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Technical Theater Studio
Sandy Faison, Coordinator
SandyFaison@schools.nyc.gov
The Technical Theater Studio is a professional training program that provides students with the skills and techniques necessary to pursue a career in Technical Theater. Concepts and aesthetics are taught using contemporary teaching methods that utilize state-of-the-art equipment. Professionally-produced events in our Concert Hall, thrust-stage theater, and black-box theater provide our students with practical hands-on work experiences.
Every student in a regular class is programmed for the next course in the departmental sequence automatically. No action on your part is required on Daedalus.
The Technical Theatre program is a vocational training program for students who want to acquire the skills and techniques necessary for stage production and design execution.
The curriculum encompasses technical Theatre subjects and their underlying scientific and mathematical principles, in addition to basic design principles for scenery, lighting, costumes, and audio production.
Technical Theatre concepts and aesthetics are taught using standard traditional methods and contemporary teaching methods utilizing computer and state-of-the-art equipment.
School-based and professionally produced events in our 1100 seat concert hall and 500 seat Theatre provide our students with practical hands-on work experiences.
We want our students to have and develop those cognitive skills necessary to keep up, and more importantly contribute to a technologically and culturally advanced society.
We are looking for students who can benefit from and contribute to the exciting creative atmosphere we need to make our training program work.
Students seeking to learn technical Theatre are unique in their quest to combine design and technology, with an active appreciation for liberal arts, math, and science.
We believe there is a special relationship that exists between the performer and the technician that stand behind them. This valued relationship has been, and continues to be, a fundamental step in the artistic process.
Sample Technical Theater Sequencing
| Grade 9 |
| Term 1 |
Term 2 |
| Design 1 |
Design 1 |
| Stagecraft 1 |
Stagecraft 2 |
| Theater Production 1 |
Theater Production 2 |
| Grade 10 |
| Design 3 |
Design 4 |
| Theater Survey 1 |
Theater Survey 2 |
| Stagecraft 3 |
Stagecraft 4 |
| Theater Production 3 |
Theater Production 4 |
| Grade 11 |
| Design 5 |
Design 6 |
| Stagecraft 5 |
Stagecraft 6 |
| Theater Production 5 |
Theater Production 6 |
| Grade 12 |
| Design 7 |
Design 8 |
| Career Management 3 |
Career Management 4 |
| Stagecraft 7 |
Stagecraft 8 |
| Theater Production 7 |
Theater Production 8 |
Course Offerings
All of the following courses are required and sequential pending budget. Active and consistent participation in class work is essential for the completion of each course. Most courses require production projects as well as written research/analytical assignments or projects. All Technical Theater curricula provide students with hands-on, project-based learning opportunities to work in various aspects of the field. Note: After-school shop and crew calls are required.
Grade 9
Design 1 and 2 - Students explore elements and principles of design, composition, simple drawing and mechanical drafting while demonstrating an understanding of the physical design elements in scenery, props, and costuming. Computer work is also addressed as students explore the relationship between computer technology and technical theater and begin work on the process of portfolio creation.
Stagecraft 1 and 2 - Students are provided with an understanding of the basics of theater technology and the backstage environment. Coursework is broken down into units focusing on sets, props, lighting, sound, and costumes.
Theater Production 1 and 2 - Students work in the selected fields of lighting and sound, scenery, props, costumes, and management alongside professional consultants and instructors and gain technical experience in executing full-scale theatrical productions.
Grade 10
Design 3 and 4 - Students further explore elements and principles of design, composition, drawing and mechanical drafting while demonstrating an understanding of the constraints of physical design elements in scenery, props, and costuming. Computer instruction continues with portfolio work and additionally focuses on Autocad and its drafting capabilities.
Stagecraft 3 and 4 - Students examine the principles of set and prop construction, costume construction, and sound and lighting installation as they learn to measure and work in scale from ground plans, elevations, or working drawings, construct costumes from simple patterns, read and execute lighting and sound plots.
Theater History 1 and 2 - Students explore a technical overview of Theater History that connects artistic purpose with physical design and application.
Theater Production 3 and 4 - Students work in the selected fields of lighting and sound, scenery, props, costumes, and management alongside professional consultants and instructors and gain technical experience in executing full-scale theatrical productions.
Grade 11
Design 5 and 6 - Students develop an understanding of the basic concepts and principles of computer drafting and computer graphics as they apply to designing for the theater. Students work in 2D and 3D CAD environments and continue work on their cumulative portfolios.
Management 1 and 2 - Students explore management through theoretical frames of organization, including structural, political, personnel, and symbolic frames. Students also develop skill in managing groups of their peers in scenery, props, costumes, lighting and sound, culminating in stage management, production management, and technical direction.
Stagecraft 5 and 6 - Students further examine the principles of set and prop construction, costume construction, and sound and lighting installation as they create ground plans or working drawings, simple patterns, and lighting and sound plots.
Theater Production 5 and 6 - Students work in the selected fields of lighting and sound, scenery, props, costumes, and management alongside professional consultants and instructors and gain technical experience in executing full-scale theatrical productions.
Grade 12
Design 7 and 8 - Students create practical design projects in selected fields of lighting and sound, scenery, props, and costumes in conjunction with executing full-scale theatrical productions.
Management 3 and 4 - Students explore management through theoretical frames of organization, including structural, political, personnel, and symbolic frames. Students also develop skill in managing groups of their peers in scenery, props, costumes, lighting and sound, culminating in stage management, production management, and technical direction.
Stagecraft 7 and 8 - Students generate creative solutions, break ideas into significant functional elements, and explore possible refinements; predict possible outcomes using mathematical and functional modeling techniques; and choose the optimal solution to the problem, clearly documenting ideas against design criteria and constraints.
Theater Production 7 and 8 - Students work in the selected fields of lighting and sound, scenery, props, costumes, and management alongside professional consultants and instructors and gain technical experience in executing full-scale theatrical productions.
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