Learn the technical design and production skills that go into creating a play, musical or opera. Complement your major by honing your creativity and applying your talents to the stage.
Why Minor in Theatre: Design and Production?
Learn the nuts and bolts of bringing a theatrical production to the stage. You'll study the basics of costume, makeup, scene, light and sound design. The skills you learn in the classroom will be put into practice through production participation. As an active member of the crew, you will apply both traditional and modern techniques to different types of shows. The training you receive can give you an edge in other industries.
Why Study Theatre: Design and Production at CSUN?
Live the World of Theatre
The curriculum is designed to give students the experience of staging a production from start to finish. We cast, rehearse and mount at least seven full-length productions throughout the year. As a student you can audition to be part of the cast or participate as a member of a technical crew on department productions.
Professional Performance Spaces
Our campus boasts the 400-seat Campus Theatre, the 200-seat Little Theatre and the Experimental Theatre, a versatile space in our wing of The Soraya Complex. You will also have access to a rehearsal room, scene shop, costume shop and lighting design studio.
National Recognition
The Theatre Department is accredited by National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST). CSUN Theatre is also a member of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF). Students regularly attend the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival and have been recognized for their work there. Featured alumni include Charles Martin Smith, Teri Garr, and Donald Petrie.
What You'll Learn
As a Theatre: Design and Production minor, you'll take classes on the basic principles of staging and design. You'll study the fundamentals of scenery, costume, lighting and sound.
For your upper-division classes, you'll choose courses that can take your technical skills to a higher level. Topics include:
- Stage design
- Scenic design and construction
- Costume design and construction
- Lighting
- Makeup
- Stage management
Careers & Outcomes
This program will prepare students for many and varied careers in theatre design and production.
Employers of recent alumni include:
- Center Theatre Group
- Independent Shakespeare Co.
- LA Opera
- Universal Studios Hollywood
- Disneyland
- The Walt Disney Company
Career paths for graduates include:
- Set, costume or lighting design
- Technical director
- Props artisan or prop master
- Costume technician or skilled craft stitcher
- Lighting director
- Control programmer
- Production stage manager
- Figure finishers
- Imagineers
- Theatrical educator