Courses
EP 111. Introduction to Theatre. 3 Hours.
Theatre has always been the basis for mass communication on a dramatic level. A study of the evolution of theatre, its history, business structures and career categories relate to many other forms of media communication. This course offers an overview of theatrical techniques and how this industry functions today. Emphasis is placed on theatrical production, its relevance to contemporary communication techniques and theatrical administration.
EP 112. Stagecraft Practicum. 1 Hour.
This course is structured as a practicum, allowing the EP student to experience the technical demands of the performance industry. Student will engage in activities such as event load-ins, construction of elements for specific events, and performance facility upgrades and maintenance. Students will be assigned other tasks commensurate with their growing levels of experience. Each EP student will be required to take this course for six (6) of their total semesters in the degree program, logging in 30 hours per semester.
EP 118. Entertainment Safety. 3 Hours.
This course teaches the basics of entertainment safety and core craft skills. Students explore the fundamentals of working in a stage and entertainment settings developing skills with basic power tools, construction drawings, shop math, equipment handling, pyrotechnics and rigging. Valuable industry training comes in the form of an OSHA 10 hour card and basic lift training.
EP 122. Entertainment Design & Technology I. 3 Hours.
This introductory course covers basic equipment, analysis, design and operation which is universal to a theatrical, corporate, television, digital film-making and musical production. Topics include scenery, staging, lighting, audio, projection and scenic design.
EP 124. Scenic Construction. 3 Hours.
Students will learn the basic materials and construction techniques for theatre, film, television, and event production.
EP 131. Fundamentals of Stage Lighting. 3 Hours.
Students work onstage and in the classroom to learn the basics of lighting. This includes working with lighting instruments, lighting board, safety, basic lighting techniques, and lighting paperwork. An additional classroom component will include a look at the history of lighting, electricity and color theory. This class will cover traditional theatre as well as larger concert type venues.
EP 135. Media Performance. 3 Hours.
In this course, students will have the opportunity to develop basic performance techniques which are applicable to multiple platforms within the communications and entertainment industries. The course is intended to provide future media professionals experience performing skills that are used in these industries. The performance skill sets will focus on three applications: Live Performance (Theatre); Performing for the Camera (Film and Video) and Voice Performance (Voice Artist and ADR). This course will utilize a basic acting analysis technique, and track this technique through the different performance venues. Emphasis will be placed upon critical analysis of scripted materials, development of the performer's body and voice as instruments of the profession, and comparing and contrasting career performance platforms within the communications and entertainment industries. Fall ONLY.
EP 221. Computer Aided Drafting/3D Visualization. 3 Hours.
Students will learn the techniques for developing designs through the use of software such as Vectorworks. Design students and technicians will learn the basics of CAD drafting as well as organization and layout. The class will also address three-dimensional visualization in Vectorworks.
EP 225. History of Theatre. 3 Hours.
This course will examine theatre’s beginnings to the present day. Rather than presenting students with a mere catalog of historical facts, the class traces the themes of theatre through the different time periods and explores the various mediums through which this art form has been presented. This will create the opportunity to see how the theatre has developed through different cultures and technologies.
EP 231. Advanced Stage Lighting. 3 Hours.
This will be a second level lighting course which continues the technical applications covered in EP 131 Fundamentals of Stage Lighting. Prerequisite(s): EP 131.
EP 235. Musical Theatre Performance. 3 Hours.
This course will focus on the skills necessary to perform musical theatre. Course curriculum will introduce the student to the "triple-threat" concept of musical theatre in which performers are expected to act, sing and dance well. Accordingly, students will receive introductory training in voice, dance, and acting techniques, which will be used to rehearse and perform a small musical theatre event in the Gracie Black Box Theatre.
EP 240. Production Management. 3 Hours.
This course is an introduction to Stage Management techniques and organizational management structures. It will examine the different responsibilities and challenges encountered by a stage manager during commercial, community or educational theatre applications. The course will contain both lecture and hands on training using specific industry tasks and professional criteria. The student will come to appreciate that a stage manager must possess a wide range of artistic, technical, managerial, and communication abilities while fostering a creative work environment that is conducive to a production's ultimate success. Prerequisite(s): EP 111.
EP 245. Entertainment Automation. 3 Hours.
Explore trends in Stage Automation for Lighting, Sound, and Scenery. In a combination of lecture and lab, students explore the automated technology possibilities between theatrical lighting, scenery, and sound as used in the Gracie Theatre. Topics included are Time Code, Networks, Electricity, Rigging, Motors, ETC Ion, QLab, Spikemark, Variable Frequency Drives, Motion Controllers, and PID.
EP 250. Media Design & Technology. 3 Hours.
This course covers the concepts and equipment used in projection and video design for live performances. After an introduction in the principles of design elements as well as information on content, this course focuses on how content is used and transmitted by describing the essential components of systems, providing definitions used in communicating video concepts. The course covers fundamentals including connectors, cabling, hardware systems and basic system troubleshooting. Prerequisite(s): CT 100.
EP 299. Topic/. 2-6 Hours.
This course listing is intended to provide the opportunity for faculty to offer courses of interest in Entertainment Production that would not normally be part of the University curriculum.
EP 310. Business of Theatre. 3 Hours.
This course provides students with knowledge and skills needed to build a career in the management area of performing arts. The student will analyze various management skills from the perspectives of the producer and the performer. Focus will be given to for-profit and not-for-profit corporate structures and the nature of different performance venues. Class work will involve projects and lectures designed to provide the a sense of creating and managing a performance organization. Prerequisite(s): EP 111.
EP 320. Directing. 3 Hours.
