Course Syllabus

Jump to Today

Syllabus Quick Links

Course Information

  • Course Name: Introduction to Technical Theatre
  • Course Number & Section: TPA 2200
  • Term: Spring 2022
  • Credit Hours: 2 credits
  • Course Modality: Online via Webcourses@UCF

Enrollment Requirements 

Course Prerequisites: B.A. Theatre, B.F.A. Musical Theatre or Acting major, or Theatre minor; successful completion of THE 2020
Course Co-requisites: TPA 2200L - Introduction to Technical Theatre Lab (Majors only. Minors may fulfill this requirement with a participation credit)

Instructor Information 

Course Description

Specifically geared for students focused in acting, musical theatre, dance, and other non-technical fields, Introduction to Technical Theatre explores the foundational skills, tools, materials, terminology, and techniques used in creating the technical and design elements of a theatrical production.

Student Learning Outcomes

The purpose of this course is to help you develop an understanding of, appreciation for, and working foundational knowledge of theatrical design and technology.

Specifically, by the end of this course you will be able to:

  • Identify and differentiate the distinctive skills and techniques used by theatrical designers, technicians, and craftspeople in the areas of scenery, costumes, lighting, sound, and stage management.
  • Accurately identify theatrical tools and materials and operate them responsibly in accordance with industry safety guidelines. 
  • Examine the process of creating the design and technical elements of a theatrical production as it goes from page to stage.
  • Breakdown and analyze the design and technical elements of a theatrical production using industry terminology.

Course Materials and Resources

Required Text

  • Campbell, Drew. Technical Theatre for Nontechnical People, 3rd Edition. Allworth. 2016. ISBN: 973-1621535423

Supplemental Readings

  • Supplemental readings (often provided as web links) are included as appropriate within the module content.

Required Hardware/Software

The following hardware and software technologies are needed to complete assignments:

  • Web Browser
  • Speakers or headphones
  • Word processor (preferably Microsoft Word)
  • PDF reader

Course Activities

Weekly Modules

This is a fully online course with no in-person requirements. Each weekly module will cover a new topic and will have assigned readings and activities. Modules will also contain one or more graded assignments which may include quizzes, online discussion postings, journal/blog entries, or other content relevant activities.

Written Technical Performance Analysis

Over the course of the semester, you will need to attend one (1) live, recorded, or remote production at either:

and write a paper responding to and analyzing the technical and design elements of the production. This 2-3 page paper will be assessed based on your use of design/technical vocabulary, visual awareness, and theatrical knowledge.

For those of you who are not living in Orlando/Central Florida or who are not comfortable with seeing live theatre yet, alternative theatre options are available and may be arranged with me individually.

Full guidelines for the paper can be found at Production Analysis paper.

Midterm and Final Projects

For both the midterm and the final, you will work in groups to produce a 3-5 minute video on a tool, technique, material, or process covered in the course. The purpose of the project is to convey to the audience appropriate information about your subject in an entertaining fashion (think creatively like Tape Measure: The Musical).

You will be assessed on the content of your video, not your video production/editing capabilities.

Please note that both of these projects have strict timelines and will require you and your group to complete various tasks by provided deadlines.

Additional information and requirements to assist you in successfully completing these projects is located here:

Module 7: Midterm Project

Module 14: Final Project

 

Assignment and Activity Submissions

All assignments and activities will all be submitted via Webcourse@UCF tools. Please see each individual assignment for the acceptable submission methods or requirements.

Make-up Exams and Assignments

Per university policy, you are allowed to submit make-up work (or an equivalent, alternate assignment) for authorized university-sponsored activities, religious observances, or legal obligations (such as jury duty). If this participation conflicts with your course assignments, I will offer a reasonable opportunity for you to complete missed assignments and/or exams. The make-up assignment and grading scale will be equivalent to the missed assignment and its grading scale. In the case of an authorized university activity, it is your responsibility to send me a signed copy of the Program Verification Form for which you will be absent, prior to the week in which the absence occurs. In any of these cases, please contact me ahead of time to notify me of upcoming needs.

If you find yourself in a bind with an assignment, please talk to me as soon as possible, preferably 48 hours in advance (although I do understand that misfortunes have a way of happening at the last minute). I am a reasonable person, but please do not take advantage of my good nature and it will all be good.

Assessment and Grading Procedures

Assignment Weight per assignment
Module assignments variable
Written Performance Analysis 100 points
Midterm Project 150 points
Final Project 150 points

 

Letter Grade

Percentage

A

94-100%

A-

90-93%

B+

87-89%

B

84-86%

B-

80-83%

C+

77-79%

C

74-76%

C-

70-73%

D+

67-69%

D

64-66%

D-

60-63%

F

 0-59%

You may check your current progress and status by visiting the Grades area of the course.

Consult the latest Undergraduate or Graduate catalog for regulations and procedures regarding grading such as Incomplete grades, grade changes, and grade forgiveness.

Course Schedule

Click this link to view the Course Schedule.

Please note that the schedule is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor. Participants will be notified of any changes made.

University Services and Resources

Academic Services and Resources

A list of available academic support and learning services is available at UCF Student Services. Click on "Academic Support and Learning Services" on the right-hand side to filter.  

Non-Academic Services and Resources

A list of non-academic support and services is also available at UCF Student Services. Click on "Support" on the right-hand side to filter.  

If you are a UCF Online student, please consult the UCF Online Student Guidelines for more information about your access to non-academic services.

