This is an interdisciplinary, cross-college course that will bring together Theatre and non-Theatre students, scientists and non-scientists. The aim is introduce students to ways of encountering science and art so that one can think critically about why these two domains have for so long been seen as separate and even mutually excluding, and how one might bring them back into some sort of dialogue. While the title of the course suggests the main trajectory (“Theatre”), there will be room for students to pursue collaborative research and projects based in art forms other than theatre: spoken word, multimedia art, installation art, applied theatre, and the like. Students will read or view a variety of plays that address scientific themes and characters. As well, we'll view and discuss more contemporary multimedia (sometimes virtual) art/theatre/installations with scientific form and/or content. These primary materials would be supplemented by short, layperson-accessible essays on scientific ideas, sometimes supplemented by video material on particular ideas from physics, cosmology, cognitive science, biology, and genetics.
Requisites: Sophomore standing
Breadth - Literature
Level - Intermediate
Counts as L&S Credit