Practical Technical Theater Lesson Plan Outline
1
Please Note: These lesson designs are approximations of days devoted to each
topic. If teachers choose to use supplmental materials that are provided in the
programs, the number of days devoted to each topic may increase.
Day 11 & 12: Flat Construction Test,
Covering, Joining, Dutching Flats
Day 13: Covering, Joining, Dutching
Flats Review and Test
Day 14: Strike Safety
Day 15: Strike Safety Test
Program 3:
Lighting for Theater
Lesson Design Content
Program 1:
Introduction To Technical
Theater
Lesson Design Content
Days 1 and 2: Theater Hierarchy
Day 2 and 3: Types of Stages
Day 3: Stage Geography
Day 4: Theater Hierarchy, Types of
Stages, Stage Geography Assessment
Day 5 and 6: Parts of a Stage
Day 7: Parts of a Stage Assessment
Program 2:
Basic Set Construction &
Theater Safety
Lesson Design Content
Day 1: General Theater Safety
Measuring and Marking Tools
Day 02: Measuring/Marking Tools-Test
Day 03: Cutting-Joining Tools
Day 04: Materials and Fasteners
Day 05: Cutting-Joining-Materials Test
Day 06: Set-Housing Differences,
Platforms
Day 07: Legging Platforms
Day 08: Stairs
Day 09: Practical Units of Scenery Test
Day 10: Flats
Day 1: Reasons for Stage Lighting,
Controllable Qualities of Light - Intensity
Day 2: 3 Controllable Qualities of Light Color and Distribution
Day 3: Types of Lighting Instruments
Lighting Positions
Review for Written Assessment
Day 4: Review for Written Assessment
Written Assessment
Day 5: Basic Lighting Design
Doing a Hanging Plot
Day 6: Patching Schedule
Cueing the Show
Hanging, Focusing, & Gelling your Show
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Days 7: Review for Written Assessment
Written Assessment
Day 8 and 9: Design a light plot for a
one-act play (OPTIONAL)
Program 4:
Audio for Theatre
Lesson Design Content
Day 1: Responsibilities of the sound
crew
What is Sound?
Components of a sound system
Day 2: Microphones
Dynamic vs Condenser
Pick-up patterns
Types and applications
Wireless microphones
© 2012, Interactive Educational Video, LLC.
Practical Technical Theater Lesson Plan Outline
2
Please Note: These lesson designs are approximations of days devoted to each
topic. If teachers choose to use supplmental materials that are provided in the
programs, the number of days devoted to each topic may increase.
Audio for Theater (continued)
Day 3: Written Assessment
Day 4: Front of house
Signal levels
Mixers/Consoles
Mix Position
Recording/Playback Formats
Day 5: Amplifiers
Speakers and Cross-overs
Powered speakers
Speaker Placement and Safety
Day 6: Signal Processing
Audio and Electricity
Intercom/Announce Systems
Cables and Connectors
Day 7: Setting up your system
Day 8: Helpful Hints and
Troubleshooting
Day 9: Written Assessment
Program 5:
Stage Management
Lesson Design Content
Day 1: Text Work
Documents, Supplies, Things to Secure
Day 2: Tasks
Taping the Floor
Building the Prompt Book
Arranging the Furniture
Day 3: Communication
Rehearsal, First Rehearsal
Production Meetings
Blocking Notation
Day 4: Rehearsal
Presets
Daily Notes
Relationships
Making a Sound Plot
Making Cue Sheets
Technical Rehearsals
Day 5: Performance
Day 6: Review and Written Assessment
Program 6:
Set Design
Lesson Design Content
Day 1: Introduction to Set Design
Tour of a Typical Theater
Script Analysis (part 1)
Day 2: Script Analysis (parts 2 and 3)
Day 3: Design Analysis and Styles
Differences between Actual
Buildings and Sets
Day 4: Tour of a Completed Set
Scale Drawings
Day 5: Preparing to Build Your Model
Set
Front Elevations and Model
Days 6-13: Preparing to Build Your
Model Set
Walls, Floors and Platforms
Furniture
Painting Your Model
Day 14: Rear Elevations and Working
Drawings
Exterior Sets and Unit Sets
Resumes and Portfolios
Review for Unit Test
Day 15: Review & Written Assessment
Program 7:
Lighting Design
Lesson Design Content
Day 1: Introduction to Lighting Design
Reasons for Using Stage Lighting
General Qualities of Light: Transmission
Absorption, Reflection and Refraction
Day 2: Controllable Qualities of Light:
Intensity and Distribution
Day 3: Color in Light
Day 4: The Design Process
Day 5: Lighting a Basic Box Set
Hanging Plot
Instrument Schedule
Cue Sheets
© 2012, Interactive Educational Video, LLC.
Practical Technical Theater Lesson Plan Outline
3
Please Note: These lesson designs are approximations of days devoted to each
topic. If teachers choose to use supplmental materials that are provided in the
programs, the number of days devoted to each topic may increase.
