Technical Theatre

Philosophy

Technical Theatre combines the fields of visual art, technology, industrial arts, design, architecture and theatre and develop skills, knowledge, friendships and enduring understandings that will benefit students for the rest of their lives. Tech Theatre is a collaborative practice in which teams work in consort to elicit an emotional and intellectual connection between artists and members of the audience. Students involved in Tech Theatre experience real world, inter-disciplinary problems solved under the guidance of a professional in the field. Learning is delivered, executed and assessed using visible, audible, tangible, tactile, intellectual and even emotional standards and artifacts.

Early Learning

The EL Visual Arts teacher works with the Technical Theatre teacher to create opportunities that introduce our youngest students to the Scene shop. From helping paint set pieces to observing the process from design to performance, Galloway students experience the work that takes place behind the scenes in bringing our ML and UL theatre productions to life. Students also enjoy experiencing performances by professional, visiting theatre artists and attending field trips to see performances at the Alliance Theatre and Center for Puppetry Arts throughout the school year.

Middle Learning

Galloway ML students are introduced to Technical Theatre through 3D projects guided by the ML Visual Arts teachers that introduce them to a variety of tools and the design process. In grades 7/8 students may sign up for a technical theatre elective taught in the Scene Shop where students learn through hands-on projects and assist in building set pieces that contribute to various theatre productions. Students are also introduced to the world of props, sets, costumes, sound and light that bring a theatrical production to life.

Upper Learning

Students in grades 9 – 12 may elect to take a variety of technical theatre classes. These courses earn credit in Fine Arts and develop skills in technical theatre, stagecraft, CAD (computer assisted design), drafting, costuming, sound design, lighting design and production. Technical Theatre elective courses include Introduction to Technical Theatre, Stagecraft, Scenic Design and Script Analysis, and Scenic Art and Advanced Construction. Independent studies are available for 11th and 12th grade students who are interested in going deeper into advanced lighting design, sound design and set design and are useful in the development of student portfolios for students interested in pursuing Technical Theatre at the university level.