Instructor: Deanna L. Zibello
Contact: Email: dlz2@stmarys-ca.edu
Office: LeFevre Theatre 6
Office Hours: TBD
And by appointment
Class Meetings: Time TBD; Classroom TBD
Course Description:
This course is for students with little or no previous experience in technical theatre. In it, students will learn the basics of the theatrical production process, including: roles of the production process; basics of tool use and scene shop safety; introduction to carpentry and stagecraft; basics of electrics, sound and costume/wardrobe; and fundamentals of working on stage crew. In addition to weekly class meetings, students will have assigned readings and hands-on assignments to be completed during lab hours, addressing each of the areas noted above. Please see below for a detailed description of the lab requirements.
Learning Outcomes:
Students should be able to:
1.
Identify and describe the organizational structure, production roles, and process necessary for theatrical production.
2.
Be familiar with the physical plant, safety guidelines and working procedures of a theatre, backstage area, and shop.
3.
Understand and be able to safely perform basic tasks involved in scenic carpentry, stage electrics, backstage running/wardrobe crew, and audio engineering.
Student Disability Services:
Reasonable and appropriate accommodations for individuals with qualifying disabilities are extended through the office of Student Disability Services. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the
Student Disability Services office at (925) 631-4358 to set up a confidential appointment to discuss accommodation guidelines and available services. Additional information may be found at the following address on the Saint Mary’s website: http://www.stmarys-ca.edu/sds
Academic Honesty:
Saint Mary’s College expects every member of its community to abide by the Academic Honor
Code. According to the Code, “Academic dishonesty is a serious violation of College policy because, among other things, it undermines the bonds of trust and honesty between members of the community.” Violations of the Code include but are not limited to acts plagiarism. For more information, please consult the Student Handbook at www.stmarys-ca.edu/your-safetyresources/student-handbook .
Required Texts:

Campbell, Drew. Technical Theatre for Non-Technical People, Allworth Press (2004)

Sondheim, Stephen and Arthur Laurents. Anyone Can Whistle (Revised Version), MTI (2004)

Students enrolled in this course are required to see the Theatre Program’s fall Mainstage production, Anyone Can Whistle. A ticket will be provided for you.


Excerpted supplementary material from the following sources, provided in class, available at the library or on E-Reserve o Holloway, John Ramsey. Illustrated Theatre Production Guide, Third Edition, Focal Press
(2014) o Gillette, J. Michael. Theatrical Design and Production: An Introduction to Scene Design
and Construction, Lighting, Sound, Costume, and Makeup, Seventh Edition (2012)
Lab Requirements
In addition to attending class, you are assigned to complete specific tasks each week as the “lab” component of this course. Assignments for lab are intended to give you hands-on experience in the area of technical theatre we have most recently discussed. You should plan to complete your lab assignment between the end of class on one Thursday, and the beginning of class on the following Thursday.
In some cases, there will be limited opportunities for you to complete your lab assignment. (For example, the lab assignment for the week beginning October 16 th is to attend a production meeting.
Production meetings are typically held once a week.) If your schedule doesn’t permit you to complete your lab task during the week it was assigned, you may complete it early. It is always preferable for you to plan ahead, rather than to ask for an extension at the last moment!
Schedule:
Please note, reading assignments are DUE on the day on which they appear. You should complete lab assignments AFTER the class in which the material is discussed.
Date
Th Sep 4
Reading In class Lab
Introductions; Syllabus; Campbell’s
Introduction; Overview of the production process
Read Anyone Can Whistle; create a list of technical challenges you might
Th Sep
11
Gillette, Ch. 4: The Stage and Its Equipment (E-
Reserve)
Introduction to the physical plant;
General backstage, onstage and scene shop safety anticipate
Practice your knot tying.
(Make use of the videos on Moodle.) Be able to demonstrate a clove hitch, a choke, and a bowline.
Th Sep
18
Campbell, Ch. 1: Breaking It
Down: Who Does What; Ch.
12: Stage Management:
The Best Port in a Storm
Th Sep
25
Campbell, Ch. 4: The Tools of Scenery: Surface,
Texture and Tricks
Th Oct 2 Holloway, pp. 162-174:
Essential Theatre Supplies
(E-Reserve)
Th Oct 9 Holloway, pp. 177-184:
Construction Documents
(E-Reserve)
Communication: rehearsals, technical rehearsals, and performances
Quiz
Basics of stage carpentry: Hand and power tools
Stage carpentry (continued):
Construction materials and other shop supplies
Types of theatrical drawings and the basics of scale
Attend a production meeting. Write a brief paper reflecting on what you observed.
Spend 2 hours assisting with set construction
Spend 2 hours assisting with set construction
Spend 2 hours assisting with set construction

