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Tech Theatre

Students focus on developing the basic tools and procedures for creating elements of technical theatre as listed below.   Technical knowledge of safety procedures and demonstrated safe operation of theatre equipment are central to success in this course.  Students will be required to attend or participate in technical work, rehearsals, and/or performances beyond the school day to support, extend, and assess learning in the classroom.

Course Description:

Technical Theatre class will introduce the first year technician to the areas of stagecraft and theatrical production. You will climb ladders, lift things, build (no power tools), paint, work online, research, work with makeup, and handle very expensive equipment in this class. The theatre elements to which you will be introduced will include, but are not limited to:

Stage elements

  • Theatre appreciation
  • Lights and Lighting Design
  • Stage Mangement

Stage properties (props)

  • Costumes
  • Makeup
  • Fly System Saftey
  • Scene Design

Crews/Assignments

  • Sound Engineering
  • Box Office
  • Ticket Sales
  • Publicity

Classroom Procedure:

  • Our class will meet in the theatre unless you are otherwise informed.  Be in the theatre, sitting in the front and center when the tardy bell rings.
  • You must have a pair of closed‐toe shoes available at all times!  Ladies – it is not wise to wear skirts on days we are doing “hands on stage” kind of stuff.
  • All equipment and personnel are to be treated with respect.   Negative and indifferent attitudes will not be allowed to touch ANYTHING in the theatre!!

Rules:

  • Be Prepared
  • Be polite and helpful
  • Be Safe
  • Be Clean!

“Gig” Procedure:

  1. Arrive at least 45 minutes before “showtime”, wearing your Shirt.
  2. Introduce yourself to the person for whom you are working.
  3. Finalize setup for the event.
  4. Be helpful and courteous during the event.
  5. Cleanup after the event.

SAMPLE CURRICULUM GUIDE

First Quarter

  • Week 1:  Introduction.  Types of stages, theater hierarchy, areas of the stage, parts of a stage
  • Week 2:  Script Analysis of play to be worked on.  (PTT Set Design, PTT Lighting Design)
  • Week 3:  Set Construction.  Theater and tool safety, materials, and safety test.
  • Week 4:  Building practical scenery units.
  • Week 5, 6 and 7:  Building flats, joining flats, working on set. Paint set.  Trim out set.
  • Week 9:  Introduction to Lighting, how to safely work with lighting equipment.  Review for quarter final and administer quarter final exam.

Second Quarter

  • Week 1:  How to safely strike a set.  Strike set for last show.  Begin stage management unit.
  • Week 2 and 3:  Stage Management.
  • Week 4:  Audio:  Types of audio equipment, set up and run wireless and wired mics, set up audio for a production or concert.
  • Week 5 and 7:  Set Design.  Script analysis, tricks of the trade, analysis of actual set, design and build scale model of a play.
  • Weeks 7 and 8:  Lighting Design.    Script analysis, look at lighting for 2 different plays in different theaters, common equipment, patching and cueing, manual and computerized controllers.
  • Weeks 9:  Review for final, and administer semester final exam.  Theater clean-up.