Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies

Theater 176 — Supervised Theatrical Design

Advanced students of lighting design are provided experience, structure, and support in the practical application of design to the stage in departmental productions.

Prerequisites/Rules:

Have completed 175A and 175B or the equivalent experience.

Faculty Supervision:

Mentoring opportunity with the lighting design faculty on campus or off campus.

Application Submission:

Contact Ray Oppenheimer at rjoppenh@berkeley.edu for information about participation and course control numbers.

Theater 179 — Supervised Theatrical Design

Advanced students who have taken TDPS scenic design and costume design classes are offered opportunities to participate in practical scenographic explorations by taking responsibility for designing, or assistant-designing department shows. This may include designing of costumes, scenery, projections, and special properties. The level of experience and commitment required varies so each project is tailored to the needs and abilities of each student and their particular production context.

Prerequisites/Rules:

Have completed 173A/B or 174A/B or the equivalent experience.

Faculty Supervision:

Mentoring opportunity with the set design or costume design faculty on campus or off campus.

Application Submission:

Contact Annie Smart at anniesmart@berkeley.edu well in advance for information about participation, class enrollment numbers, and other protocols.

Theater 180 — Theatrical Realization of Dance

This course gives you credit for participating in Berkeley Dance Project (an audition is required to be cast in BDP). This course relates choreography to theatrical presentation. Laboratory hours are spent in attendance at rehearsal, coaching sessions, and the performance of Berkeley Dance Project. Faculty and guest artists cast and choreograph these dance works.

Prerequisites/Rules:

Auditions are open to all students.

Faculty Supervision:

Pieces presented in Berkeley Dance Project are choreographed by a faculty member or professional guest artist.

Application Submission:

Auditions are held towards the end of each fall semester. Watch for information and sign up for a time on the TDPS Callboard.

Theater 181 — Theatrical Realization of Dramatic Texts

This course gives you credit for participating in TDPS Playhouse and/or Studio productions (auditions required to be cast). This course relates dramatic texts or choreography to theatrical presentation. The lectures are based on the analysis of the work being presented. Laboratory hours are spent in attendance at rehearsal, coaching sessions, and the performance of the play or concert. Playhouse and Studio Productions are directed by faculty, guest artists, or advanced students.

Prerequisites/Rules:

Auditions are open to all students.

Faculty Supervision:

Playhouse and Studio Productions are directed by faculty, guest artists, or advanced students.

Application Submission:

Auditions for fall shows are held during the first three weeks of classes; auditions for spring shows are held during the first three weeks of the spring semester. Watch for information and sign up for a time on the TDPS Callboard.

Theater H195A/B — Departmental Honors Project

Please visit this page for information about Honors Projects.

Theater 196 / 277 — University Theater Workshop

The 196 Project for undergraduate students and 277 Project for graduate students is a production project for the advanced directing, choreography, or performance art student within the scope of a single semester. The 196 / 277 Project is not restricted to Theater and Performance Studies or Dance and Performance Studies majors. Although undergraduate projects are given priority, graduate students may also apply for consideration. This four-unit, letter-graded course is possible in either the Fall or Spring Semester.

Prerequisites/Rules:

• Demonstrate experience and potential ability in the area of their proposed project
• Minimum 3.3 GPA
• Directing 196 Projects need to have completed 60: Introduction to Technical Theater & Production and 162: Directing before beginning the project
• Choreography 196 Projects need to have completed 60: Introduction to Technical Theater & Production and 146B: Choreography before beginning the project
• Other evidence of the student’s ability to assume the creative and administrative responsibilities of the 196 Project
• Graduate students should provide information regarding previous coursework in the field of directing/choreography and get approval from your graduate advisor

Faculty Supervision:

Students are encouraged to start discussing projects (both the possibilities and the limitations of what you envision) with potential Faculty Supervisors as early as possible, normally in September or October. Students are required to submit and discuss a rough draft of their proposal with a Faculty Supervisor at least two weeks before the deadline for proposals. Faculty Supervisors will not sign proposals that have not been reviewed with them before the deadline. Faculty Supervisors will then be responsible for presenting the proposal and answering questions from the H195/196 Committee and, if the project is approved, for monitoring the student’s progress on a regular basis throughout the course.

Clarification:

This one semester course does not require a thesis or essay. Most ideas that are more production-focused should apply for the 196 Workshop. Non-Senate Faculty members may also be invited to advise your workshop without remuneration.

Proposal Due Dates:

196 Workshop proposals for Undergraduates and 277 Workshop proposals for Graduate Students are due in the spring for projects happening the following academic year:

• For Fall 2023 / Spring 2024, draft of application is due to Faculty Advisor by 4pm on the third Friday of April (Submit by April 21, 2023)
• Final application is due to Michael Mansfield by 4pm on the first Friday of May (Submit by May 5, 2023)

Application & Additional Information:

• Theater 196/277 Application (this is an editable PDF; please download and fill out in Preview, Adobe Acrobat, etc.)
• Additional information about Capstone Courses

Theater 197 — Field Study in Technical Theater

197 Field Study is an off-campus, supervised internship experience in theatrical production fields such as design and construction, stage management, publicity, and/or arts management, marketing, dramaturgy, and arts business fields, intended to prepare students for careers in the theater and dance professional worlds.

