Printer Friendly Version    Evaluation Worksheet   

Theatre Arts: Stagecraft Certificate Theatre Arts & Fashion Total Units: 27
A newer version of this program is available. View the latest version here.

Catalog rights may apply, see a counselor for more information.

Term Effective: Fall 2008

Description:

The Theatre Arts: Stagecraft Certificate of Achievement program prepares students for entry level and apprentice employment as a professional scenic artist, for the stage, film or television environments. In addition, this program prepares students wishing to pursue a career in scenic design, properties design, or technical direction with a solid foundation in all aspects of stagecraft. The program focuses on a hands-on approach to the study of materials, equipment, terminology, safety issues, and technical skills required for dramatic productions.

Depending on natural talent, level of experience, and industry needs, students can enter the industry directly from this program. However, most certificate students wishing to pursue professional design or technical direction careers must continue to build their resumes through substantial work experience, and will likely pursue additional training through private design schools or four-year university programs. The Theatre Arts: Stagecraft Certificate of Achievement provides students with the basic skills and techniques necessary to successfully start that career path. Certificate students who also wish to pursue an Associate of Arts degree and/or four-year degree are encouraged to meet with a counselor. Students interested in a suggested order for taking classes in this program, can view the recommended course sequence.

The job prospects in this field are plentiful. Work tends to be seasonal at first leading to union positions with established theatre and film companies. Students wishing to advance in the field must be ready to work their way up the ladder and must be available at anytime and willing to travel. Most entry-level positions are offered at low pay. However, hard work and working well with others will lead to a lucrative and exciting career as a free-lance designer or technician for all venues, including theatre, opera, television, film, concert and trade show circuits.

The Theatre Arts certificate training programs are unique in that they offer five areas of emphasis: Acting, Costuming, Makeup, Stagecraft, and Theatre Management. These one to two-year intensive vocational training programs examine, through lecture, demonstration, and application, the tools and techniques required to succeed in professional theatre and related entertainment industry positions. Introductory and advanced courses are designed to familiarize the student with the theory and practice of theatrical production while participating in a 5-show production oriented program.

At the heart of the certificate curriculum is a collaborative relationship between faculty, staff, guest artists, and students that helps students develop while producing professional quality theatre. Courses cover a broad spectrum of related disciplines to further enrich the learning experience and provide a strong foundation of knowledge. Students are also instructed in the basics of self-marketing as well as audition, resume and portfolio preparation and presentation.

Program Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this certificate, the student will be able to:
1. Work effectively with lighting and scenery design plans;
2. work competently with common materials and techniques when constructing theatrical elements;
3. apply fundamental techniques of stagecraft when participating in the backstage functions of a performance;
4. demonstrate basic skills in one or more of the following areas of specialization:

  • running crew
  • lighting hang and focus
  • scenic carpentry
  • welding and/or scenic painting
  • audio set up and routing;
5. integrate knowledge of theatre history and literature when constructing theatrical elements; and
6. perform for the stage at a beginning level using fundamental techniques of voice, movement, and the actor's craft.

Program Requirements:

The requirements for the Theatre Arts: Stagecraft Certificate program are:

  • Complete 27 units from
    • Theatre Arts Core Requirements
    • Stagecraft Emphasis Requirements

Theatre Arts Core Requirements - complete 6.00 units
THAR 1World Theatre Through Time3.00
THAR 10AIntroduction to Techniques of Acting3.00
 
Stagecraft Emphasis Requirements - complete 21.00 units
Complete any combination totaling at least 3.00 units from the following:
CourseDescriptionUnits
THAR 25Production Lab: General1.00-3.00
THAR 25.2Production Lab: Running Crew1.50-3.00
THAR 25.5Production Lab: Construction0.25-3.00
THAR 20Stagecraft3.00
THAR 23Introduction to Scenic Design3.00
THAR 24Design Workshop3.00
THAR 26Theatrical Lighting3.00
Complete any combination totaling at least 6.00 units from the following:
CourseDescriptionUnits
ART 3Introduction to Art & Design3.00
ART 4Principles of Color3.00
ART 5Three Dimensional Design3.00
ART 7ADrawing & Composition 13.00
ART 13Watercolor1.50-3.00
ART 18.1Introduction to Computer Graphics in Art1.00-3.00
THAR 27Properties Workshop2.00
THAR 48.1Summer Repertory Workshop Preparation4.00

Term Effective: Fall 2008

The requirements for this program of study are effective beginning the semester shown above. If you began working on this program before the effective semester, you may not be affected by the changes. Consult with the program contact person or the department chair to determine your eligibility to complete the program under previous requirements.

Term Inactive: Fall 2010

Previous Versions:

Theatre Arts: Stagecraft - effective Fall 1981

Course Prerequisites and Advisories:

Courses in a program of study may have prerequisites or advisories; that is, courses that must or should be completed before taking that course. Please check for prerequisites or advisories by clicking on the course numbers in the Program Requirements section.

It is important that students who are completing an Associate Degree and desire to transfer to a four-year institution meet with a counselor to plan their lower division coursework. While many majors at SRJC are intended to align with lower division major preparation required by California public universities, specific lower-division major requirements vary among individual campuses. See a counselor, visit the Transfer Center, and check Guides For Transfer in Specific Majors, and ASSIST to review transfer preparation guides for specific schools and majors.

Notes:

All students enrolled in the certificate program will be assigned a faculty advisor who will meet with them regularly to monitor progress.
All courses in the THAR 25 series (THAR 25, 25.1, 25.2, 25.3, 25.4, and 25.5) are variable unit courses; each course may be taken up to four times. Units are determined by the type of position and number of productions a student will work on during a semester. These courses are also corequisites for THAR 20, 21, 22A, and 22B. Certificate students planning to take these courses are encouraged to contact the Theatre Arts department chair prior to registration.

Contact
Information
Phone Email Website
(707) 527-4696
srjccertificate003110@santarosa.edu