Design
Charged with creating the visual and aural environment of the stage production, the theatre designer’s work is often the first and last image seen by the audience. Using physical architecture or fabric, scenic and costume designers invoke the character’s story through tangible objects. Lighting designers illuminate those shapes with color, texture and even darkness while the sound designer enhances the atmosphere of the scene. Each designer works in collaboration to support the story of the play and humanize the audience’s experience in the theatre.
Within the design program at UÂ鶹´«Ã½, students analyze scripts, gather research and initiate discussions with other members of the production staff. They conceptualize ideas by sketching, rendering and developing 3D scaled models, and they showcase their interpretations of the text. To implement these ideas, our students shape their ideas into working drawings, costume renderings, and lighting and sound plots to communicate specific ideas to the builders and technicians. With faculty and staff who continually work in the Â鶹´«Ã½ theatre community, students obtain professional instruction and mentorship within a safe learning setting.
To further heighten their experience, we provide a hands-on design practicum to showcase the students’ work. The role of the designer for department productions is performed by those students who have successfully completed the design courses. Senior design students also have access to our unique apprentice courses offered in association with professional and amateur theatres in Manitoba. As our partners, these companies help us give our students real life experience through working on one of their productions while at the same time earning academic credit.
From classroom theory and paper projects to actualizing their ideas in front of an audience, the student in the design program at UÂ鶹´«Ã½ gains a wide variety of essential experiences as they develop into future theatre artist.
Below you will find details for a General BA in Design and if you scroll further, you'll find details for the BA Honours.
Program of Study for the General BA
Compulsory sequence:
ONE OF:
THFM-1001(6) Introduction to Theatre: Performance
or THFM-1002(6) Introduction to Theatre: General
or THFM-1003(6) Introduction to Theatre: Indigenous Performance
AND:
THFM-2201(3) Principles of Design
THFM-3201(6) Styles in Design
Required but not in any particular order or year:
THFM/ENGL-2703(3) Play Analysis
AND a minimum of 3 credit hours from the Dramatic Studies Group
Recommended (in no particular order of preference):
THFM-2601(3) Costuming
THFM-2602(3) Lighting Design
THFM-3202(3) Drafting and Drawing
HIST-2800(6) History of European Art
A first-year English course
BA Honours
Compulsory:
ONE OF:
THFM-1001(6) Introduction to Theatre: Performance
or THFM-1002(6) Introduction to Theatre: General
or THFM-1003(6) Introduction to Theatre: Indigenous Performance
AND:
THFM-2201(3) Principles of Design
THFM-2602(3) Lighting
THFM-3201(6) Styles in Design
THFM-3202(3) Drafting and Drawing
THFM-4203(6) Contemporary Stage Design OR THFM-4041(6) Special Studies in Theatre
Required but not in any particular order or year:
THFM/ENGL-2703(3) Play Analysis
AND a minimum of 3 credit hours from the Dramatic Studies Group
AND
THFM-4441(3) Theatre Aesthetics OR a minimum of 3 credit hours in any Honours-level course in dramaturgy
AND minimum of 0 or 3 additional credit hours in Theatre at the 3000 level (depending on the choice of required course from the Dramatic Studies Group)
AND a minimum of 9 additional credit hours in Theatre at the 4000 level
Recommended (in no particular order of preference):
THFM-2601(3) Costuming
THFM-2603(3) Make-Up: Theory and Practice
THFM-2801(6) Production I
THFM-3804(3) Scenic Painting
HIST-2800(6) History of European Art
A first-year English course
Students in a 3-Year General BA program can take a maximum of 48 credit hours in their major subject.
Students in an a BA Honours program can take a maximum of 78 credit hours in their major subject.
(In both cases, students must take a minimum of 42 hours outside their major subject.)
Consult the Calendar or WebAdvisor for more detailed course descriptions and regulations. We strongly recommend that you arrange an appointment with the Department's Student Advisor early on to discuss your program (204-786-9955).