Course Content Guidelines
COURSE HOME PAGE
 Home page image
 Information panel (Instructors, Meeting Times, Level, Feedback)
 Highlights of this course
 Course description
This course examines scenic design as practiced currently and
historically, including the use of performance space in western
and other cultures, and the audience-performer relationship.
Four plays and/or one act operas are designed, accompanied by
a study of the social, political and artistic conditions attendant
upon their creation and their relevance to a modern audience.
Students develop, present and orally defend designs in a variety
of two- and three-dimensional media in open studio with an eye to
developing a self-critical ability. The final project is a fifth design
of the student's choice, consisting of a written concept statement,
script analysis and a colored model or renderings.
 Technical requirements
Previous art training is not required. Students will be encouraged--and expected-to explore new techniques, materials and media as introduced by the Instructor
and to be open to influences from peers and other members of the Theater Arts
Design Faculty and Staff
PLANNING CONTENT
Both Sections Required
Syllabus Section
 Course description
This course examines scenic design as practiced currently and
historically, including the use of performance space in western
and other cultures, and the audience-performer relationship.
Four play scripts and a one act opera are designed, accompanied
by a study of the social, political and artistic conditions attendant
upon their creation and their relevance to a modern audience.
Students develop, present and orally defend designs in a variety
of two- and three-dimensional media in open studio with an eye to
developing a self-critical ability. The final project is a fifth design
of the student's choice, consisting of a written concept statement,
script analysis and a colored model or renderings.

Course objectives
1) To develop students’ ability to articulate visually and verbally
their interpretation of play scripts and the relationship of their
designs to those texts;
2) To develop a students’ ability to communicate ideas visually
through form, color, line, scale and graphic content via color
renderings and scale models;
3) To develop students’ ability to defend design and interpretation
choices;
Building 9-235B
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307
Phone
617.253.0266
FAX
617.253.2115
http://ocw.mit.edu/
4) To develop students’ self-critical abilities through regular
feedback on developing and finished work by the instructor and
from peers.
5) To develop a portfiolio of of finished designs for each student
presented in a professional manner.
 Prerequisites
21M.603 (Principles of Design) or permission of Instructor based on previous
theatrical experience and/or art of any kind the student has done.
 Summary of major assignments
Five design projects will require a written analysis of the major themes in the
script and a proposal of how they will be developed visually. Each project will
require preliminary rough sketches, revision with further development, final
revision and presentation of finished designs. Each stage of a project’s
development will involve peer and instructor feedback and self-critique by the
student designer.
 Course format
Seminar
 Basis for grade
Students will be evaluated individually on the basis of their personal development
during the term, not in competition with others. Emphasis will rest on the growth
of their interpretative skills, ability to express and present their ideas clearly and
persuasively, openness to feedback, self-critical acumen, and ability to meet
project deadlines
 Other general course guidelines
Calendar Section
 List of topics
 Subtopics
 Key Dates, Due Dates
SUBJECT MATERIAL CONTENT
At least one complete Section Required
Readings Section
 Reading lists (complete citations, bibliography by date)
 PDF files of readings
 Links for on-line readings, errata, etc.
 Lecture Notes Section
As the course is in seminar format, there are no lectures . The instructor will
introduce a large amount of visual material on contemporary and period design,
art and architecture via slides, videos and various print formats.
Recitations Section
 Recitation notes
 Recitation problems
 Solutions to recitation problems fall into this category
LEARNING ACTIVITIES CONTENT
At least one complete Section Required
Assignments Section
 Homework assignments, problem sets
 Essay assignments


In-class collaborative work
Solutions to homework assignments, problem sets
Labs Section
 Lab assignments
 Lab manuals
 Lab photos
 Lab videos
Exams Section
 Quizzes
 Solutions to quizzes
 Exams
 Solutions to exams
 Previous year’s quizzes, exams, solutions
 Practice quizzes and exams solutions
Projects Section
 Project assignment/description
These are the titles from which four of the five assignments will be chosen:
August Strindberg, THE FATHER
Guillaume Apollinaire. THE BREASTS OF TIRESIAS
Jean Cocteau, THE EIFFEL TOWER WEDDING PARTY
Federico Garcia Lorca, BLOOD WEDDING
Eugene O’Neill LONG DAY’S JOURNER INTO NIGHT
Bela Bartok (text by Bela Balazs) BLUEBEARD’S CASTLE (one act opera)
Pietro Mascagni (text by Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti) CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA(one act
opera)
Richard Strauss (text by Hugo von Hofmannsthal) DIE FRAU OHNE SCHATTEN (act one
of the opera only)
The fifth title, serving as the course’s final project, will be chosen by the student in
collaboration with the Instructor, and is not limited to the list above.
Each assigned play is to be read in depth with extensive notes taken concerning the
mood, setting of the play as written, physical requirements of the action and theme. In a
paper, each student will present his or her concept on how to realize the play on stage,
explaining and defending all choices made, whether a totally traditional recreation of the
author’s directions or a contemporary retelling employing updating, transfer of the location
of the action, etc. Each project then proceeds through five class sessions, involving
extensive discussion, revision and final presentation of a completed design. The Final
Project, will be presented and defended at the last regular class session.

 Sample student work (completed projects)
 To come—two pieces immediately and the rest as the class is given next in
Sprin g 2005
RELATED CONTENT AND RESOURCES
At least one complete Section suggested
Tools Section
 Open-source digital learning aids, downloadable software
 Interactive tools, demos, simulations
Building 9-235B
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307
Phone
617.253.0266
FAX
617.253.2115
http://ocw.mit.edu/
Study Materials Section
 General handouts
 Tutorials
Technique in pastel, water color, drawing and scale model making will be
demonstrated on an as-needed basis to any students who make a request or
show an obvious need at any time during the course.
 Course-wide handbooks/handouts
Related Resources Section
 Links to outside resources (Web sites)
The Society of British Theater Designers: http://www.theaterdesign.org.uk
Examples of the work of 300 contemporary British designers
American Stage Design Slides 1850-1950:
http://digilib.nypl.org/dynaweb/ead/nypl/thesanda
Click on Container View for a list of Prominent American designers during
the period whose work is worth researching