MFA DRAMATURGY BENCHMARKS
INTRODUCTION
The graduate program in Lighting Design prepares students to compete effectively for professional and educational positions in the areas of lighting design and technology. Students are expected to demonstrate craftsmanship and professionalism in all aspects of their work, and to bring an attitude of openness and enthusiasm to their studies and collaborations, both with fellow students and with faculty. Lighting design requires minute attention to detail as well as artistry, and significant collaborative and communicative skills. Students are expected to develop in all areas during their residency. When evaluating students' progress in the program, the faculty looks for significant growth in the benchmarks listed below. The overriding goal is to achieve a professional level of competence by the end of a three-year residency. Acceptance into the program conveys the faculty's sense of the students' potential to accomplish this.
BENCHMARKS
- I. Personal design skills
- • The ability to respond to theater and to performance events in an imaginative, visual and collaborativeway
- • The ability to read, research and understand a wide variety of texts, and to respond creatively andvisually
- • The ability to watch or listen and understand a variety of performance events, and to respond creatively andvisually
- • The ability to observe and respond to light in the world, in research and on stage
- • The ability to respond to other visuals with light – to the space, to the costumes, to the people
- • The ability to make choices for lighting a stage production based on text, space, research and your own creative responses.
- II. Collaborative designskills
- • The ability to communicate your ideas, both in person and on paper, to the rest of the creative team
- • The ability to understand and integrate the ideas of the rest of the creative team into your own design
- • The ability to listen well and be flexible about your choices
- • The ability to communicate your ideas clearly, on person and on paper, to the technicalstaff
- • The ability to be creative and calm under pressure and in control as you work.
- • The ability to see and to discuss what you are creating in the theater space, and to respond in a creative and flexible way
- III. Craftsmanship
- • The ability to communicate clearly through your drafting and the relevant paperwork, both on paper and on a computer
- • The ability to work in multiple venues with multiple working styles, and the flexibility to use varying levels of resources and technology in your designs
- • Developing an understanding of the industry standards for lighting design drafting, and for technologies
- • Developing skills for making choices in angle, color, instrument type that truly reflect your vision
- • Develop skills for working efficiently in the theater space, both during rehearsal, focus and cueing
- IV. Professionalism
- • The ability to meet deadlinesregularly
- • Punctual attendance at all relevant design and production meetings, work calls, technical and dress rehearsals.
- • Courteousness and generosity with colleagues and collaborators, both technical and creative
- V. Technicalskills
- • The ability to understand the technical needs of your own designs and how they might be accomplished
- • The ability to work in the shop and in the theater on productions designed by fellow students and faculty
- • The ability to learn and respond to new technologies, both in the theater and in the design studio
- VI. Teachingskills
- • The ability to effectively teach undergraduate courses during your residency period
- • The ability to work well with undergraduate students as a mentor and as a collaborator
- • The ability to design a course or part of a course, and to respond to other students work in a constructiveway
- VII. Presentation
- • Developing an industry standard portfolio and website over the course of the residency
- • Developing skills at presenting yourself, both as a potential employee and as a collaborator
SAMPLE COURSE OF STUDY
CORE CREDITS (REQUIRED OF ALL MFA STUDENTS):
TH 680: Group Studio (3)
TH 730: Textual Analysis (3)
TH 793B: World Rep I (3)
TH 793D: World Rep II (3)
TH 699T: Thesis (3)
Subtotal: 15 core credits
AREA CREDITS (REQUIRED OF LIGHTNG STUDENTS)
TH 761: Lighting Design Studio (6 x 6 credits)
Subtotal: 36 area credits
TH 761 may meet as Lighting Design Studio or Interdisciplinary Design Studio.
Note: Mainstage production assignments are credited via TH 761.
TOTAL CREDITS REQUIRED TO GRADUATE: 60
Sample Course of Study (will vary according to student)
“A Schedule” Cohort
Fall, Year 1
Group Studio (3)
Textual Analysis (3)
Lighting Design Studio (3)
Production Assignment (3)
Spring, Year 1
Lighting Design Studio (3)
Production Assignment (3)
Elective (3)
Fall, Year 2
Lighting Design Studio (3)
Production Assignment (3)
World Rep I (3)
Elective (3)
Spring, Year 2
Lighting Design Studio (3)
Production Assignment (3)
Elective (3)
Fall, Year 3
World Rep II (3)
Lighting Design Studio (3)
Production Assignment (3)
Elective (3)
Spring, Year 3
Lighting Design Studio (3)
Thesis Show (3)
Elective (3)
“B Schedule” Cohort
Fall, Year 1
Group Studio (3)
Lighting Design Studio (3)
Production Assignment (3)
World Rep I (3)
Spring, Year 1
Textual Analysis (3)
Lighting Design Studio (3)
Production Assignment (3)
Fall, Year 2
World Rep II (3)
Lighting Design Studio (3)
Production Assignment (3)
Elective (3)
Spring, Year 2
Lighting Design Studio (3)
Production Assignment (3)
Elective (3)
Fall, Year 3
Lighting Design Studio (3)
Production Assignment (3)
Elective (3)
Elective (3)
Spring, Year 3
Lighting Design Studio (3)
Thesis Show (3)
Elective (3)