BA in Theatre Arts: Stage Technology and Design Concentration
California State University-East Bay — Hayward, CA
About this program
California State University, East Bay offers the BA in Theatre Arts with a Stage Technology and Design Concentration through the Department of Theatre and Dance. The program builds broad skill sets in scenery, costumes, lighting, sound, props, and multimedia, preparing students for work in the entertainment industry or for advanced training. Faculty and staff are working professionals in the Bay Area theatre community, and the program experience is described as similar to an apprenticeship in the way students work alongside faculty as peers in creating productions. Students are often hired to work campus and community events in the department's theater as well as on departmental productions, providing real professional income and experience. The Stage Technology and Design Concentration (22 units) focuses on the technical and design aspects of theatre production. Students learn to design and execute scenery, costumes, lighting, sound, props, and multimedia for live productions, and regularly work on the 5–8 productions the department mounts each year. Shared BA Core (16 units required of all Theatre Arts majors): Discover Acting, Modern Dance I, Dance Partnering I, Inclusive Interdisciplinary Ensemble, History of Black Theatre, Scenery/Lighting/Sound Design, and Costume and Makeup Design. Shared Core Production and Performance (minimum 8 units, selecting from repeatable courses): Inclusive Interdisciplinary Ensemble Performance, Dance Ensemble Performance, Theatre Performance, Musical Theater Performance, Production Support: Stage/Lights/Sound Shop or Crew, and Production Support: Costume/Makeup Shop or Crew. Capstone (1 unit): Theatre Capstone or Dance Capstone, taken by senior-level students. Stage Technology and Design Concentration Coursework (22 units): Specific coursework is outlined in the degree roadmap available at https://www.csueastbay.edu/theatre/degree-roadmaps.html and draws from the department's extensive production technology and design course offerings including Stage Management, Pencil and Color Sketching, Wood and Metal Construction, Scene Painting, Computer Aided Design and Model Making, Advanced Costume Construction, Masks and Specialized Makeup, Technology and Design Studio, Architecture and Costume History, Fashion History and Design, Non-Western Costume, and additional production support and ensemble units. The concentration prepares students with both creative design skills and practical technical execution skills across all major areas of theatrical production. Facilities include a scene shop equipped for traditional carpentry and MIG welding with a full paint frame, a costume shop with ten sewing stations, a sixteen-station design and drafting studio with a separate digital lab, a fully equipped 450-seat proscenium University Theatre, and two flexible studio theater spaces. Department productions have toured to four European countries and students participate in annual domestic tours.
Audition & application overview
- Requires a live or recorded audition
None for admission; production crew assignments occur within the department after enrollment
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