Stagecrafts: Scenery

Course Description

Introduction to technical theatre practice, backstage organization, tools, hardware, materials, and current scenery construction methods. Prerequisite: Concurrent enrollment in THR 140L or previous credit for THR 140L; DRAM major or School of Theatre minor or permission of instructor.

Syllabus

Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

Goals

  • Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to demonstrate a basic level of competency in scenery construction, tool use, and building material choices.

Objectives

  • A working knowledge of the tools, hardware and materials utilized for scenery construction.
  • A working knowledge of the methods used to construct basic stage scenery
  • A basic understanding of stage rigging systems
  • A basic understanding of the different types of drawings used for scenery construction

Course Grading Information:

Activity/Performance Measure Percentage/Points
Section Quiz 111%
Section Quiz 211%
Section Quiz 311%
Section Quiz 411%
Scale Rule Project5%
Thingamajig Project10%
Stage Flat Project10%
Platform Leg Project10%
Syllabus Quiz5%
Self-Assessment5%
Attendance11%

Grading Scale

Percentage Letter Grade
100-92.5A
92.4-89.5A-
89.4-87.5B+
87.4-82.5B
82.4-79.5B-
79.4-77.5C+
77.4-72.5C
72.4-69.5C-
69.4-67.5D+
67.6-62.5D
62.4-59.5D-
59.4-0F

Attendance/Participation:

Attendance: Class attendance is expected and required to be successful in this class. I understand that sometimes things happen, and you may have to miss class. You are allowed four (4) absences (out of 27 class sessions) before your attendance grade starts to be lowered. There are not “excused absences”. These four absences are for whatever reason you feel it necessary to miss class. Use them wisely!!!

If your class attendance is below 70% at mid-term, I will request for you to be dropped from the class. If your class attendance is below 70% at the end of the semester (9 or more absences), you will receive a F as your final grade for the class. Your Attendance grade will be based upon the rubric below:

Roll Call Attendance Attendance Grade
100% (0 absences)110%
84% - 99.9% (1-4 absences)100%
80% - 83.9% (5 absences)85%
76% - 79.9% (6 absences)70%
72%-75.9% (7 absences)55%
70% - 71.9% (8 absences)0%

For tracking attendance, I use Canvas Roll Call, which can be a little confusing when looking at the grading columns in Canvas Gradebook. The column “Roll Call Attendance” is the percentage of class sessions you have attended (hopefully it will always be 100% ). This will not be the Attendance grade entered at the end of the semester. The column “Attendance Grade” is where I will enter your final attendance grade, based upon the Roll Call Attendance Rubric above. This will not happen until the end of the semester, meaning your final grade will not be “final” until I have entered your attendance grade.

Course Materials Purchased by the Students:

Textbook: Recommended: Stagecraft Fundamentals, 4th edition by Rita Kogler Carver. Focal Press, 2023

Scholarly Perspectives

This course engages diverse scholarly perspectives to develop critical thinking, analysis, and debate and inclusion of a reading does not imply endorsement.