Download T ART 131 Course Outline - Glendale Community College

Degree Applicable
Glendale Community College
June 1988
COURSE OUTLINE
Theatre Arts 131
Technical Stage
I.
Catalog Statement
Theatre Arts 131 is a laboratory class in the construction, painting, and handling of scenery
and scenic effects and in the operation of the stage. All technicians for staging the various
Glendale Community College productions will be drawn from this class. It is required that
class members have free time to devote to rehearsals and performances. Theatre Arts majors
should have at least one semester of technical stage.
Units—1.0 – 3.0
Laboratory Hours-Prerequisite:
None
Note: This course may be taken 4 times; a maximum of 9 units may be earned. A
proportionate amount of work will be required according to the number of units elected by
the student and signed for at the time of registration.
II.
Course Entry Expectations
Skills Level Ranges: Reading ; Writing ; Listening/Speaking ; Math
III. Course Exit Standards
Upon successful completion of the required coursework, the students will be able to:
1. Evaluate the practical aspects of technical stage production from research to organization
through diverse practical experiences in technical theatre activities outside of the
traditional classroom,
2. Assess the evolution of set, lights, and sound for a production from script to
performance,
3. Evaluate the meaning of sets, lights, sound and special effects as it applies to the set
designer, light designer, sound designer, special effects coordinator, technical director,
actor, director, and audience,
4. Name the different "running crew areas" normally involved in a performance,
5. Discuss duties/responsibilities that would normally be expected of these crews,
6. Demonstrate an ability to function at an acceptable level of proficiency in at least two of
these areas.
IV.
Course Content
A.
The stage and backstage equipment
1. Proscenium arch
2. Lighting positions and equipment
Total Contact Hours
Theatre Arts 131
Page 2
B.
C.
a. Beam and boom positions (front of house)
b. On-stage battens and trees
c. Border lights and footlights
d. Stage lighting circuits
e. Patch panel
f. Control board
g. Dimmers
3. Apron and orchestra pit
4. Curtains and drapes
a. Fire curtain
b. Grand drape
c. Teasers and tormentors
d. Masking drapes
e. Cyclorama
5. Counterweight system
a. Fly loft and gridiron
b. Loading arbor
c. Battens and line sets
6. Stage floor and traps
7. Scene shop and scenery dock
Scenery
1. Forms
a. flat or two-dimensional
b. Three-dimensional
c. Practical units
d. Drops
2. Construction
a. Shop
(1) Safety
(2) Tools and work areas
b. Materials
(1) Lumber and plywood
(2) Covering fabrics
(3) Nails, screws, bolts and glue
(4) Hardware (common and theatrical)
c. Building process
(1) Reading scaled working drawings
(2) Joints; corner blocks and keystones
(3) Flat: stiles, toggles and rails
(4) Ground-rows and profiles
(5) Parallels and platforms
(6) Steps and stairs
(7) Door and window units
(8) Columns, trees, and rocks
(9) Drops
Scene painting
Theatre Arts 131
Page 3
D.
E.
F.
1. Types of paint used in the theater
a. Color mixing of paint
b. Dry color pigment
c. Ready-mixed paints
2. Painting equipment
a. Brushes, sponges and rollers
b. Paint frame, ladders and platforms
c. Snap lines and stencils
3. Painting techniques
a. Mixing pigment and glue
b. Painting procedure
(1) Size and prim coat
(2) Base coat
(3) Decorative finish
(4) Back coat
(5) Flame proofing
c. Painting textures
(1) Brushing and dry brushing
(2) Spattering
(3) Spraying
(4) Stippling
(5) Rolling
(6) Wet blending
(7) Stenciling
Setting and Shifting Scenery
1. Method of running or rolling scenic units on the floor
2. Lashing bracing and foot irons
3. Flying and operation of counterweight system
Stage Properties
1. Property plots
2. Hand props, set props and dress props
3. Building special props
4. Care of props
Stage Lighting
1. Basic electricity for stage technicians
2. Equipment
a. Instruments: spotlights and borderlights
b. Dimmers
c. Cable and connectors
d. Control board
e. Maintenance
3. Light and color
a. Color media
b. Color mixing
4. Lighting methods
a. Acting area
Theatre Arts 131
Page 4
b. Background lighting
5. Lighting plots and cue sheets
a. Pre-planning the use of lights
b. Reading and interpreting the light plot
c. Hanging and focusing lighting instruments
d. Making and using cue sheets
G. Practical and working experience in the above areas for all Glendale Community
College theater productions.
V.
Methods of Presentation
The following instructional methodologies may be used in the course:
1.
VI.
Assignments and Methods of Evaluation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
On-going oral evaluation of lab work accomplished in conjunction with a
theatrical production
Summary evaluation of production assignment performance
Evaluation of lab work dealing with ability to accomplish given tasks and taking
initiative and responsibility in finding ways in which to overcome obstacles in the
organizing, construction, painting, acquiring and implementation of stage scenery,
lighting, sound and/or special effects for a particular product ion
Evaluation of student's ability to think critically when working independently in
the organization, construction and maintenance of scenery, lights, sound and
special effects for a specific play production as well as understanding and applying
those organizational, construction and maintenance concepts presented through
classroom discussions/presentations
On-going evaluation of student's ability at being conversant in the vocabulary
particularly related to the profession of the stage technician
VII. Textbook
None
VIII.
Student Learning Outcomes
1. Assess the evolution of sets, lights, and sound for a production from script to
performance.
2. Demonstrate an ability to function at an acceptable level of proficiency in at least two
of these areas.