(Recorded Course) Humor on Stage & Screen with Kevin O’Brien

In this middle school drama course, learn some of the best humorists and comedians in the history of Western culture. From Ancient Greek to Shakespeare, and Gilbert and Sullivan to Laurel and Hardy -- analyze humor on the stage and screen from a literary and historical perspective.

How to get the most out of Humor on Stage & Screen with Kevin O’Brien:

  • Watch each Recorded class session.
  • Complete all quizzes and assignments. Parents can grade any essay questions, or they may purchase Instructor Access for Kevin O'Brien to grade the essay questions.
  • The reading for each week can be found in that week's module.
  • Repeat for each until course is completed.
  • Once the course is completed to the parent's satisfaction, there is a Certificate of Completion at the end to be filled in for your records. Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping.

Total Classes: 6

Duration: 45 minutes

Prerequisite: None

Suggested Grade Level: 6th to 8th grade.

Suggested Credit: 1/2 semester Drama, English, or History. For a full semester add another course. 

Instructor: Kevin O’Brien

Instructor email: kevin@classeswithkevin.com

Course Description: What are some of the best humorists and comedians in the history of Western culture? In this course, we’ll find out -- and laugh along the way! We will touch on the comedies of ancient Greek theater, along with a sampling of Shakespeare, Gilbert and Sullivan, and others -- and then move into the performance comedy of American vaudeville and movies, including the Marx Brothers, Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, Martin and Lewis and more! We will analyze humor on stage and screen from a literary and historical perspective. This course will be a great addition for students seeking to enhance their cultural literacy!

Course Outline:

  1. The comedy of ancient theater

  2. A Taste of Shakespeare and Friends - the comedy of literary drama

  3. Comedy on stage in the 19th and early 20th century

  4. The comedy of vaudeville and silent films

  5. The golden age of film comedy

  6. Modern comedy on stage and screen

Course Materials: PDFs and video clips provided free by the instructor. Students will be asked to watch a few streamed full-length G-rated comedies.

Homework: Some reading or watching movies, with a few quizzes are thrown in.  Plan on about two hours per week.

Answer Keys: There is no answer key booklet included with this course. Quizzes will be graded either by parents or the instructor (with instructor access).