Course Information for Stagecraft 1

 

 

Course title:  Stagecraft 1

Teachers name:  Terry Monday

Conference periods:  B2

 

Course description:

 

            This purpose of this course is to provide the student with the basics of show production.  This course is primarily a lab course and at the end of this course the student should be able to:

1. Take a crew position, understand the crew responsibilities, and perform those duties
2. Build simple scenic units from scale drawings
3. Perform simple lighting hangs as described in a light plot
4. Understand and follow the theater chain of command
5. Understand and follow stage and shop safety procedures
6. Have a basic understanding of hand tools and power tools used in the scene shop

 

 

Course Outline:

 

1. Scenery Construction and Design.
   1. Basic scenic construction
   2. Simple scene design principles

 

1. Sound
   1. Sound system basics

                                                                           i.      How systems work and why they don’t

                                                                         ii.      How to hook up a microphone or playback unit

                                                                        iii.      How to wire a basic sound system

 

1. Lighting
   1. Types of stage instruments
   2. Light board basics
   3. Electrical safety

 

Educational Materials:

 

            Technical Majors should begin to assemble their personal tool kits.  The list of required and recommended tools is included in the department work rules.  I have encouraged all students to carry in their book bags an 8” crescent wrench because this tool is the most difficult to find in the tool crib and is used almost daily.  All students must have a pencil in class everyday, I will not give nor loan mine.

 

 
Student evaluation:

 

            50%--9 weekly class participation grades

            25%--workdays

            15%--Tests/projects/homework

            10%--Shows/crew work (here and outside DA if documented)

 

All students, Performance and Technical, in this class are required to attend one Saturday work day per quarter.  This is the minimum requirement to pass for the quarter.  All workdays over the minimum will be treated as extra credit.

 

Homework Policy:

 

            If homework is assigned it must be completed on time.  If an excused absence is involved the student has 24 hrs to complete the assignment, if unexcused the student still has 24 hrs but only 50% credit will be given.

 

Testing Policy:

 

            If a student misses a test but has an excused absence, he/she has 24 hrs to make arrangements to take the test.  It is the student’s responsibility to make these arrangements.  If the student is present when the test date is announced, then absent the class before the test date and then present on the test date, the student is till responsible for taking the test on the announced test day.

 

Special requirements:

 

1. Technical and Performance Majors must stay academically eligible to work shows.  That means getting and keeping a 2.0 GPA.
2. Technical Majors must work shows.  Crew work is vitally important to their progress; you can’t learn how to do shows without doing shows.  If a Tech Major can’t or won’t work shows, I will recommend that they return to their home school.  The shows here at DA are not extracurricular, they are central to the learning experience.