Theatre 441 -- Scene Design

Course objective:
To provide the student with a fundamental knowledge of the principles, history, procedures and techniques of scene design.

Text:
There is no text for this class. I suggest you download and print out the Lecture Notes for the class. For those who would like a text, I recommend the following:

1. Scenographic Imagination by Darwin Reid Payne [ISBN 0809318504] Southern Illinois University Press. 1993
2. Theatrical Design and Production: An Introduction to Scene Design and Construction, Lighting, Sound, Costume, and Makeup (5th edition) by J. Michael Gillette. (ISBN: 0072562625. McGraw-Hill. 2004)

1. StageCraft
   1. Production Organization
   2. The Stage and Its Equipment
   3. Scenic Elements: Drops, Flats and Platforms
   4. Bracing and Shifting the Set
2. Design
   1. Design and Composition
   2. Color
   3. Metaphor, Style, Practical Considerations and Areas of Influence
   4. A Brief History of Theatrical Scenery
   5. Script Analysis: The "Church Scene" from Gonoud's Faust
   6. Creative Research
   7. Creating a Living Environment
3. Drafting
   1. Introduction to Theatrical Drawing
   2. Drafting Techniques (Pencil and Paper)
   3. Drafting Techniques (Computer Aided Drafting)
   4. Building a 3d Model in VectorWorks
   5. A Short Guide to VectorWorks 8.5
   6. Laying Out of a Perspective Grid

Evaluation:
There will be a written exam, a "mid-term" project (The Mousetrap) and a final project (Fiddler on the Roof).

Problems and Projects:

1. Design a Set for Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap
2. Final Project: Fiddler on the Roof

Supplemental Web Sites:
Tutorials and Classes

1. CAD Tutorials for the Theatre
   Kent Goetz's (Cornell University) VectorWorks tutorials on theatrical drafting: floor plans, front elevations, Virtual modeling, and rendering.
2. Introduction to Stage Design Graphics
   The University of British Columbia's (Vancouver) course in "design graphics" for the theatre.
3. Computer Scenographics Studio
   Darwin Payne's extensive site on the development and rendering of a virtual 3D model using Strata 3D.

1. University of Minnesota Scenery Collections Database
   A searchable database of over 2,000 scenic images from the University of Minnesota's Late 19th - Early 20th Century Scenery Collection.
2. Tech.OperaPhilly.Com
   The technical web site for the Opera Company of Philadelphia. Contains renderings and working drawings [in image (*.jpg), PDF and VectorWorks (*.mcd) files] for OperaPhilly's rental sets.
3. SLG Design
   Web page created by Steve Gilliam, design professor at Trinity University (San Antonio) and resident designer at the St. Louis MUNY Opera. Follow the links to his designs for the MUNY productions of Sound of Music, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Singin' in the Rain.

Attendance Policy:
Attendance will be taken during class lectures. A student will earn one (1) point for each class meeting they attend, and one half (1/2) point for each excused absence. It is the student's responsibility to notify me of all excused absences. Students will be held responsible for all materials covered during any missed lectures.

Disability Policy:
If you have a physical, psychiatric/emotional, medical or learning disability that may impact on your ability to carry out assigned course work, I urge you to contact Karen Gerety, Director of Disability Services at 626-2371or stop by Student Center 217. They will review your concerns and determine, with you, what accommodations are necessary and appropriate. All information and documentation of disability is confidential.