
Design & Technical Production

While we undertake the revision and innovation of our curriculum, the School of Theatre, Film & Television is not accepting applications for the BFA program in Design & Technical Production.
Going forward, the School is no longer accepting applications for the MFA program in Design & Technical Production.
Learn more at tftv.arizona.edu/news/envisioning-the-future-of-the-school-of-theatre-film-television/.
Bachelor of Fine Arts: Theatre Production – Design & Technical Production
Program Overview
The BFA Degree in Theatre Production with an emphasis in Design & Technical Production offers comprehensive training to students who seek careers in the professional theatre. This training includes a balance of academic study of theatre and practical production experience in one or more of our three performance spaces. Students study with faculty actively working professionally in their field.
BFA Theatre Production – Design & Technical Production
BFA students can choose from the following areas of specialization:

- Student learn costume rendering and figure drawing.
- Besides design courses, students learn draping, pattern drafting, and flat patterning skills.
- Students can expect practical and realized stage design experience.
- We offer costume craft courses including mask making, armor making, fabric dyeing, and wig design.
- Our costume shop is modeled after a professional working shop with high standards and expectations.

Through coursework, production work in our professional costume shop and opportunities on our Arizona Repertory Theatre productions you will learn:
- Patternmaking by drafting and draping techniques for contemporary and period garments
- Fundamental to advanced garment construction techniques
- Women’s historical garment construction techniques, including corsets and 18th/19th century women’s wear
- Men’s wear construction techniques, including modern and historical tailoring
- Costume craft skills, including millinery/hatmaking, fabric dyeing, mask making, armor, and wig styling
- Costume shop organization and wardrobe crew management skills following professional regional theatre practices

- Train hands-on in lighting design and production practices on up to 6 Arizona Repertory Theatre, 4 Studio Series and numerous auxiliary events
- Work as a stage electrician, programmer, assistant master electrician, master electrician, assistant lighting designer and lighting designer
- Study all areas of theatre design and production, textual analysis and history
- Take additional course work in advanced lighting design, automated lighting programming and stage electrics
- Cultivate collaboration, communication and leadership skills in the context of the lighting design team as well as the production creative team
- Receive strong mentorship and career advisement from professionally working faculty

- Coursework in the areas of stage management, design, and production technology
- Opportunity to work as a Stage Manager, Assistant Stage Manager, or Production Assistant on 2 to 3 productions per year including plays, musicals, and operas
- Discussions with guest speakers currently working in the entertainment industry
- Networking and shadowing opportunities with professional stage managers
- Internship opportunities with local and national arts organizations

- Create sound designs that reinforce, illuminate, and punctuate, the story of a play.
- Design, install, and program multi-channel sound systems to create complex aural environments.
- Record, mix, and edit a vast stylistic array of sounds to use in your designs.
- Learn and practice advanced techniques of live sound mixing in a professionally modeled, fast paced setting.
- Benefit from our extensive network of contacts working professionally in the entertainment industry.
- Take advantage of opportunities across the College of Fine Arts to broaden your skills.

- Production opportunities in two main stage theatres
- Six main stage productions each year
- Learn hand and computer-aided drafting
- Learn model making, drawing, and digital rendering
- Learn scene painting and props fabrication

Between your time in our shop, your classes, and our two main stage spaces you will learn:
- AutoCAD, Vectorworks, and hand drafting
- Basic and advanced wood working
- Welding and metal work
- Project management and problem solving
- Shop management and work flow
- Rigging fundamentals
- Show control and stage automation