Ashland Center for Theatre Studies

Master of Theatre Studies
in Production and Design

Coursework Overview

The Theatre Teacher Training program for high school and community college teachers is a rigorous experience that requires three summers with two intensive weeks in residence in July and considerable individual effort before and after each summer. The program requires practical implementation and documentation of applied design and production projects executed in your own school. Each year focuses on a different type of theatre: presentational, representational, or musical theatre. You may join the program in any given year of the three-year cycle. The program leads to a Master of Theatre Studies in Production and Design.

What our students say:

• "There are things that I will take back to use in my classroom from the very first week and ideas that I will be able to use in my productions immediately."
• "The information learned will be invaluable to me and my program. I have more tools to create richer productions at my school."
• "The coursework was challenging and it has been exciting to learn many new skills."

Course Work includes:

• Script analysis of plays of varied styles and time periods with comprehensive discussion of the methodologies of translating dramatic themes into effective direction, design and a unified production
• Skills for communicating design ideas--research, building models, creating renderings, drafting light plots, and recording sound sketches
• Safe and cost-effective techniques for realizing design concepts in production--costume, scenic, and properties construction, and lighting and sound engineering
• Discussion with professionals and colleagues of Oregon Shakespeare Festival plays in production, examining conceptual development of direction and design ideas, and the realization of those concepts into actual productions
• Stage management, production management, and technical direction techniques
• New technologies--how they enhance theatre crafts and integrate with theatrical processes
• Application of new concepts and skills to productions and curriculum development in your own school (see assignments and projects)
• Thesis project -curriculum culmination consisting of a portfolio reflecting best work samples, a detailed self evaluation paper, and an oral defense of these documents.
• The SOU Master’s program candidates must complete 9 credits of elective coursework to fulfill their degree requirements.

2012 Elective Course Options:

Winter Online Course - January 9 - March 23

Workshop/Dramatic Literature/Absurdism 

Summer Elective Courses - July 22-27

Week-long (3 credit) intensive courses focusing on specialized areas in theatre production and design.

Choreography for Musicals: Develop skills in both dance technique and choreographic composition with the goal of becoming more capable of choreographing a musical or of supervising a student or guest choreographer. 

Puppetry; Design, Construction and Performance will lead students in a week long, extensive, workshop in the art of puppet design, construction, performance, manipulation techniques and scene work.

Scene Painting Intensive:  Students will engage in an intensive workshop learning scene painting for theater from the brush up.  

Additional Activities:

• Oregon Shakespeare Festival 2012 productions of Animal Crackers, As You Like It, Henry V, and Party People
  
• Student presentations on research, curriculum, and applied design and production projects

Questions? Check out our FAQ page.

More information on graduate studies requirements. 

Master of Theatre Studies dates for 2013