Lighting Design (continued)
Days 6: Designing for a Larger Theater
Space
Hanging Plot for Richard III
Patching and Cueing Richard III
Day 7: Review and Written Assessment
Day 8-10: Lighting Design Project
Program 8:
Business & House Management
Lesson Design Content
Day 1: Hierarchy and Marketing Plan
Involving Your School and Community
Day 2: PSAs and News Releases
Posters
Fine Arts Booster & Patrons Programs
Day 3: Tickets- Producing /Selling Them
Day 4: Programs
Day 5: Production Budgets
Day 6: House Mgr/Staff Responsibilities
Building Your Program
Day 7: Review and Written Assessment
Program 9:
Careers in Theatre
Lessson Design Content
Day 1: Employment Opportunities
examines producing organizations, and
common types of runs: Limited,
Extended/Open-ended, Stock, and true
Repertory.
Day 2: Commercial and Not for Profit
Theatres
Day 3: Unions (AEA, IATSE, USA 829,
ATPAM, SDC, AGMA, AGVA)
Day 4: Jobs in Theatre:
Theatre Management: (company
manager, house manager, box office
manager, director of development,
education director, director of marketing)
Performance Staff: footage and stills of
artistic director, director, designers,
casting director, theatrical agents,
actors, stage manager, choreographer,
dance captain, vocal coach, dialect
coach, dramaturg, running crews, etc)
Day 5 : Jobs in Theatre:
Artistic Staff and Production Staff
(backstage footage of production
manager, technical director, materials
coordinator, carpenters, props
carpenters, props artisans, electricians,
drapers, stitchers, trimmers, dressers,
wardrobe supervisor, crafts artisans,
stage managers, audio techs, scenic
artists, scenic charge, deck crew, wig
specialists)
Day 6: Differences in New York and
Regional Theatres
Educational Theatre (Elementary and
Secondary, Community College, and
University theatre, and educational arms
of professional companies)
Days 7-8:
Interviews with
Professionals (85 minutes total)
Actor (Actors Equity Association))
Costume Designer (USA 829)
Set Designer (USA 829)
Stagehand (IATSE Local 6)
Director/Choreographer (Society of
Stage Directors and Choreographers)
Dresser/Wig Specialist (IATSE)
Production Supervisor (Repertory
Theatre of St. Louis)
Artistic Director (Repertory Theatre of
St. Louis)
Executive Producer (Fox Theatricals)
Day 9: Test
Program 10
Costuming for Theatre
Lessson Design Content
Day 1: Introduction and Script Analysis
Day 2: Functions of Costume Design:
Knowing the Characters, Research,
How to do a Costume Chart
© 2012, Interactive Educational Video, LLC.
Practical Technical Theater Lesson Plan Outline
4
Please Note: These lesson designs are approximations of days devoted to each
topic. If teachers choose to use supplmental materials that are provided in the
programs, the number of days devoted to each topic may increase.
Days 3 and 4: Elements of Costume
Design, and Developing a Design
Concept
Day 5 and 6: Drawing the Human Form,
Drawing the Basic Body
Day 7: Applying Clothes to the Body
Day 8: Turning New into Old,
Professional Opportunities in
Costuming, Review for Unit
Written Assessment
Day 9: Unit Written Assessment Review
and Administer Written Assessment
All Practical Technical Theater
programs include the following:
*A broadcast quality DVD that provides
students visual reinforcement of key
concepts. The DVD/CD-ROM format
also allows for class within a class
instruction. Students can work on as
many projects as there are laptops.
*A CD-ROM of Support Materials that
include:
 Lesson Designs with objectives
aligned to Bloom’s, materials
needed, class time, and with
alternative lesson designs that
address different learning styles
 Resource Sheets
 Written Assessments
 Perfomance Rubrics
 Projects
 Handouts
 Writing Prompts
 Alignments to the National
Standards for Arts Education
Please feel free to contact us at:
Interactive Educational Video, LLC
PO Box 4582
Chesterfield, MO 63006
Phone: 314-650-3873
Fax: 636-728-0696
www.interactiveeducationalvideo.com
*A Single School Site License that
gives your school permission to run
paper copies of the support materials, if
the teacher would like the students to
make their own workbooks of the
support materials. This eliminates the
need to purchase textbooks and
workbooks.
The Site License also includes
permission to use the programs with
smart boards or computer labs, or with
laptops. The program’s electronic
format often qualifies the programs for
purchase using Technology and
Library Funds.
Purchase Individually or as a Set. If
purchased as a set, of 10 programs, we
include a backstage survival kit of 5
running blue led flashlights with
carabiners, 2 grease pencils for marking
gels, a classroom set of 30 small lighting
field templates, swatchbooks, gobo
catalogues, and more!
© 2012, Interactive Educational Video, LLC.
Practical Technical Theater Lesson Plan Outline
Please Note: These lesson designs are approximations of days devoted to each
topic. If teachers choose to use supplmental materials that are provided in the
programs, the number of days devoted to each topic may increase.
© 2012, Interactive Educational Video, LLC.
5