Stage Management Certificate

Certificate in Stage Management students work with professional directors and designers, and play a key role in running productions as assistant and production stage managers. The program combines a series of courses with hands on experience in the production process. Students should be prepared to demonstrate exceptional stage management skills and assume significant responsibilities in completing the program.

Download an application form (pdf).

Download the detailed current requirements (pdf).

Requirements and Program Components

Prerequisites:

  • ENGL 184: Theatre and Cultural Context (prev. ENGL 290 or 291: Plays in Production; also prev. ENGL 184 or 185: Intro to Theatre)
  • ENGL 170: Technical Theatre (prev. also ENGL 171)
  • ENGL 279: Consent & Performance

Section 1: Developing Technical Knowledge

Students must take one of the following:

  • ENGL 124: Intro to Stage Lighting or ENGL 172: Intro to Sound for the Stage (prev. also ENGL 172 or 173: Intro to Stage Lighting and Sound)
  • ENGL 270: Advanced Technical Theatre (prev. also ENGL 271)

Section 2: Developing Academic Understanding or Required Skill

Students must take two of the following:

  • MUSC 101: Elements of Music
  • ENGL 112: Classical and Scriptural Backgrounds
  • ENGL 208*: Renaissance Drama / What is Tragedy)
  • ENGL 210: Shakespeare
  • ENGL 228* (African-American Drama)
  • ENGL 235: 20th Century Drama

* Titles of these course numbers are subject to change.  Please consult with your advisor.

[Other classes may be considered depending on an individual student’s needs. Substitutions should be made in consultation with an academic advisor.]

Section 3: Developing an Understanding of the Artistic and Creative Processes 

Students must take at least one of the following (in the case of 2-credit classes, students should plan on taking 2 courses) for a total of 4 credits:

  • ENGL 154: Intro to Design for the Stage (prev. also ENGL 155) | 2 credits
  • ENGL 174: Acting Techniques (prev. also ENGL 175)
  • ENGL 178: Design for the Stage (prev. also ENGL 179) | 2 credits
  • ENGL 180: Directing

Section 4: Developing Practical Stage Management Skills

  • Students must work as an assistant stage manager on at least two Theatre Program productions
  • Students must work as a production stage manager on at least two Theatre Program productions
  • ENGL 296 and/or 297: Stage Management
  • ENGL 292, 293, 294 and/or 295: Plays in Performance

Section 5: Gaining Professional Experience

We strongly encourage students to extend their training with summer internships. The Theatre Program will assist in setting up these internships for qualified students.

Students should plan on doing at least one outside or summer stage management internship during their undergraduate studies.