| Unit name | Production and Design for Performance |
|---|---|
| Unit code | THTR10002 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | C/4 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Mr. Rod Terry |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of Theatre |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Through a mixture of presentations, demonstrations, hands-on workshops and group exercises, students will be introduced to a range of production skills and processes necessary for creative, effective and safe participation in practical units in the Department’s theatre spaces and elsewhere. The unit will introduce students to one or more of: stage management, costume design, lighting design, set design, sound design. Workshops will teach a selection of technical and design skills, which students will then apply to a small-group production assignment: for instance, designing, producing, stage-managing and cueing a short extract from a play. Within their groups, students will have the opportunity to choose and focus in more depth on a production area that interests them.
On successful completion of this unit students will
(1) be able to implement safe-working practices in the theatre;
(2) be able to demonstrate understanding of key practical skills and design processes in one or more theatre production areas;
(3) be able to apply these technical skills and approaches to stage design practically;
(4) be able to evaluate and reflect upon their own strengths and weaknesses in key production areas, with a view to developing these in subsequent units
10 x 3-hour practical workshops + intensive production period and supervised production and design meetings leading up to group presentations. Workshops in the theatres and design studios will consist of a combination of information-giving presentations or demonstrations, hands-on skills training and practical exercises for individuals and small groups.
Group Production Presentation (50%) ILO 1-3
Workfile, kept over the course of the unit (50%) ILO 1 & 4
The individual workfile documents participation in taught production workshops, the student’s production role in the group production presentation, and provides an opportunity for reflection on their learning and skills development. It may include workshop and production notes, designs, drawings, photographs, as well as written self-evaluation and reflection.
Pallin, G. (2010) Stage Management: The Essential Handbook, London: Nick Hern Books.
Howard, P. (2009) What is Scenography? 2nd ed. London: Routledge.
Bicat, T. (2001) Making Stage Costumes, Marlborough: The Crowood Press.
Fraser, Neil . (1999) Stage Lighting Design: a practical guide, Marlborough: The Crowood Press.
Brown, R. (2010) Sound: A Reader in Theatre Practice, Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Kaye, D & LeBrecht, J (2009) Sound and Music for the Theatre: The Art and Technique of Design, Abingdon: Focal Press.
