Program Overview

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Theatre Design and Technology (B.F.A.)

The Theatre Design and Technology program at Nebraska Wesleyan University is a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree that develops technical and design skills through experiences in the classroom and performance laboratory. As students acquire skills and knowledge through classroom and practical experiences, they will progress to supervised design application.

Program Overview

Theatre design and technology majors benefit from the wealth of opportunities available through Nebraska Wesleyan's active production schedule. Theatre design and technology majors are encouraged to work closely with faculty and staff as members of production teams.

Curriculum

The program requires a total of 68 hours, including:

• Theatre Arts Core (12 hours)
  • THTRE 1020FYW/THTRE 1030 Script Analysis (3 hours)
  • THTRE 1300 Acting I (3 hours)
  • THTRE 2500 Directing I (3 hours)
  • THTRE 2700 Introduction to Theatrical Design (3 hours)
• Design and Technology Core (30 hours)
  • THTRE 1400 Introduction to Technical Theatre (3 hours)
  • THTRE 1410 Costume Construction (3 hours)
  • THTRE 2710 Scenographic Techniques (3 hours)
  • THTRE 3190 History of Period Style (3 hours)
  • THTRE 3700 Production Design I (3 hours)
  • THTRE 3710 Production Design II (3 hours)
  • THTRE 3800 World Theatre History I (3 hours)
  • THTRE 3810 World Theatre History II (3 hours)
  • THTRE 4700 Production Design III (3 hours)
  • THTRE 4710 Production Design IV (3 hours)
• Focus Area (6 hours)
  • Select 6 hours from:
    • THTRE 1420 Makeup Design
    • THTRE 2720 Scenery and Properties Design
    • THTRE 2730 Costume Design
    • THTRE 2740 Advanced Make-Up Design
    • THTRE 2750 Lighting and Sound Design
    • THTRE 3180 Advanced Production Design
    • THTRE 3740 Costume Design II
• Selected Topics (6 hours)
  • Select from specialization courses in the technical and design field:
    • THTRE 2900 Selected Topics
    • THTRE 3900 Selected Topics
• Dramatic Literature (4 hours)
  • Select 4 hours from:
    • THTRE 2010 Dramatic Literature: Pulitzer Prize
    • THTRE 2020 Dramatic Literature: Tony Awards
    • THTRE 2030 Dramatic Literature: American Comedy
    • THTRE 2040 Dramatic Literature: Families
    • THTRE 2050 Dramatic Literature: Gender and Sexuality
    • THTRE 2060 Dramatic Literature: Banned and Censored
    • THTRE 2070 Dramatic Literature: Avant-Garde Innovation
    • THTRE 2080 Musical Theatre Literature
    • THTRE 3000/ENG 3000 Shakespeare
    • THTRE 3260/ENG 3260 Greek Drama
    • THTRE 3830 U.S. Theatre and Cultural Pluralism
    • HIST 3220 The Ancient World
• Practicum (4 hours)
  • At least one credit of Practicum must be completed each year. Practicums should be selected from THTRE-.
• Experiential (3 hours)
  • Select 1 course:
    • ART 1070 Introduction to Creative Technology
    • THTRE 1810FYW Playwriting I/THTRE 2810
    • THTRE 2160 Stage Management
    • THTRE 3160 Theatre Management
    • THTRE 3500 Directing II
• Capstone (3 hours)
  • THTRE 4970 Internship or
  • THTRE 4990 Senior Capstone

Course Descriptions

THTRE 1020FYW Script Analysis

This is a fundamental course in the systematic analysis of dramatic texts. It is designed to equip theatre arts majors and minors with the textual expertise and vocabulary needed for academic discussion and artistic collaboration.

THTRE 1030 Script Analysis

This is a fundamental course in the systematic analysis of dramatic texts. It is designed to equip theatre arts majors and minors with the textual expertise and vocabulary needed for academic discussion and artistic collaboration.

THTRE 1300 Acting I

This introductory acting course focuses on building physical, vocal, intellectual, and intuitive foundations for actors.

THTRE 2500 Directing I

A study of the theories and techniques of directing. Students will direct several short scenes.

THTRE 2700 Introduction to Theatrical Design

This is an introductory course in the theory and practice of scenography for the theatre.

THTRE 1400 Introduction to Technical Theatre

A course introducing students to all technical aspects of theatre production including scenery, properties, lighting, sound, makeup, and costuming.

THTRE 1410 Costume Construction

The introductory course in costuming for the theatre. It presents the uses of fabrics, textures, colors, plastics, and other materials as well as developing the sewing techniques needed for the theatre.

THTRE 2710 Scenographic Techniques

An introduction to the basic tools and techniques of creating scenographic design documents and models for the theatre.

THTRE 3190 History of Period Style

History of Period Style is a class for theatre performers, directors, designers and generalists, who wish to have a basis of knowledge about the major historical periods in Western Civilization that are the setting for the majority of plays in the western canon.

