Design and Technical Theatre

The theatre design program at KSU offers training in the areas of scenery, costumes and lighting design. Students may choose to concentrate in one or more of these areas.

The beginning design student will learn the basics of design and construction through a series of courses offered in the various areas. Once a concentration is chosen the student will work one-on-one with the faculty member in that area to devise a program of study which will advance the student's skills as a designer.

All design students are encouraged to work on construction crews, production crews and run crews beginning in their freshman year. This practical experience is essential to understanding the work of the designer.

The advanced design student will have opportunities to design full-length plays in the Purple Masque Theatre and when selected, Main Stage selections.

Costume Design | Lighting and Sound Design | Scenic Design

There are many behind-the-scenes theatre jobs which are essential to every production company. Theatre students at KSU will have the opportunity to explore these numerous production positions which may lead them to a career choice. These include: Technical director, master carpenter, master electrician, sound technician, props artisan, scenic artist, cutter/draper and costume crafts person.

The K-State Technical Theatre program is ideal for either the student wishing to concentrate in a single area of Technical Production (scenery, prop, or costume construction; lighting; sound; scenic art) or those wishing to explore different areas in order to find their niche or attain a holistic technical theatre education. Our faculty is well versed in their areas of concentration and the modern techniques involved, and our facilities are among the best in the state, including a fully functional costume shop, scene shop, paint shop, and prop construction area. In addition, guest artists are brought in regularly to assist on larger productions and give the students the perspective of real, free-lancing professionals. Our students learn to work collaboratively with the faculty and their peers to design, manage, and produce theatrical productions and many students are assigned positions on main-stage productions in their first year.

The K-State Theatre Scene Shop, located adjacent to McCain Auditorium, is a fully functional, modern facility in which all scenery for K-State Theatre productions is created. A full-time, faculty Scene Shop Supervisor oversees a staff of student workers as well as students in the Fundamentals of Technical Production course. It houses a moveable paint frame which allows us to paint full-size backdrops, a complete set of up-to-date woodworking and metalworking equipment, and a paint storage and mixing area with an exhaust system.

For more information about the design and technical theatre program, contact Kathy Voecks, Head of Design/Tech/Management at kvoecks@ksu.edu

Workshops

Looking for some new experiences for your students? We've got workshops for your school or organization! Check out our offerings on our Workshops Page.