Th Oct
16
Campbell, Ch. 9: Sound
Design: Audible
Atmosphere
Quiz
Basics of audio engineering with guest artist Brendan West
No class, Mid-term Holiday
Spend 2 hours assisting with audio load-in
Th Oct
23
Th Oct
30
Campbell Ch. 11:
Properties: Research,
Detail, and Crafts;
Campbell, Ch. 8: The Tools of Costume;
Excerpt on wardrobe
Basics of working on stage crew;
Introduction to costume/wardrobe management; Introduction to props
Attend tech and/or dress rehearsals for 1 ½ hours.
Sit near the tech table!
Write a brief paper reflecting on what you observed.
Interview a member of the stage crew about their responsibilities during performance.
Th Nov 6 Campbell, Ch. 6: The Tools
Th Nov
13
Th Nov
20 management (PDF) of Lighting: Now You See It
Holloway, pp. 304-307:
Troubleshooting; pp. 359-
362: Techniques Used in
Focusing the Lights (E-
Reserve)
Gillette, Ch. 1: Production
Organization and
Management (E-Reserve)
Quiz
Introduction to stage lighting:
Types of units and what they can do; How to hang a light
Stage Lighting (continued):
Troubleshooting and focus
Quiz
Debrief the production process;
Roles, responsibilities and
Spend 2 hours assisting with light hang for the
Dance Concert
Spend 2 hours assisting with lighting focus for the
Dance Concert
Interview a Production
Manager about their profession and experiences. organizational structure of a theatre
No class, Thanksgiving Break Th Nov
27
Th Dec 4 Re-read Anyone Can
Whistle. How would your list of production challenges change now?
Week of
Dec 8
Reflective paper on the production process DUE
No Lab Assignment
Brush up your knot-tying;
Visit and tour a theatre with a fly system (TBA)
Take the written portion of your final exam on Moodle. You will also need to self-schedule the practical portion of the exam with me.
Evaluation
Evaluation in this course will be based on the following:
30%
15%
10%
25%
20%
Quizzes (4 quizzes, each worth 7.5% of your final grade)
Lab attendance
Informal oral presentations on lab hours, reflection papers, worksheets etc.
Comprehensive final exam
Reflective paper on the production process

Saint Mary’s employs the following final grades:
A: Excellent; B: Very Good; C: Satisfactory; D: Barely Passing; F: Fail
Attendance
Because it is the aim of this course for you to learn new skills and techniques, your attendance and participation are crucial. Consequently, both tardiness and absences will affect your grade. Any time you are absent, you are responsible for obtaining notes from a classmate and keeping abreast of homework assignments. You are allowed two unexcused absences without impact on your final grade. Three unexcused absences will result in your final grade being lowered, for example from a B to a C. Four unexcused absences will result in failure. Three tardy arrivals will be considered equivalent to an unexcused absence.
Late Work/Make-up Policy
All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the day on which they appear on the syllabus. Late assignments are not eligible for full credit. If you would like a deadline extension, you must arrange it with me at least 24 hours ahead of the original due date. Merely asking for an extension does not
guarantee that you will be granted one. Late work will be marked down one-third of a letter grade (e.g., from a B+ to a B) after the end of class on the day on which it is due, and an additional one-third of a letter grade for each day after that.