THTRE 3700 Production Design I

An introductory design studio course focusing on scenery, costume, and lighting design for the theatre.

THTRE 3710 Production Design II

An intermediate design studio course focusing on scenery, costume and lighting design for the theatre.

THTRE 3800 World Theatre History I

An integral factor in the study of the history of theatre is the impact that governments, democratic or otherwise, have on the development and sustenance of the arts.

THTRE 3810 World Theatre History II

An integral factor in the study of the history of theatre is the impact that governments, democratic or otherwise, have on the development and sustenance of the arts.

THTRE 4700 Production Design III

An advanced design studio course focusing on scenery, costume and lighting design for the theatre.

THTRE 4710 Production Design IV

A capstone design studio course focusing on scenery, costume and lighting design for the theatre.

THTRE 1420 Makeup Design

A study of the theory and practice of stage makeup.

THTRE 2720 Scenery and Properties Design

This course is a study of the theory and practice of scenery and properties design.

THTRE 2730 Costume Design

A study of both the history of costume and the techniques of designing costumes.

THTRE 2740 Advanced Make-Up Design

Advanced Make-up Design builds the basic techniques and skill acquired in Make-up Design class regarding use of highlight and shadow as a means to sculpt the face for various characters.

THTRE 2750 Lighting and Sound Design

This course is a study of the theory and practice of lighting and sound design.

THTRE 3180 Advanced Production Design

The student completes the design for the scenery, lights, costumes, and/or makeup for a full-length play that is produced by the department.

THTRE 3740 Costume Design II

This course builds upon the theories and practices of costume design learned in THTRE 2730 Costume Design.

THTRE 2900 Selected Topics

A topical course designed to investigate any relevant subject matter not included in any of the standard courses.

THTRE 3900 Selected Topics

A topical course designed to investigate relevant subject matter not included in any standard courses.

THTRE 2010 Dramatic Literature: Pulitzer Prize

The Pulitzer Prizes are regarded as one of the most prestigious awards that a writer or composer can win.

THTRE 2020 Dramatic Literature: Tony Awards

Dating from 1947, the American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards have been presented annually to honor excellence in commercial theatre on Broadway.

THTRE 2030 Dramatic Literature: American Comedy

Is nurturing the subversive comic impulse in expression vital to a democracy?

THTRE 2040 Dramatic Literature: Families

This speaking-instructive dramatic literature course examines how definitions and concepts of family have been represented in dramatic literary works.

THTRE 2050 Dramatic Literature: Gender and Sexuality

This speaking-instructive dramatic literature class examines how varieties of feminisms and cultural diversity have been represented in dramatic literary works.

THTRE 2060 Dramatic Literature: Banned and Censored

Why does censorship occur in democracies that champion freedom of expression as an ideal?

THTRE 2070 Dramatic Literature: Avant-Garde Innovation

This speaking-instructive dramatic literature class examines how literary innovation and stylistic change have accompanied manifestoes for artistic and cultural change as represented in avant-garde dramatic literary works.

THTRE 2080 Musical Theatre Literature

This discourse-instructive course will study the diverse and varying collection of the musicals that encompass the Broadway stage.

THTRE 3000 Shakespeare

See ENG 3000 Shakespeare.

ENG 3000 Shakespeare

A systematic study of the outstanding literary artist of the English language: comedies, tragedies, and historical plays.

THTRE 3260 Greek Drama

See ENG 3260 Greek Drama.

ENG 3260 Greek Drama

In this course, students will read a selection of plays by ancient Greek playwrights: the comedies of Aristophanes and the tragedies of Aeschylus, Euripides, and Sophocles.

THTRE 3830 U.S. Theatre and Cultural Pluralism

U.S. Theatre and Cultural Pluralism is a Discourse-Instructive and Diversity-U.S.-Instructive course that considers drama and theatre by ethnic and racial minority writers, gender and sexual minority writers, and writers with disabilities, within the context of historical and contemporary cultural circumstances including economic class.

HIST 3220 The Ancient World

See HIST 4220 The Ancient World.

ART 1070 Introduction to Creative Technology

This course will support creative projects through the introduction of the digital technologies necessary to construct them.

THTRE 1810FYW Playwriting I

Playwriting 1 is a course introducing students to the principles of dramatic construction and formal devices of playwriting.

THTRE 2810 Playwriting I

Playwriting 1 is a course introducing students to the principles of dramatic construction and formal devices of playwriting.

THTRE 2160 Stage Management

Stage Management is an introductory course in production management.

THTRE 3160 Theatre Management

This speaking-instructive course provides an in depth look at all the aspects of starting and running a non-profit theatre from the ground up.

THTRE 3500 Directing II

Students will direct under supervision a one-act play or (with instructor's permission) a full-length play.

THTRE 4970 Internship

On-the-job training for theatre arts majors and minors in theatre-related organizations.

THTRE 4990 Senior Capstone

Senior Capstone is a culmination of a graduating theatre student's academic and artistic experience of theatre at the undergraduate level.