College Courses beyond the theatre department

I want to know what courses outside of the theatre department would best support a technical direction/lighting design education. I've chosen to go to a smaller inexpensive college to get all my basic education courses out of the way because finances are a problem. But I understand that, with designing, other courses such as history and literature courses can aid in the design process. I want to work hard to make sure each class I have to take supports technical theatre in some way so that I can better utilize these next two years. I register for classes next month and was wondering what courses would be best to sign up for? (Any and all advice appreciated)
 
As an LD art courses, my two minors in college were photography and art history. So I would say it would be worth while to have a minor in visual art, drawing, painting, photography etc. Also one in art history, this will be very beneficial if you look to go to grad school as well. As an ME any electrical engineering class even a basic IT class. Graphic design classes, video production classes and film would be beneficial so you can see what an LD would do in the film industry.
 
I had considered art history and film courses (I did the lights for my high school's film department last year and enjoyed it). Though I had not thought about electrical engineering, thanks! I definitely plan on attending grad school so I'm glad you say the art history course is helpful.
 
Well until your a big shot LD your not going to be on a console all the time. Your going to have to work as an electrician and an ME. Thus youll need to know pretty solid electrical theory so yoU dont destroy gear or kill someone or yourself. Youll need to understand the ideas behind three phase power and the difference between wiring 110VAC as oppose to 208VAC, etc. Basic IT comes into play because everything now is run through a lighting network from the console via nodes that convert ethernet to 5 pin DMX. As far as grad school, unless you want to teach in a university I wouldnt reccomend it. Just go out and work first and after a few years of working and you want to then go to grad school but I personally wouldnt reccomend going straight to grad school from undergrad.
 
I had considered art history and film courses (I did the lights for my high school's film department last year and enjoyed it). Though I had not thought about electrical engineering, thanks! I definitely plan on attending grad school so I'm glad you say the art history course is helpful.

I would say get a couple of drawing classes out of the way quickly. Knock out at least one photography course so that you can thoroughly document your productions. Take acting I (I know its a theater course, but its easier to knock it out off the bat so you dont need to worry about it). Take Physics both mechanics and E+M. Take welding, fabrication, machine shop. Take painting, art history, architecture history, fashion history. Take some literature. If your school offers it, take a class on the bible. So much western art is based on it, its often useful to understand what happens in it from the perspective of imagery, style, and literature and can be really eye opening when reading plays (personal opinion on that, but its seriously useful sometimes). If I had to do it again, I would knock out Theater History right quick as well, just so I could do the design stuff towards the end. IT courses would be totally important, networking and the like is quite important and can be rather confusing. I would say 3 phase power is one of those things that if you want to get into it, it can be pretty cool and complicated. If not, you can survive safely with a much more basic understanding of wiring (and no college course will teach you to do a tie in with theater gear. Someone needs to teach you how to do it). Also take an autoCAD course. Even if you end up using vectorworks, its easier to learn how to draw a light plot in that then it is to use the "grown up" drafting of autodesk products without training. Also you can become a draftsman for a designer and that makes a pretty decent summer job.
 
If I had to do it again, I would knock out Theater History right quick as well, just so I could do the design stuff towards the end. IT courses would be totally important, networking and the like is quite important and can be rather confusing. I would say 3 phase power is one of those things that if you want to get into it, it can be pretty cool and complicated. If not, you can survive safely with a much more basic understanding of wiring (and no college course will teach you to do a tie in with theater gear. Someone needs to teach you how to do it).

Unless you want to get that pesky ETCP cert... this is one area I feel college need to teach more of and many don't touch it.



What school are you looking to go towards once you leave? Are you looking for a BS, BA, or BFA? Without going into the CC with a plan about what will transfer to your 4 year school you might as well take your money and time and burn it. IF you have a plan, talk to the school you want to attend, and do it, you have a chance. So, we can all say "take X class, it'll be great", but if it does not fulfill a graduation requirement your going to be spending more time in school, which means more money spent on school, and more time your student loans sit collecting interest and your not working. Theatre programs tend to have rather strict course requirements. At the school I attended, 81 of our required 121 credits were required in major. Of that 81, about 3/4's of those courses were in a very regimented sequence. The other 40 "gen ed" classes had to be in specific categories. Because there is little to no standardization across theatre departments it is never a guarentee that a class from one school will count as something in another.

So, if you want to do the CC route and save some cash more power to ya, but have a real plan in place to ensure it is actually worth your time. I would hate to see you waste a year or two because you hit classes out of sequence.
 
As with most question/posts bout college choices and courses, there is no singular answer. It depends on the particular college, the courses available, your aptitudes, etc. That said, look into the engineering department for courses in robotics (theatre motion control), Structural design (truss roofs and outdoor structures, free span platforms, steel structures for touring), always history and art, can't get enough of those, trust me. Pick up a copy of Alan Hendrickson's Mechanical Design for the Stage and the Holden/Sammler Structural Design for the Stage . Read these and decide what you need in terms of math courses, because you will want the math if Technical Direction is part of your future plans. I spent 10 years as a LORT Theatre TD and 12 years as faculty/TD at the University level, and I used endless amounts of trig and algebra. I didn't "need" Calculus but it made many things a lot easier and I strongly advise it. As a TD. Consider bio-mechanics in relation to dance and the forces dancers can develop on platforms and structures. This is NOT a comprehensive list, merely a few suggestions.

Oh! Yeah! In your spare time, study theatre.
 
Art history, drawing classes, literature, electronics, there are loads.

Not to mention the valuable experience to be found at local theaters outside of the classroom.
 
Conversely to what logic might say too, if you can't find a job training you in a real theatre over the summers or during the year, try to pick up a big box job like lowes or home depot in their paint or lumber departments. I would still always say get hands on theatre specific job work IF you can find it. IF you can't however, think of what jobs would be helpful. I learned a remarkable amount of stuff from both of those departments (between their required training courses and the 30+ year pros who have seen everything in their time). It really helps round out knowledge about construction and paint mixing, application etc. You don't need it, but I've got a ton of stuff that I understand better in our world because I know how the rest of the world uses a product or technique.

Don't underestimate places outside of school and a theatre/summerstock that you can learn useful stuff from if the job market in your area isn't great.
 
Unless you want to get that pesky ETCP cert... this is one area I feel college need to teach more of and many don't touch it.

This is a good point. I forget that I was fortunate that my Physics Electricity and Magnetism courses discussed a lot of 3 phase power and things like that. Its not entertainment or electrical specific, but it covered a lot of theory on that front. Also my current job utilizes a lot of 3 phase equipment, so Im becoming excessively familiar with all sorts of things related to that...
 
Thank you all so much for all the recommendations on classes.
MPowers: Thanks I'll have to get ahold of those books. They sound great.
chawalang: My goal is to teach at the university level after a few years of work in professional theatre.
Footer: Yes, I was simply asking for recomendations so that when I have to pick from a few classes to fulfill a requirement I would have a better idea of which to choose. I certainly don't plan to waste my time/money with classes that wont help finish my degree.
 
I took a wonderful Sound Design class in the broadcast department while I was in school. The computer science class I took was also rather helpful.

For a theatre artist, just about any history/sociology/anthropology corse is very informative.
 
I know this is a necro post, but in re-reading it, I realized that one subject has been left out.

I would suggest some business courses would be quite useful if you ever expect to do free lance work. How do you keep track of finances, how do you budget. What records to you need to keep for how long, what is depreciation anyway.

So see what kinds of intro courses your business school has.
 

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