FLYING SOLO - Course Description

FLYING SOLO IS A COURSE EXPLORING THE HISTORY OF SOLO PERFORMANCE AND SERVING AS A LABORATORY SPACE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SHORT SOLO PERFORMANCE PIECE.  

In jazz music, and by extension in jazz culture, the solo is the compositional space in which a player’s passion and virtuosity are exercised to illuminate the player’s personal perspective. Yet, while compelled by individuality, the solo is contingent upon the broader context of community.  The soloist exists in active relationship to the presence of others. The solo is a call by one voice intended to evoke response from the other players, at the same time it is a single response to the continuous call of the song.  The specificity of the solo in jazz culture will serve as a guiding principle for us as we move through this theatre course, flying solo.  We will create solos inside an active and responsible community. We will call to evoke response and, thereby, invite dialogue.

The course will include requisite reading and research in performance theory and theatre history as pertains to the subject of solo performance. we will examine work by solo artists, some of which has been categorized as theatre, some of which has been categorized as conceptual art. Our investigation is intended to seek an expansive understanding of the spaces conjured by these artists and to take relevant cues from their work as we undertake our own.

Each participant in the course will develop a solo performance project which must be firmly rooted in a rigorous process.  This process must include gathering, research, improvisation, writing, rehearsal,  sharing, reflection, revision and refinement. process will be shared in class weekly. The course will culminate in an evening of sharing with the larger Fordham theatre community; for this evening each student will prepare 7 minutes of material.