Program Overview

Fordham University - Design and Production

The Design and Production track offers focused concentrations in Set Design, Costume Design, Lighting Design, Projection Design, Sound Design, and Stage Management. Our diverse community of Faculty and Students, representing a broad scope of identity and experience, work to tell stories as a way of speaking to our unique moment of historic challenge and change.

Program Description

We reevaluate the theatrical event, learning and growing through an experiential, hands-on curriculum, with an emphasis on curiosity, risk-taking, and collaboration across all artistic disciplines. The first two years of the program provide the foundations of theater-making, with an emphasis on conceptual thinking and visual storytelling. Contemporary and classic texts are analyzed and interrogated. Historical perspectives are always contextualized and rigorously reexamined. Focused upper-level courses hone the skills of all Management and Design disciplines.

Learning Goals

• Curiosity, Critical Thinking, and Continuous Learning: Design and Production Students are exposed to a wide array of stylistically and globally diverse curriculum and pedagogies, building the foundation for an ongoing journey of personal and intellectual discovery.
• Activism and Social Justice: Design and Production Students engage with contemporary social issues to imagine how to think about the communal theater experience as a tool for activism.
• Collaboration and Process: Theater is a collaborative art; individual Theater-Maker's imagination and creativity contribute to the success of the whole.
• Risk and Artistic Freedom: Every theater practitioner must be self-reflective, empowering students to ultimately share their own unique perspectives.
• Technical Skills: Design and Production Faculty are professional Theater-Makers who are actively engaged with the New York City and Global Theater Communities.

Concentrations

Design & Production Concentration – Stage Management

• First Year:
  • THEA 2080: Collaboration I
  • ENGL 1102: Composition I
  • THEO 1000: Faith/Critical Reason
  • THEA 2260: Conceptual Foundations
  • THEA 1160: Design Fundamentals
• Second Year:
  • Foreign Language (Introduction)
  • Physical Science
  • THEA 3011: Text Analysis
  • THEA 2045: Introduction to Directing
  • Understanding Historical Change
• Third Year:
  • THEA 2811: Theatre Management
  • PHIL 3000: Philosophical Ethics
  • Foreign Language (Intermediate)
  • American Pluralism
  • Social Science
• Fourth Year:
  • THEA 4430: Senior Showcase I
  • Theatre Elective
  • Interdisciplinary Capstone Core
  • Design & Production Elective
  • Open Slot

Design & Production Concentration – Set Design

• First Year:
  • THEA 2080: Collaboration I
  • ENGL 1102: Composition I
  • THEO 1000: Faith/Critical Reason
  • THEA 2260: Conceptual Foundations
  • THEA 1160: Design Fundamentals
• Second Year:
  • Foreign Language (Introduction)
  • Physical Science
  • THEA 3011: Text Analysis
  • THEA 2045: Introduction to Directing
  • Understanding Historical Change
• Third Year:
  • THEA 4505: Design Production Workshop
  • PHIL 3000: Philosophical Ethics
  • Foreign Language (Intermediate)
  • American Pluralism
  • Social Science
• Fourth Year:
  • THEA 4430: Senior Showcase I
  • Theatre Elective
  • Interdisciplinary Capstone Core
  • Design & Production Elective
  • Open Slot

Design & Production Concentration – Lighting Design

• First Year:
  • THEA 2080: Collaboration I
  • ENGL 1102: Composition I
  • THEO 1000: Faith/Critical Reason
  • THEA 2260: Conceptual Foundations
  • THEA 1160: Design Fundamentals
• Second Year:
  • Foreign Language (Introduction)
  • Physical Science
  • THEA 3362: Lighting Design I
  • Understanding Historical Change
  • THEA 3011: Text Analysis
• Third Year:
  • THEA 4505: Design Production Workshop
  • PHIL 3000: Philosophical Ethics
  • Foreign Language (Intermediate)
  • American Pluralism
  • THEA 3374: Lighting Design II
• Fourth Year:
  • THEA 4430: Senior Showcase I
  • Theatre Elective
  • Interdisciplinary Capstone Core
  • Design & Production Elective
  • Open Slot

Design & Production Concentration – Sound Design

• First Year:
  • THEA 2080: Collaboration I
  • ENGL 1102: Composition I
  • THEO 1000: Faith/Critical Reason
  • THEA 2260: Conceptual Foundations
  • THEA 1160: Design Fundamentals
• Second Year:
  • Foreign Language (Introduction)
  • Physical Science
  • THEA 3011: Text Analysis
  • THEA 2045: Introduction to Directing
  • Understanding Historical Change
• Third Year:
  • THEA 4505: Design Production Workshop
  • PHIL 3000: Philosophical Ethics
  • Foreign Language (Intermediate)
  • American Pluralism
  • THEA 3420: Sound Design I
• Fourth Year:
  • THEA 4430: Senior Showcase I
  • Theatre Elective
  • Interdisciplinary Capstone Core
  • Design & Production Elective
  • Open Slot

