Capstone Experiences

Theater 180: Theatrical Realization of Dance

This course gives you credit for participating in the department's annual dance concert, Berkeley Dance Project (BDP). Laboratory hours are spent in attendance at rehearsals, coaching sessions, and performances.

Prerequisites/Rules:

An audition is required to participate as a dancer/performer in Berkeley Dance Project. Auditions are held at the beginning of each Spring semester and are open to all students. Find information and sign up for an audition on the TDPS Callboard

Faculty Supervision:

Pieces presented in Berkeley Dance Project are choreographed and/or directed by faculty members, professional guest artists, and advanced students.

Theater 181: Theatrical Realization of Dramatic Texts

This course gives you credit for participating in the department's Playhouse or Studio Productions. Laboratory hours are spent in attendance at rehearsals, coaching sessions, and performances of the play/piece.

Prerequisites/Rules:

An audition is required to participate as an actor/performer. Auditions are held at the beginning of each semester and are open to all students. Find information and sign up for an audition on the TDPS Callboard

Faculty Supervision:

Playhouse and Studio Productions are directed by faculty members or professional guest artists. On occasion, advanced students may direct Studio Productions with faculty supervision.

Theater 196/277: University Theater Workshop

The 196 Workshop for undergraduate students and 277 Workshop for graduate students is a performance project for the advanced directing, choreography, or performance art student within the scope of a single semester. Workshops are restricted to TDPS majors and minors. Although undergraduate projects are given priority, graduate students may also apply for consideration. This 4-unit, letter-graded course is possible in either the Fall or Spring Semester.

Prerequisites/Rules:

• TDPS major, minor, or graduate student.
• Minimum UC Berkeley GPA of 3.3
• Have completed the following courses, or take them concurrently with your application process:
  • Theater 60: Introduction to Technical Theater & Production
  • At least one of the following (depending on the nature of your performance component):
    • Theater 162: Stage Directing
    • Theater 146A or 146B: Choreography
    • Theater 139A or 139B: Playwriting
    • Theater 110A, 110B, or 111: Upper-Division Acting
• Demonstrate ability to assume the creative and administrative responsibilities of the proposed project.
• Graduate students should provide information regarding previous coursework in the field of directing/choreography and get approval from the Head Graduate Advisor.

Faculty Advisors:

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

Please Note:

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

Technical/Production Support:

• Workshops are student produced in coordination with the Production Manager and Assistant Production Manager. They are focused on language and performance with minimal technical/design support.
• There are no assigned student running crews or stage managers. Students who are leading Workshops are welcome to recruit other students as support crew who will all enroll in Theater 171 with the performers.
• Zellerbach 170 (Z170) is the likely venue for all Workshops, though on occasion students may use Durham Studio Theater or Bancroft Studio, determined by application criteria and venue availability.
• Students may use the available rehearsal furniture in the space.
• Workshops do not have access to department scenery, props, or costumes. Participants are encouraged to create an aesthetic for their performance through simple choices and are asked to consider the overall aesthetic of the event in consultation with their Faculty Advisor and the Production Manager.
• Student Directors/Choreographers will meet with the department's Communications Director to discuss promotion of auditions and performances. 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 and seeing that the event runs smoothly. The Communications Director will arrange for photography and/or videography of the final dress rehearsal.
• Students may make use of the rep light plots 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 Workshops 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. Sound and light cues must be run by participants in the Workshop.

Application Due Dates:

196 Workshop applications for undergraduate students and 277 Workshop applications for graduate students are due in the Spring for projects happening the following academic year:

• For Fall 2025 / Spring 2026, a draft of your application is due to your Faculty Advisor by 4pm on the first Friday of April (Submit by April 4, 2025)
• Your final application is due to the Undergraduate Academic Advisor by 4pm on the third Friday of April (Submit by April 18, 2025)

Application Form:

• Theater 196/277 Application Form
  

Production Participation

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

Workshops:

Course Credit:

• 3–4 units for Directors, Choreographers, or Playwrights through Theater H195, 196, or 277
• 1–2 units for Performers or Assistants through Theater 171

Process & Structure:

• Workshops are entirely student produced. They are focused on language and performance with minimal technical/design support.
• Workshops are generated from applications for H195 (Honors Projects) and 196/277 (Workshop Projects). Slots are available to graduate and undergraduate students on a competitive basis. See application guidelines on this page.
• Performers are cast through auditions, which are facilitated by the student director with input from their Faculty Advisor.
• Workshops allow for 3 weeks of rehearsal (15 hours per week, Monday–Friday, 6–9pm), 1 night of tech in the venue, and 2 public performances/showings.
• Performances should have a running time of 60–75 minutes maximum.

Production Support for Workshops:

• Zellerbach 170 (Z170) is the likely venue for all Workshops, though on occasion students may use Durham Studio Theater or Bancroft Dance Studio, determined by application criteria and venue availability.
• There are no assigned student running crews or stage managers. Students who are leading Workshops are welcome to recruit other students as support staff, who will all enroll in Theater 171 with the performers.

Studio Productions:

Course Credit:

• 2–3 units for Assistant Directors/Assistant Choreographers through Theater 180 or 181
• 3 units for Performers through Theater 180 or 181

Process & Structure:

• Studio Productions are selected by the Season Planning Committee and are directed by faculty members or professional guest artists.
• Performers are cast through auditions in the first 3 weeks of each semester.
• Studio Productions allow for 5 weeks of rehearsal (20 hours per week) and include up to 1 week of technical rehearsals in the the performance space.
• Productions culminate in 5 public performances, which are ticketed with paid admission. Performances have a running time of up to 90 minutes.

Production Support for Studio Productions:

• Studio Productions are staged in Durham Studio Theater, Room 7, or a configuration of Zellerbach Playhouse.
• Advanced students may design scenery, costumes, lighting, or sound for Studio Productions through Theater 176 or 179 (Supervised Theatrical Design).
• Run Crew/Operators for Studio Productions are provided through Theater 60, 167, 169, 175A.

Playhouse Productions

Course Credit:

• 2–3 units for Assistant Directors/Choreographers through Theater 180 or 181.
• 4 units for Performers through Theater 180 or 181.

Process & Commitment:

• Playhouse Productions are selected by the Season Planning Committee and are directed by faculty members or professional guest artists. (Berkeley Dance Project may consider graduate student choreographers due to the nature of its structure.)
• Performers are cast through auditions in the first 3 weeks of each semester.
• Playhouse Productions allow for 5–10 weeks of rehearsal (5 weeks at ~25 hours/week or 10 weeks at ~9 hours/week) and include up to 1 week of technical rehearsals in the performance space.
• Productions culminate in 5 public performances, which are ticketed with paid admission. Performances have a running time of up to 120 minutes.

Technical/Production Support for Playhouse Productions:

• Playhouse Productions are staged in Zellerbach Playhouse and are designed by faculty, staff, and professional guest artists.
• Run Crew/Operators for Playhouse Productions are provided through Theater 60, 167, 169, 175A.