Northeastern’s Department of Theatre has just announced a new minor in Theatrical Design, designed for students with an interest in design as the collaborative art of transforming ideas into images that support live performance.  Students can combine Theatre classes with courses in Art + Design, Music, or Architecture to deepen their investigations of design concepts and technique.  This new minor represents another embrace of interdisciplinary study from the Theatre department, along with the minors in Professional Presentation, Dramatic Literature and the Human Experience, and Musical Theatre.

Associate Professor Janet Bobcean took note when her class, Introduction to Theatrical Design, “had many non-majors that are extremely interested in the production side of theatre.”  She worked with Teaching Professor Frances McSherry to develop “a nimble selection of courses (from our department and others) that will serve this population.  This minor will offer interested students a range of design courses as well as experiential work in the departmental production program.”

Students who declare the minor will take Introduction to Theatrical Design and at least 3 more electives from a diverse roster of 15 options.  In addition, they will work on one production through the experiential course, Production Experience, where they will engage directly with one of theatre’s core values: collaboration.  As Professor Bobcean suggests, every student can benefit from pursuing a “deep understanding of how collaboration really works.”

To enroll in the Theatrical Design Minor, contact Maegen Bishoff at [email protected].

Theatrical Design

Foundational Requirements
THTR 1270 Introduction to Theatrical Design (4 SH)
THTR 1100 Production Experience (1 SH)

Design Areas
Choose two of the following:
THTR 1131 Technical Theatre 1 (4 SH)
THTR 2360 Stage Makeup (4 SH)
THTR 2365 Technical Theatre 2 (4 SH)
THTR 2370 Lighting Design (4 SH)
THTR 2380 Costume Design (4 SH)
THTR 2400 Scenic Design (4 SH)
MUST 2320 Sound Design (4 SH)
THTR 3600 Production Design – New

Interdisciplinary Areas
Choose one of the following:
ARTG 1250 Design Process Context and Systems (4 SH)
ARCH 1450 Understanding Design (4 SH)
ARTG 3462 Experience Design 1 (4 SH)
THTR 1131 Technical Theatre 1 (4 SH)
THTR 2360 Stage Makeup (4 SH)
THTR 2365 Technical Theatre 2 (4 SH)
THTR 2370 Lighting Design (4 SH)
THTR 2380 Costume Design (4 SH)
THTR 2400 Scenic Design (4 SH)
MUST 2320 Sound Design (4 SH)
THTR 3600 Production Design – New