COVID-19 Statements

I recognize and understand the difficult times we are all in. The COVID-19 pandemic impacts us all in many ways, including physically, mentally, emotionally, financially, academically, and professionally. I will work with you on challenges you may be encountering and to provide support to help you succeed. However, please keep in mind that I will hold you accountable, especially in terms of class attendance, participation, and contributions.

UCF expects that all members of our campus community who are able to do so get vaccinated, and we expect all members of our campus community to wear masks indoors, in line with the latest CDC guidelines. Masks are required in approved clinical or health care settings.

If the instructor falls ill during the semester, there may be temporary changes to this course, including having a backup instructor take over the course. Please look for announcements or mail in Webcourses@UCF or Knights email for any temporary alterations to this course.

Students who believe they may have been exposed to COVID-19 or who test positive must contact UCF Student Health Services (407-823-2509) so proper contact tracing procedures can take place. Students should not come to campus if they are ill, are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 or have tested positive for COVID-19.

Students should contact their instructor(s) as soon as possible if they miss class for any illness to discuss reasonable adjustments that might need to be made. When possible, students should contact their instructor(s) before missing class.

Academic Integrity

Students should familiarize themselves with UCF’s Rules of Conduct. According to Section 1, "Academic Misconduct," students are prohibited from engaging in:

  • Unauthorized assistance: Using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information or study aids in any academic exercise unless specifically authorized by the instructor of record. The unauthorized possession of examination or course-related material also constitutes cheating.
  • Communication to another through written, visual, electronic, or oral means: The presentation of material which has not been studied or learned, but rather was obtained through someone else’s efforts and used as part of an examination, course assignment, or project.
  • Commercial Use of Academic Material: Selling of course material to another person, student, and/or uploading course material to a third-party vendor without authorization or without the express written permission of the university and the instructor. Course materials include but are not limited to class notes, Instructor’s PowerPoints, course syllabi, tests, quizzes, labs, instruction sheets, homework, study guides, handouts, etc.
  • Falsifying or misrepresenting the student’s own academic work.
  • Plagiarism: Using or appropriating another’s work without any indication of the source, thereby attempting to convey the impression that such work is the student’s own.
  • Multiple Submissions: Submitting the same academic work for credit more than once without the express written permission of the instructor.
  • Helping another violate academic behavior standards.

For more information about Academic Integrity, students may consult The Center for Academic Integrity.

For more information about plagiarism and misuse of sources, see “Defining and Avoiding Plagiarism: The WPA Statement on Best Practices”.

Responses to Academic Dishonesty, Plagiarism, or Cheating

Students should also familiarize themselves with the procedures for academic misconduct in UCF’s student handbook, The Golden Rule. UCF faculty members have a responsibility for students’ education and the value of a UCF degree, and so seek to prevent unethical behavior and when necessary respond to academic misconduct. Penalties can include a failing grade in an assignment or in the course, suspension or expulsion from the university, and/or a "Z Designation" on a student’s official transcript indicating academic dishonesty, where the final grade for this course will be preceded by the letter Z. For more information about the Z Designation, see http://goldenrule.sdes.ucf.edu/zgrade.

Course Accessibility Statement

The University of Central Florida is committed to providing access and inclusion for all persons with disabilities. Students with disabilities who need disability-related access in this course should contact the professor as soon as possible. Students should also connect with Student Accessibility Services (Ferrell Commons 185, sas@ucf.edu, phone (407) 823-2371). Through Student Accessibility Services, a Course Accessibility Letter may be created and sent to professors, which informs faculty of potential access and accommodations that might be reasonable.Determining reasonable access and accommodations requires consideration of the course design, course learning objectives and the individual academic and course barriers experienced by the student.

Campus Safety Statement

Fully online course sections

Though most emergency situations are primarily relevant to courses that meet in person, such incidents can also impact online students, either when they are on or near campus to participate in other courses or activities or when their course work is affected by off-campus emergencies. The following policies apply to courses in online modalities.

  • To stay informed about emergency situations, students can sign up to receive UCF text alerts by going to https://my.ucf.edu and logging in. Click on “Student Self Service” located on the left side of the screen in the toolbar, scroll down to the blue “Personal Information” heading on the Student Center screen, click on “UCF Alert”, fill out the information, including e-mail address, cell phone number, and cell phone provider, click “Apply” to save the changes, and then click “OK.”
  • Students with special needs related to emergency situations should speak with their instructors outside of class.

Deployed Active Duty Military Students

Students who are deployed active duty military and/or National Guard personnel and require accommodation should contact their instructors as soon as possible after the semester begins and/or after they receive notification of deployment to make related arrangements.

Copyright

This course may contain copyright protected materials such as audio or video clips, images, text materials, etc. These items are being used with regard to the Fair Use doctrine in order to enhance the learning environment. Please do not copy, duplicate, download or distribute these items. The use of these materials is strictly reserved for this online classroom environment and your use only. All copyright materials are credited to the copyright holder.

Third-Party Software and FERPA

During this course you might have the opportunity to use public online services and/or software applications sometimes called third-party software such as a blog or wiki. While some of these could be required assignments, you need not make any personally identifying information on a public site. Do not post or provide any private information about yourself or your classmates. Where appropriate you may use a pseudonym or nickname. Some written assignments posted publicly may require personal reflection/comments, but the assignments will not require you to disclose any personally identity-sensitive information. If you have any concerns about this, please contact your instructor.

 

Course Summary:

Date Details Due