BFA in Theater Design and Production

Stage Design is one of several areas of concentration in the BFA degree program. For consideration into Stage Design the applicant must present a portfolio demonstrating artistic proficiency in drawing, painting and crafts work demonstrating, among other skills and talents, a flair for the dramatic and theatrical and an ability to perceive and manipulate space (see Portfolio Suggestions and FAQ section).  Prior experience in applied theatrical design and technical production work, though beneficial, is not

necessary to be considered for entrance into the Stage Design area of study. The four year degree also requires the Stage Design student to concentrate on a secondary area of study such as Lighting, Costumes, Sound, Makeup and Wig design or Technical Production in addition to a series of shorter, one term, “introductory” courses in the other areas of theatre design and production. Philosophically, due to the collaborative and cooperative nature of theater we believe our students will be better educated and valued in the profession having had first-hand knowledge and personal exposure to more areas of theater design and production besides the area of concentration.

Our teaching philosophy and methods stress the actual "experience of doing," where real production experience supersedes the theoretical wherever feasible or desirable. The number of realized Stage Design opportunities will vary depending on a student’s growth and ability.

All BFA Stage Design undergraduates take drawing, 2D, 3D, CAD, design studio and production courses as well as courses in other design and production areas in a combination of concise intros, full year basic courses, and one and two-year advanced sequences depending on talent, growth, and interest in the major area. Students also study theater history, script analysis, dramatic literature, English, world history, and history of art supplemented with more courses in liberal arts and the humanities, science and free electives, as needed.

The balance between theater, theater-related, academic, and free elective courses is established by NAST (National Association of Schools of Theater), which has accredited our program. The University of Cincinnati has adopted a General Education Program, which our degree conforms to and includes a senior year capstone experience, typically a realized Stage Design project undertaken in the student’s senior year.                    

Opportunities in stage painting and prop making

One of the most noticeable aspects of a stage setting is the way it’s painted. The core Stage Design curriculum includes 2 stage painting courses and 3 years of hands-on stage painting lab. Consequently, Stage Design students gain a fundamental foundation and exposure to a wide range of styles and techniques, from an appearance of realism appropriate for many dramas to a stylization and heightened expressiveness and theatricality required for many musicals and operas. Stage Design student stage artists work closely with an experienced staff stage artist creating textures, colors, sculpted effects, and special finishes to realize the stage designer's particular vision. The talents and skills of the stage artist encompass the traditional fine arts skills of sketching, rendering, and painting but expand to include translation and enlargement techniques of the designer's small scale painted and sculpted details into full scale dramatic and expressive elements on stage.

The hand props, furniture, and set dressings are the elements most physically immediate to the actor besides costuming. These items are touched and handled in a very physical way. Just as the director, actor, and costume designer strive in their individual missions to create a distinctive character, the properties artisan learns how to create character through the correct choice and fabrication of elements, reflecting historic period, social class, and theatrical style. Stage Design student prop artisans work in close collaboration with the set designer, stage manager and director so the final use and look of each element is coordinated within the entire artistic vision. This discipline requires organization, budgeting, and communication abilities, research skills, a sense of historical periods and styles, a love of shopping and searching-out, a keen eye for detail, and strong handicraft skills.

The BFA Stage Design curriculum may be modified and tailored to provide additional training in stage painting or stage properties beyond those required in the core degree requirement. Individualized supplementary programs in painting or props are designed on a case-by-case basis based on a student’s interests, demonstrated growth and potential in the Stage Design curriculum during the freshman and sophomore years. 

BFA in Stage Design                                               
Academic class sequence
Note: Actual placement of Practicum Stage Design, Assistant Stage Design, Props, and Assistant Stage management assignments may vary from this chart depending on production assignments and course offerings.