Design & Production Concentration – Costume Design

• First Year:
  • THEA 2080: Collaboration I
  • ENGL 1102: Composition I
  • THEO 1000: Faith/Critical Reason
  • THEA 2260: Conceptual Foundations
  • THEA 1160: Design Fundamentals
• Second Year:
  • Foreign Language (Introduction)
  • Physical Science
  • THEA 3011: Text Analysis
  • THEA 2045: Introduction to Directing
  • Understanding Historical Change
• Third Year:
  • THEA 4505: Design Production Workshop
  • PHIL 3000: Philosophical Ethics
  • Foreign Language (Intermediate)
  • American Pluralism
  • THEA 2230: Costume Design I
• Fourth Year:
  • THEA 4430: Senior Showcase I
  • Theatre Elective
  • Interdisciplinary Capstone Core
  • Design & Production Elective
  • Open Slot

Track Requirements

• THEA 2080: Collaboration I
• THEA 2090: Collaboration II
• THEA 3011: Text Analysis
• THEA 3920: History of Theater Design
• THEA 1160: Design Fundamentals
• THEA 2260: Conceptual Foundations of Theater Design
• One of the two following courses:
  • THEA 3004: Global Theater History - Foundational Impulses
  • THEA 3005: Global Theater History - Evolutions of the Present
• One of the two following courses:
  • THEA 2035: Drafting for the Theater I
  • VART 1150: Drawing I
• One of the two following courses:
  • THEA 2045: Introduction to Directing
  • THEA 3205: Page to Stage
• One of the two following courses:
  • THEA 4511: Design Production Workshop
  • THEA 2900: Theater Management
• Design and Production Upper Level Courses (Any 3 Required)

Guest Artists

• SCENE DESIGN: Mimi Lien, David Zinn, Marsha Ginsberg, Donyale Werle, Christine Jones, Ann Beyersdorfer
• COSTUME DESIGN: Dede Ayite, Clint Ramos, Hochi Asiatico, Sarah Laux, Brenda Abbandandolo, Oana Botez, Gregg Barnes, Valerie Bart, Olivera Gajic
• LIGHTING DESIGN: Cha See, Alan C. Edwards, Ji-youn Chang, Jen Schriever, Matthew Richards, Yi Zhao, Scott Bolman
• SOUND DESIGN & MUSIC DIRECTION: Fan Zhang, Daniel Baker, David Van Teighem, Fabian Obispo, Sam Kusnetz, Paul Pinto
• PROJECTION DESIGN: Shawn Duan, Lucy McKinnon, Aaron Rhyne, Catie Hevner, Dan Scully
• STAGE MANAGEMENT: Norman A. Small, Khady Kamara, Bethany Stewert, Melanie Lisby, Justin Scribner, Charles M. Turner III, Ana Garcia, Lisa Iacucci, Andrea "Spook" Testani, David Sugarman, Robyn Henry

Alumni

• 2022: Charlie Ko, Broadway Assistant Costume Designer
• 2021: Max Breitt, Coordinator, Business and Legal Affairs: SONY Music; Shanna Harris, Broadway Assistant Production Manager; Emma McSharry, Broadway Production Assistant/Management
• 2020: Vittoria Orlando, Off Broadway Lighting Design
• 2018: Bonnie McHeffey, Company Manager: Pasadena Playhouse
• 2017: Kendall Allen, Associate Production Manager: Public Theater
• 2016: Kaleigh Bernier, Broadway ASM
• 2015: Jessie Bonaventure, Broadway Set Design Assistant
• 2014: Dan Geggatt, Freelance set designer and assistant
• 2013: Emily Tabuchuk, Resident Stage Manager at Child's Play
• 2012: Emily Auciello, Co-sound Designer for Final Analysis
• 2011: Gifford Williams, MFA candidate, Boston University, Lighting design
• 2010: Chris Barlow, Sound Designer; Nina Bova, MFA candidate, Carnegie Mellon University in Costume Design
• 2009: Erich Bussing, Building Operations Manager – Jujamcyn Theatres; Leyla Pearl, Costume Crafts Artisan – Cirque Dreams Productions; Katie Schneller, Two Tomatoes Records; Kate Melvin, Freelance Graphic Designer