Chabot College
Fall 2010
Course Outline for Theater Arts 50
PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT
Catalog Description
50 - Production Management
May be repeated 3 times.
1-6 units
Basic building blocks of producing a show, from the choice of material to the staging of a play
from a broad range of historical periods. Organizing department productions, including student
fund-raisers, student original projects, theater week, and the main stage productions. Personnel
management, conducting regular production meetings, reconciling budget considerations,
aesthetic demands, and practical matters. The business operations of all the scheduled
productions, including promotions and front-of-house duties. 1 hour lecture, 3-15 hours
laboratory.
[Typical contact hours: lecture 17.5, laboratory 52.5 – 262.5]
Prerequisite Skills:
None
Expected Outcomes for Students:
Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
mount a stage production;
conceptualize and strategize a process;
set time lines for the design process to occur;
demonstrate an understanding of the legal requirements of royalties;
demonstrate fluency in the language of design;
communicate, in written and oral form, job descriptions to a production team
a. Lighting Designer
b. Technical Director
c. Sound Designer
d. Costume Designer
e. Set Designer
f. Stage Manager
g. Choreographer/Music director
set a budget;
read a balance sheet;
plan and execute a publicity strategy for the productions;
design and coordinate programs, tickets, postcards, posters;
plan and execute the duties of house managing, box office managing, and ushering for a
theater production;
do basic accounting sheets for box office receipts;
organize a small theater front-of-house activities, and how these coordinate with the back-ofhouse activities.
Course Content (lecture):
1. Introduce the ways to mount a production
2. Set time lines
3. Analyze legal documents for royalties
4. Write job descriptions for production personnel
5. Draft budgets
Chabot College
Course Outline for Theater Arts 50, Page 2
Fall 2010
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Analyze and execute bookkeeping.
Planning for selling tickets
Write press releases
Compile press packages
Prepare programs
Prepare logos for program, poster and postcards
Prepare final fiscal reports
Strategize for new promotional activities
Execute promotions on and off campus
Write program copy
Course Content (laboratory):
1. Mount a production
2. Sell tickets
3. House duties at performances
Methods of Presentation:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Lecture/Demonstration
Individual conferences
Field tasks
Written and oral assignments
Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
1. Typical Assignments
a. Write job descriptions for the Lighting Designer and Scenic Designer
b. Write a production calendar
c. Write a press release
d. Apply for royalties
2. Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
a. Student Assignments
b. Completion of Tasks
c. Attendance and participation
d. Self-evaluation
e. Final examination (or project)
Textbook(s) (Typical):
Hamlet, William Shakespeare, Washington Square Press, 1992.
This is the best version available.
Special Student Materials:
None
z:Curriculum2001/TheaterArts50
RL:kh Revised 11/27/01
11-12-09, 12/10/09 cp, dh