Dear Abby: What classes would you look for in a BFA stage management program?

[PSMKay]

Our original poster has sent the following thank you to close out this thread:

Thank you all so much for your input.  I am (as always) humbled and honored by the willingness of SMNetwork members to share their time and knowledge.  It will probably take a few months to get the program approved, but when we do, I look forward to sharing the news with everyone.  Thank you again!!

[BenTheStageMan]

The college where I got my AA has an associates program in CAD.  For the technical theatre degree we had to take the first two courses from the CAD department.  The first was focused on hand-drafting to provide context for CAD.  The second course introduced AutoCad and how to use that program to draft instead of using drafting pencils and paper.  I think that if it were more focused on Theatre then both classes could be combined, covering both hand drafting and CAD software in a theatre context.  The classes that I took focused a lot on CAD's use in architecture and construction, but the instructor knew the theatre students were more interested in the program for scenic blueprints so that's what he had us do for our projects.

In short, a course combining both hand drafting and CAD software could definitely be a good thing.

[ksteele]

I know the original poster has already submitted their degree plan for consideration, but one class that I have always found helpful (mind you, it's a grad level class at my university) is the studio forum. Every semester the students from each concentration (directing, scenic design, lighting design, costume design, and stage management) put on 5 productions "in studio." Each concentration has their own individual class that meets once a week and discusses issues relevant to their specific concentration. Then everyone meets all together for one hour once a week to discuss each production. For example, we just finished Mauritius by Theresa Rebeck. The initial meeting was for the director to present their concept and theme statement, discuss potential problems and general thoughts. Then, when the production closed there was a postmortem to talk about what we all learned, the problems we ended up having to deal with, what worked and what didn't, etc. This is a great way to get/give feedback as well as actually participate in the mounting of a fully-realized production while having experienced faculty there if you run into problems or have questions.

Another class that I've found useful has been what we call "Visual Conceptions." It's essentially a class on how to have a production meeting that is actually productive. The students are put into a group in which one person acts as the director, one as scenic, one as lighting, one as costume, one as stage manager. The group is given a play and they have to have production meetings during which they discuss concept (director), design ideas, budget, etc. After a week, the group has to present their ideas to the rest of the class. One of the most useful things about this class is that the students rotate their "concentration" with every project. So the directing student might act as the scenic designer one week, and the stage manager the next week. It's a good way to get insight on different approaches to a production.

[ambrosialx]

I think theatre technology would be really beneficial. As a lighting director I have actually been in the audience watching a show of mine where the stage manager has called me up to the booth because she/he didn't know how to troubleshoot a basic problem (the system froze and just needed to be re-booted). I found one of my main strengths as a stage manager was my ability to troubleshoot technically on the fly. Cd player frozen for an upcoming SX cue, plug in a mic and do it yourself (I am a better door bell than phone BTW). Being able to hang and focus a light is great but I would argue that this skill is just as important.

[loebtmc]

Given all the input, I'd love the original poster to report back what decisions were made and why. What did you decide needed to be the curriculum for this BFA course? Please share!

[PSMKay]

The original poster has sent me an update in reply.

Hi everyone!  Thank you again for all of your input.  It was definitely helpful, and I took a lot of your suggestions into consideration.  Here are the basics of what was proposed (in addition to the general education classes as required by the university):

Series of SM classes (every semester for 4 years) addressing basic technique, job options, skills needed, communication, dealing with difficult people, differences in styles of opera, dance, and theatre, understanding design process, and many of the other issues that were discussed in the thread.  This would be taught in a modular, progressive format, and would include guest artists from many fields.
SM Lab - which is the hands-on opportunity that students can apply the skills they learn in rehearsals/performances of on-campus shows.  This class would also have a once a week "forum" where everyone in the program can meet and discuss challenges and issues that they have dealt with during the week.  Each student would work on 2 shows per semester.

Other classes would include

Intro to professional theatre
Production and stagecraft
basic acting
basic dance (choice of styles)
choice of foreign language
drafting, both hand and CAD
Playscript analysis
Psychology and Communication
Intro to Arts Management
Production Management
Theatre history
Music theory
Directing

The proposal is in, and now is being evaluated by the powers-that-be to determine whether it will be approved.  The tentative plan is that it would start for the 13/14 school year.  As the process continues I will try to keep everyone updated.

Everyone's assistance with this project was invaluable.  It was incredibly helpful to have so many people take the time to add their thoughts.  Thank you all!!

[Rhynn]

Classes I took that have really come in handy over the years:

Theatre History 1 & 2, Scenery Design, Lighting Design, Art History, all of my History classes, German classes (great for doing Brecht and Faust and WW2-centered shows), Piano, Voice, Acting, Rendering and Drafting, Sound Design, Red Cross First Aid, EMT, Directing, Script Analysis (don't remember the real name--great book:  Backwards and Forwards by Ball), Stage Management, Accounting, Computer application classes.

Classes I wish I had taken, but didn't know I should have:

Music Theory, Opera Appreciation, Stage Combat, Physical Movement, Drawing and Drafting, Intro to Psych, Costume History, Stage craft, Make-up, Automation (didn't exist when I was in college), Physics of sound, Playwriting, Videoediting, Photoshop (didn't exist at the time), basic electronics.

LOTS AND LOTS OF PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE IN EVERY TECHNICAL AREA, INCLUDING FRONT-OF-HOUSE. 

DIRECTING AT LEAST 1 SHOW FROM START TO FINISH.

ASM'ING AT LEAST 3 SHOWS UNDER DIFFERENT PSM'S AND DIRECTORS
PSM'ING AT LEAST 2 SHOWS.  (That way you learn what you did wrong the first time and are able to improve the second time.)

[John Zachary Wells]

When I looked a few years ago I looked for the opportunity to take classes in lighting, sound, carpentry, costumes, etc and with that the experience to work on a crew for those disciplines. Having that strong of a background really helps you out in the long run.