhavas shall be learnt and practiced.
• Physical skills derived from classical dance movements shall be practiced.
• Music and vocal skills shall form part of the course work.
• Design elements, various types of performing spaces, theatre craft make-up practice including those of a Vidhooshaka, Nayaka, Nayika etc. shall form a part of the course work.
• Scene work based on a Sanskrit text shall be presented.

SUB-SEMESTER 4

• This sub semester shall be dedicated to assimilate an understanding of Tribal, folk Traditional and classical Indian theatre learning to formulate ideas and concept for the modern actor.
• Physical, contemporary exercises include focus on different joints, tension relaxation, meditation and yoga.
• Contemporary exercises for vocal chords, pitch, volume, projection, etc., shall be studied
• There shall be an introduction to acting methodology according to Stanislavsky, Mayer hold etc.,
• Study of drama texts from the southern regions shall be included.
• Production will be based on a contemporary text.
• The sub-semester ends with the General Annual Viva.