Prerequisites/Rules:

• Taken on a Pass/Not Pass basis (hence, does not fulfill TDPS minor requirement)
• Course may be repeated
• 1-4 units, computed on a unit representing 3 hours of work per week for 15 weeks
• Internships are supervised by a faculty member in the student’s major department
• Minimum 3.0 GPA
• There are no summer internships
• You cannot be paid for your internship
• To enroll in Theater 197, you must have successfully completed 60 units
• You may earn up to 16 units toward graduation for courses numbered 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199
• You may not take more than 4 units of 98, 99, 197, 198, and/or 199 courses in any one semester

Faculty Supervision:

The intention of Theater 197 is to acquire experience and learning in the theater profession that is unavailable to you here at UC Berkeley in the same way. It is important that the internship not just be free labor, but rather, a fulfilling professional and educational experience. Since the Department gives credit for this experience, it is essential that both the On-Site Instructor and the UC Berkeley Faculty Supervisor understand the nature of the internship and take responsibility for its educational purpose. The more specific all three of you can be about the scope and the nature of the internship in advance, the more likely the internship will be successful. Lack of preparation often creates misunderstandings later, so the more attention each brings to this process in advance, the stronger the internship. We hope a secondary advantage of the internship will be the professional colleagues created. Coordinating this three-way partnership requires starting early.

Application Due Dates:

197 Internship applications are due in the semester before the internship occurs:

• For Fall Semester 2023, applications are due to Michael Mansfield by 4pm on the third Friday of April (Submit by April 21, 2023)
• For Spring Semester 2024, applications are due to Michael Mansfield by 4pm on the third Friday of November (Submit by November 17, 2023)

Application & Additional Information:

• Theater 197 Application
• Additional information about Capstone Courses

Theater 198 — Student-Facilitated Courses (Teaching A DeCal)

Student-Facilitated Courses (DeCal: Democratic Education at CAL) courses are an important adjunct curriculum component to the TDPS departmental educational structure and across campus. Since 1965, students have shared their teaching skills and expertise in hundreds of courses offered each semester at UC Berkeley that otherwise would not be able to be taught. DeCal courses appear in the TDPS Departmental course listing, and for that semester, you are one of the course facilitators offering a class in our department under the mentorship of a supervising faculty member. The hope is that by teaching students will learn more about the educational profession and the ability to do research through teaching. Perhaps teaching will emerge as one of the interests you will be able to take with you into the next stage of your life and professional work. Teaching at UC Berkeley is not only a privilege, but also an amazing opportunity to develop as an artist and academic. The following procedures will maintain uniformity in the expectations and responsibilities assumed in offering these courses. It is up to the applicant and their faculty supervisor to turn in a complete application. All DeCal courses are taught as a Theater 98 course. The DeCal facilitator gets one unit of Theater 198 for their work as facilitator.

Prerequisites/Rules:

• Minimum 3.0 GPA
• Major or Minor in TDPS, including having taken at least one course in the focus area that has prepared you to teach in the department
• 1 unit for each student participant of Student-Facilitated Course Theater 98
• 1 unit of Theater 198 (Student-Facilitated Course) for student facilitators
• DeCal classes may not be used to fulfill major or minor requirements
• DeCal courses are graded pass/no pass
• DeCal courses may be facilitated by one or more students
• Department offers a maximum of 4 of these courses per semester.

Faculty Supervision:

The sponsoring faculty member is the instructor of record. The paperwork to apply for this course and opportunity is substantial, and planning on the part of both student coordinator(s) and faculty is necessary. Start early. Student facilitator(s) and faculty should carefully read over the information on the Student-Facilitated Courses website.

Application Due Dates:

DeCal Theater 198 applications are due the semester before the DeCal occurs:

• For Fall Semester 2023, applications are due to Michael Mansfield by 4pm on the third Friday of April (Submit by April 21, 2023)
• For Spring Semester 2024, applications are due to Michael Mansfield by 4pm on the third Friday of November (Submit by November 17, 2023)

Application:

• Theater 198 Application

Theater 99 / 199 — Independent Study

Independent Study 199 is the opportunity for student(s) to set up a research/learning environment and mentor relationship with one faculty member to accomplish a learning objective of the student, pursuing a question in a research project of their own choosing.

Faculty Supervision:

This is a course based on the development of the mentor relationship between student and faculty member. Start early in coordinating this learning opportunity.

Prerequisites/Rules:

• 1-3 units, computed on a unit representing 3 hours of work per week for 15 weeks
• Minimum 3.0 GPA
• Taken on a Pass/Not Pass basis (hence, does not fulfill TDPS minor requirement)
• Course may be repeated
• You may earn up to 16 units toward graduation for courses numbered 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199
• You may not take more than 4 units of 98, 99, 197, 198, and/or 199 courses in any one semester
• To enroll in Theater 199, you must have successfully completed 60 units

Proposal Due Dates:

199 Independent Study applications are due in the semester before the independent study occurs:

• For Fall Semester 2023, applications are due to Michael Mansfield by 4pm on the third Friday of April (Submit by April 21, 2023)
• For Spring Semester 2023, applications are due to Michael Mansfield by 4pm on the first Friday of December (Submit by December 1, 2023)

Application & Additional Information:

• Theater 99/199 Application
• Additional information about Capstone Courses

Production Participation

Productions in TDPS can take multiple forms, each being afforded specific resources of time and technical support. Below are explanations of four department rubrics in order of increasing time commitment for participants.

