A cohort of senior Theatre Production students at the University of Arizona School of Theatre, Film & Television (TFTV) returned energized from the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) 2026 Conference & Stage Expo, held earlier this month in Long Beach, California.
USITT is the leading annual conference for theatre technology and live entertainment professionals, offering immersive educational sessions, hands-on labs, industry panels, and an expansive Stage Expo showcasing the latest innovations in production design and technical theatre. TFTV students attended workshops, explored cutting-edge technologies, and connected directly with industry professionals shaping the future of live entertainment.
“The conference was such an amazing opportunity to expand my knowledge in the industry and talk with professionals about how they got where they are,” said senior Riley Baheshone, who, along the rest of the cohort, is working towards a BFA degree in Theatre Production with a Design and Technical Production emphasis. “It really brought to light how versatile my degree is, and how many different possibilities there are in the world of entertainment.”
That versatility is a cornerstone of TFTV’s evolving curriculum. Beginning in Fall 2026, the Live and Screened Performance degree program will introduce a new emphasis in Design and Production, aimed at equipping students with a comprehensive understanding of how design and production methods function across both live and screen-based performance.
The new emphasis takes a liberal arts approach, combining theoretical and practical applications across multiple disciplines. Areas of study will include scenic design and painting, sound design and production, lighting design and production, costume design and production, technical direction, and stage management, preparing students for a wide range of creative and technical careers in the entertainment industry.
For senior Bree Urspringer, the experience at USITT reinforced the value of that broad-based training. “USITT was an amazing experience,” she shared. “Through the sessions I attended and the exhibitors I talked with, it furthered my love of stage management and solidified what I want to do post-graduation.”
Baheshone and Urspringer joined fellow students Emma Dean, Anna Fountain, Elizabeth Gardner, Sean Goebel, and Ellie Seward, all of whom participated in workshops and industry sessions designed to enhance their skills and broaden their understanding of the live entertainment field.
Faculty Technical Director and Design/Production Head Daniel Staggs accompanied the students on the trip and emphasized the value of connecting academic learning with real-world industry engagement. “Experiences like USITT are incredibly important for our students,” he said. “They gain exposure to emerging technologies, build professional networks, and see firsthand how the skills they’re developing in the classroom translate to the industry. It’s an essential bridge between their academic training and their future careers.”
As TFTV continues to expand opportunities for hands-on, industry-connected learning, experiences like USITT play a significant role in preparing students for careers across live and screen-based entertainment. With the launch of the new Design and Production emphasis in Fall 2026, students will be even better equipped to translate classroom training into professional practice, building the technical expertise, creative confidence, and industry networks that will carry them into the next stage of their careers.