This course provides intensive script study with exercises and projects geared toward developing skills for directing. Projects will focus on blocking plans for scenes, written and oral critiques, and a final project of drafting a direction and prompt book for a short play. The course integrates all aspects of design and production. Prerequisite(s): EP 111.
EP 330. Entertainment Production Internship. 3-9 Hours.
This experiential course involves a supervised work experience with participating employers for Entertainment Production students. It provides for the application of classroom learning in a professional work environment. Prerequisite(s): Major=BS Entertainment Production and ( College Level=Junior or College Level=Senior).
EP 335. Scene Study. 3 Hours.
In the world of theatre, it is traditionally said that the actor’s job is 90% analysis and 10% performance. This course provides the student with specific scene analytics used to effectively interpret and perform chosen theatrical scripts in a class workshop environment. These higher-level analytical tools include dramatic structure, scene unit breakdowns, characterization and a basic acting technique known as “The 5 W’s”.
EP 340. Design and Technical Practicum. 3 Hours.
Students enrolled in this Practicum will have the opportunity to apply technical or design skills obtained in other EP classes in support of a theatrical production of the EP Spring Show in the Gracie Black Box Theatre or a similar on-campus event of equal complexity. Skill sets relied upon may include, but are not limited to: Scenic Design, Lighting Design, Projection Design and Technical Direction. Prerequisite(s): EP 118.
EP 350. Audio/Visual Engineering I. 3 Hours.
This course builds upon audio and video fundamentals including, codecs, connectors, cabling, hardware systems and basic system troubleshooting for both audio, visual and IT applications. The course reinforces principles of audio, video and networking systems and introduces more complex design and delivery skills for integrated AV systems.
EP 440. Theatre Management Practicum. 3 Hours.
This practicum is designed to provide the Entertainment Production (EP) student with a practical and carefully evaluated experience relating to stage direction or management. Course work will focus on a single production that the student will either direct or manage. This production may be a part of the EP program or for any student or community-based group. Evaluation of the student's work will be based upon active and reflective assignments, centered upon the directional or stage management processes for this production. EP students may take this course no more than two times during their program of study in order to partially fulfill their EP Electives requirements and deepen their practical abilities. Advisor approval for this practicum must be coordinated with the assigned instructor to determine whether the student has an appropriate skill set. Prerequisite(s): EP 118 or ( College Level=Junior or College Level=Senior).
EP 441. Design and Technical Practicum. 3 Hours.
Students enrolled in this practicum will have the opportunity to apply a technical or design theatrical production skill set of their choosing in the context of a capstone experience. The work in this course will be focused on the production of the EP Spring Show in the Gracie Black Box Theatre or a similar on-campus event of equal complexity. The chosen technical or design skill set will have been addressed academically in other EP courses, but this practicum will allow the student to use these skills in an actual production under faculty oversight and evaluation. These skill sets may include, but are not limited to, Scenic Design, Lighting Design, Projection Design and Technical Direction. Prerequisite(s): EP 118 and College Level=Senior.
EP 442. Theatre Management Practicum II. 3 Hours.
This independent study provides the EP student with an advanced practical and carefully evaluated experience related to the crafts of either Stage Direction or Stage Management. Course work will be focused on a single production that the student will either direct or serve as the stage manager. This production may be a part of the EP program or for any other student or community-based group. Evaluation of the student’s work will be based upon active and reflective assignments, centered upon the directorial or stage management processes for this production. EP students may take this course no more than two times during their course of studies in order to partially fulfill their EP Electives requirements and deepen their practical abilities, but only with advisor approval. This approval will be coordinated with the assigned course instructor to ascertain that the student has successfully completed the requisite courses demanded by their chosen skill set. Prerequisite(s): EP 440 and College Level=Senior.
EP 443. Design and Technical Practicum II. 3 Hours.
This independent study provides the EP student with an advanced practical and carefully evaluated experience related to the crafts of either Scenic, Lighting, or Projection Design or the project management duties of a Technical Director applied to a specific theatrical or event production. The purpose of this directed study is to give the student an opportunity to deepen their experiential activities within this field. Course work will focus on a single production for which the student will either design the relevant technical elements or serve as the Technical Director. This production may be a part of the EP program or for any other student or community-based group. Evaluation of the student’s work will be based upon active and reflective assignments, centered upon the directorial or stage management processes for this production. EP students may take this course no more than two times during their course of studies in order to partially fulfill their EP Electives requirements and deepen their practical abilities, but only with advisor approval. This approval will be coordinated with the assigned course instructor to ascertain that the student has successfully completed the requisite courses demanded by their chosen skill set. Prerequisite(s): EP 441 and College Level=Senior.
EP 448. Final Portfolio Review. 3 Hours.
In this course, Entertainment Production (EP) Students will organize their work from prior courses and associated efforts into physical and online Portfolio formats. This work will be done in preparation for a final presentation and peer and faculty review. Portfolios will be evaluated and recommendations made for areas that need to be addressed as he/she prepares for the move into the entertainment industry. Prerequisite(s): Major=BS Entertainment Production and College Level=Senior.
EP 450. Audio/Visual Engineering II. 3 Hours.
As a senior capstone, this course reviews and reinforces the fundamentals of live production including audio, lighting, video and IT hardware, cabling, electrical systems, files, site survey and management. In addition students will design, build, test and implement advanced AV systems which include audio, video, large format video display, lighting and IT applications. Prerequisite(s): EP 350.
EP 499. Topic/. 1-6 Hour.
This course listing is intended to provide the opportunity for faculty to offer advanced courses of interest in Entertainment Production that would not normally be part of the University curriculum.