Workshops:

3–4 Units for Directors/Choreographers through THR H195 or THR 196 or THR 277

2 units for Participants through THR 171

• Workshop productions are generated from 195/196/277 proposals, and the slots are available to graduate and undergraduate students on a competitive basis
• Workshop productions have free admission.
• 3 weeks of rehearsal (20-hours per week)
• 1 night of staging in the space Tues
• 2-performances Weds & Thurs
• Running time: 60-75 minutes maximum
• Approximately 2 workshop productions for student proposals per semester
• As a step above class showings, students may apply for Workshops which are treated as staged readings/works/performances.
• Directors/Choreographers/Artists may audition students for participation and organized rehearsal time will be granted for up to 20 hours per week to be scheduled Monday–Friday.
• Possible venues for Workshops include Z170, Room 7 and Durham Studio Theater determined by application criteria and schedule availability.

Technical/Production Support for Workshops:

• Workshops are student produced with the guidance of faculty and staff. They are focused on performance – technical support is negligible. There are no student running crews or stage managers.
• Participants are encouraged to create an aesthetic for their performance through simple clothing choices and are asked to consider the overall aesthetic of the event in consultation with the Production Manager.
• All costume elements desired are the responsibility of the student participants. The costume shop staff is not available to support workshop productions.
• Students are encouraged to think about the audience experience from the time they enter the space until they depart and are responsible for setting up the venue, providing signage or program, and seeing that the event runs smoothly.
• One technical staff person may be provided for three nights (staging and two performances) who will aid the students in setting light cues and sound levels and running the technical elements of the show. Students may make use of the rep light plots/area lighting and may have up to 8 lighting cues. Lighting in this context is meant to serve as a framework for the piece, establishing beginning and end, tone and passage of time. The lighting for Workshop productions is not intended to be full design. Similarly, sound may be used for pre- and post-show music and a limited number of necessary internal cues.
• Furniture and Props are the responsibility of the student participants. Timely requests for specific furniture items will be considered, though modification to any items will not be permitted.
• Workshops require a Faculty Mentor.

Studio Productions

2 – 3 Units for Assistant Directors/Assistant Choreographers through THR 180, or 181

3 units for Performers through THR 180, or 181

• 5 weeks of rehearsal (20-hours per week)
• Technical rehearsals in the performance space
• 5 performances – Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sat/Sun
• Studio Productions are ticketed and have paid admission, and are included in the season brochure.
• Running Time – 100 minutes maximum.

Technical/Production Support for Studio Productions:

• Studio Productions are staged in Durham Studio Theater, Room 7, or a configuration of The Playhouse and may have student designers for one of Scenery, Costume, Lighting, or Sound.
• Run Crew/Operators for Studio Productions provided through THR 60, 167, 169, 175A.

Playhouse Productions

2 – 3 Units for Assistant Directors/Assistant Choreographers through THR 180, or 181

4 units for Performers through THR 180 or 181

• Playhouse Productions are selected by the Production Committee and not related to H195/196/277 proposals.
• 5–10  weeks of rehearsal (5 weeks at ~25-hours/week or 10 weeks at ~9 hours/week)
• 1 week of technical rehearsals
• 2 Weekends of performance with 3 shows per weekend
• Playhouse Productions are only directed/choreographed by faculty and guest artists, with the possible exception of Berkeley Dance Project [BDP], which may be in a position to consider graduate student choreographers due to the nature of its structure.
• Playhouse productions are generated through Production Committee solicitations and proposals.

Class showings  

Students receive units if enrolled in the course generating the showing. Additional participants do not receive units for performing in class showings.

Classes in acting, directing, playwriting and choreography may culminate in ‘showcase’ performances at the end of a semester. These are held in one of our performance or studio venues and may have basic lighting support in the form of a single cue or preset cues from an existing light plot. Students may solicit participation from friends and classmates in the performing of these works, though credit is not given to additional participants and rehearsal time is to be organized by the students independently. These showcase performances are further meant to have minimal technical elements such as costumes, props, etc. Anything desired and approved by the course instructor must be provided by the students, except in rare cases. Showcases are typically one or two performances.

Faculty Research Assistants

You may wish to work with a faculty member on their research projects. Often faculty members need assistance finding primary and secondary materials, collecting and analyzing data, or writing technical documents. As a faculty research assistant, you may experience the value of deep study and exploration into a topic that may be related to your own interests. Beginning a conversation, as early as possible, with the faculty member is the best way to initiate this process. Check out the campus website to discern next application submission opportunity. Undergraduate Research Assistance Program (URAP) pairs students with different faculty and new research projects each semester. Academic credit is available through URAP.