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Properties Production is one track in the Technical Production
curriculum at the UWM Professional Theatre Training Program.
Technical production students are chosen by interview
and portfolio review to participate in a three-year intensive
course of study in stage properties, theatrical scenery
and rigging, lighting technology, and sound technology.
Undergraduate and graduate students are provided with
the training and production experience to enable them
to work proficiently in these areas upon graduation.
Graduate students, additionally, will have the training
and skills to enable them to assume management roles in
these area upon graduation.
The PTTP is an intensive curriculum allowing little time
outside the course of study. Classes generally begin
at 9:00am and continue until 9:00pm during “class mode”
and coincide with rehearsal/tech. activities during “production
mode”.
B.F.A. students must satisfy the university general education
requirements to receive a diploma from UWM. Those classes
may be taken during the summers, following completion
of the PTTP training, or prior to entry into the program.
Each student is assigned production responsibilities
on the basis of faculty evaluation, student needs, and
specialty interest. Faculty members skilled in the corresponding
area supervise and coach the student in their production
work. Students are evaluated at the end of each semester
and invited to continue training on the basis of successful
classroom and production work.
Properties, of all the technical production areas, requires
a “Jack of all Trades” base of skills as well as a creative
eye and a flair for innovation. The properties classes
were designed to build specific skills needed in the properties
career, complimented by the training taught in the other
technical classes. Upon graduation, the successful properties
student will have a thorough grounding in all areas the
professional theatre technician might encounter, as well
as highly specific properties skills.
In the first year of study, students learn the basics
in all areas of scenic craftsmanship, properties fabrication,
theatre history, play analysis, drafting for the theatre,
lighting technology, and sound technology. Training focuses
on theatre work structures, communication, accountability,
and satisfaction of artistic goals.
Scenery class instruction includes tool use and maintenance,
construction techniques and craftsmanship, basic rigging,
and the collaborative process of production work. Drafting
in this first year uses paper and rule, focusing on accurate
drafting and drawing skills and understanding how to communicate
effectively on paper. Lighting class covers the basics
of electrical theory from simple wiring techniques to
theater lighting systems. Sound class focuses on sound
theory and beginning sound production. Fine Arts Workshop
classes begin with 2D/3D work and color theory in the
first semester. A second semester “Styles” class covers
major artists, architecture, and fashion. These production
classes form the foundation of learning for a proficient
professional properties artisan.
Properties training in the first year focuses on two
areas: Properties Production covers the basics
of working in and running a properties shop. Classes
cover script analysis for props, making prop lists, communication
with stage management / designers / technical personnel,
budget breakdown for time and expenses, using local resources,
and the build / buy / borrow / pull process of properties
production. The second focus is Sewing / Soft Goods
Construction for Stage Properties. Classes cover
basic sewing skills for seams, hems, and finishing techniques
as well as cushion and drapery fabrication. Students
are introduced to fabric selection and purchasing as well
as tools and machines for cutting, sewing, serging, and
finishing fabrics. Students will work on medium-duty
Bernina sewing machines as well as the industrial “walking-foot”
sewing machines. Projects include sample seams through
velour stage drapes.
The production environment in this first year emulates
the professional regional theatre in both structure and
level of production. First year students will be assisting
in the shops at the carpenter, electrician, and properties
assistant level while the third year students fulfill
the management positions. Students in the prop shop will
be exposed to all levels of prop work including pulling,
cleaning, finding, buying, research, building and painting
allowing for the “hands-on” application of the skills
being taught in class.
In the second year of training the classes become much
more focused on specific skills building on the foundations
learned last year. Classes in scenery, lighting, properties
and sound are mandatory. Theatre History focuses more
on play analysis and research, both excellent skills for
a good properties person. Five Arts Workshops allow important
properties training with Metalworking in the first semester
and Woodworking in the second semester. Drafting moves
to computer-aided drafting utilizing AutoCAD on a DOS
platform.
Properties class in this second year of training is Furniture
for the Stage. This class teaches restoration of
furniture and covers many aspects of furniture repair
and construction including soft-goods fundamentals for
basic underlayment work, flat patterning, and upholstery
techniques. Discussion of period furniture identification
is covered as well as modern furniture modification to
create a more period look for the stage. Each student
is assigned a piece of furniture to restore from “thrift-store”
level to stage worthiness. All pieces involve some level
of reconstruction and restoration as well as upholstering.
Students experience a heightened level of communication
and organization in the production environment, focusing
on resource allocation and time management, as they are
assigned shop management positions and closely mentored
by faculty. The concentration is on “process”, commitment
to the success of the production, and love of the craft
and theatre. Productions are geared toward adaption,
non-traditional and found materials, and satisfying artistic
needs within a lesser budget. Students in the prop shop
will focus on creative problem solving and sharpening
their developing properties production skills.
Students in their final year of training are immersed
in production and will concentrate on responsibilities
relating to time, budget, and satisfying the director
and designers artistic requirements. Emphasis is placed
on communication skills, organization, accountability
for time and budget, and management of shop spaces and
personnel.
Classes emphasize actual production work for the stage.
The class schedule for third-years allows more time for
research, drafting, pricing, shopping, and production
preparation to move the student into the management position.
The scenery production class focuses on engineering and
advanced rigging, areas that often impact the prop world.
Scenic painting class covers the fundamentals of scenic
artistry techniques, surface preparation, and faux applications,
all easily applicable to the properties “finishing” world.
Computer drafting continues and lighting, scenery and
sound classes move to a design focus. These design classes
develop the technicians awareness of the design process
and fine-tune the “creative eye”. The PTTP teaches an
understanding of the design process to better prepare
the students to work with designers. These classes are
especially valuable to the properties student as they
develop the awareness of design decisions on choices that
impact textures, color, proportionate size, furniture
choice, finishing techniques, etc. that the properties
person will encounter in the professional world.
Properties class in this year is Molding and Casting for
the Stage. All levels of materials from the “art”
store level (Sculpey, Celluclay, Alginate, Water Putty,
etc.) to the specialty high-end molding materials (Fleshtex,
EZ Plastic, Silicone, Flexwax, etc.) are covered. Safe
handling of materials and appropriate processes are stressed.
Students make a “life-mask” and use it for various mask-making
processes. Students also create positive molds and castings,
negative molds and castings, one-part and two-part molds
and break-away molds working with a variety of materials
and processes.The production environment in the third
year emulates the professional regional theatre. Long-tem
planning, shorter installation periods, solving more advanced
technical problems and individual area accountability
are stressed. The third-year students in the properties
shop will be assigned Properties Master and Properties
Artisan positions supervising the incoming first-year
students in production work. More advanced specialty projects
will be assigned to third-year students while the first-year
students perform the more basic work. Practical application
of management skills for effective production work is
emphasized with increased purchasing and budget responsibilities,
management of the properties shop and crews, collaboration
with directors and designers in defining and creating
the properties, and communication with stage management
and other production areas to effectively work together
for an overall successful production. Faculty are focused
on first-years training in skills, allowing third-year
students the responsibility for on-time, on-budget production
to the satisfaction of the designers and director. Working
professional artists and designers are engaged to supplement
faculty design and teaching needs.
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