This course is for students interested in working on Scenic Run Crew. No previous experience is required for this position; training will be provided as part of the practicum. Students will need to be present at all technical rehearsals and performances and will need to help with the strike of the set for the final performances.

This course is for students interested in the production crew positions listed below. No previous experience is necessary for any of these positions; training will be provided as part of the practicum. The student will need to be present for all technical rehearsals and performances and a training session scheduled before the start of tech. Light Board Operator: Program and run the light control board under the guidance of the Lighting Designer and Stage Manager.

The practicum covers crew for hair and makeup or wardrobe on a production. The student fulfilling a run crew must be present for all technical rehearsals and performances plus a training session scheduled before the start of tech. No previous experience is necessary for any of these positions; training will be provided as part of the practicum.

A survey of world performance history, including: the evolution of human language and consciousness; the rise of oral, ritual, and shamanic performance; religious and civic festivals; and imperial theatre practices that position the stage at the dangerous intersection of religious worship, public taste, royal patronage, and government censure. Understanding performance as both artistic practice and social institution, this course emphasizes the role performance has played in changing audiences and as a cultural and political force in various societies.

Yue Opera, an all-female art that flourished in Shanghai in 1923, resulted from China's social changes and the women's movement. Combining traditional with modern forms and Chinese with Western cultures, Yue Opera today attracts loyal and enthusiastic audiences despite pop arts crazes. We will focus on how audiences, particularly women, are fascinated by gender renegotiations as well as by the all-female cast. The class will read and watch classics of this theater, including Romance of the Western Bower, Peony Pavilion, and Butterfly Lovers.

Taking basic lighting and sound design skills to the next level, this course will provide a more in-depth study of the skills needed to design lighting and sound for the theatre. Students will have the opportunity to focus on their main area of interest - lighting or sound - or continue study in both subjects. In addition to individual design projects presented in the Black Box classroom, there will be active participation in the light and sound designs of the department productions, along with possible student productions.

This course will examine the materials and techniques used in building and operating theatrical scenery. It will include prop building, rigging, and welding for the theatre. Students will learn the skills to work in the scene shop interpreting scenic designs for department productions.

An introduction to the art and work of the costume designer in the performing arts. Students will learn how a designer approaches a script, how the designer's work impacts a production, and what methods are used in the execution of the design process. Students will learn how to develop their own visual imaginations and how to create visual concepts through discussions and renderings.

An introduction to the art and work of the set designer in the performing arts. Students will learn how a designer approaches a script, how this work impacts a production, and what means are used in the execution of the process. They will learn how to develop their own visual imaginations and how to create visual concepts through discussions, renderings, models and some hand drafting. No previous experience in theatre, performance, or the visual arts is required.

This course will focus on basic Stanislavski techniques: concentration, imagination, relaxation, objective/action, and beats/scene analysis. Each student will apply these concepts to one open scene, one monologue and one realistic contemporary scene.