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All Design programs
BFA Production and Design/
What it’s About
The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Theatre/ PRODUCTION and DESIGN concentration is a pre-professional program, committed to educating the next generation of designers, managers and technicians to work in professional theater, live entertainment and related media including film and television.
The program provides progressive training in design, production, and technology, with areas of focus that include scenic, costume, lighting and sound design; scenic or costume technology; as well as performance management. Production and Design majors develop exceptional skills through a combination of rigorous classroom instruction and extensive production opportunities.
On entering the program, students establish an immediate and close working relationship with faculty who are active in their profession and guest artists who bring additional expertise. The program’s goal is to foster theoretical and applied learning (in the classroom, backstage and in the field) in all aspects of production and design. An intensive practicum is part of the structure, exposing students to a broad range of practical, meaningful career-building experiences.
Through a synthesis of technique, intellect and imagination, students produce a high quality portfolio of work. Their growth as production artists is central to the program, enhanced by the benefits of their liberal arts education.
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What you will Study
The BFA in Production/Design program consists of 120 credits, including 82 credits in the major and 25-31 credits in general education.
The curriculum addresses five key areas of development:
- Graphic and Design Skills, including rendering, figure drawing and drafting (mechanical drawing and CAD/Vectorworks);
- Design Research, including History of Style, History of Theatre and Humanities;
- Crafts, i.e. skills recognized as separate areas of expertise such as Stage Management, Technical Direction, Stage Craft, Scenic Painting, Costume Craft and Construction, Sound and Lighting Technologies, etc.;
- Liberal Arts and Dramatic Literature, including general education subjects that cover text analysis from the designer's and the director's points of view, in addition to electives; and
- Rehearsal and Production, where craft and skill, imagination and research, script and history, plus process and collaboration culminate in productions.
Curriculum Links —
Curriculum requirements for the BFA Production/Design program, in relation to other Theatre and Dance options, may be found through the following links:
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Production Opportunities
BFA Production and Design majors have access to a wide range of practical experiences both on- and off-campus. Opportunities include designing and constructing sets for the department’s academic productions, where students apply their developing skills in drafting, rendering and model-making; costume, makeup, lighting and sound design; rigging, welding and carpentry; as well as stage management.
Further opportunities include work on professional/international productions through the college’s Peak Performances– an internationally acclaimed program of eclectic theatre, dance and music productions. Students, in addition, pursue work outside the university during summer breaks as apprentices with established theatres in and around the area.
Campus Productions —
The Department of Theatre and Dance produces as many as 12 events annually. (See the Department Productions and Photo Gallery pages which showcase current and past seasons, including our students’ work as Production and Design artists.) In addition to working back stage, students have opportunity to attend, as audience members, more than 500 professional events annually, including those presented by the department as well by Peak Performances. Students are admitted to all events at no additional charge by presenting their MSU student ID.
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An Outstanding Faculty
More than seventy-five permanent faculty and visiting professionals, including celebrity guest artists and artists-in-residence, mentor our Theatre and Dance students every semester. Their shared experiences lend invaluable insights into the ‘real world’ of their professions and often opportunities beyond the classroom. All are working professionals – some of international reputation – noted for their accomplishments in New York, Los Angeles, across the country and abroad.
Faculty Directory Links —
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Exceptional Facilities
Montclair State’s performance facilities are exceptional. With six glorious theatres, students are able to design for and work in spaces that mirror the best of their kind, including the state-of-the-art 500-seat Alexander Kasser Theater, 946-seat Memorial Auditorium, 2000-seat amphitheater and the intimate L. Howard Fox Theatre – each with impressive technical specifications.
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The diversity of our performance spaces affords the experience of a range of settings, similar to what students will encounter in their profession, thus expanding their adaptability to all kinds of circumstances.
Production and Design majors, in addition, have access to significant work facilities across campus including:
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- Two Scene Shops – both fully equipped to support productions on campus. The Life Hall/Memorial Auditorium shop is dedicated for classroom and department production. The Alexander Kasser Theatre shop is dedicated to both academic and professional performances which load into the Kasser’s state-of-the-art facility.
- Costume Shop – With views of New York City, the shop is perched at the back of Memorial Auditorium, serving as both a classroom and production space. Students and staff produce over 400 costumes each year.
The university also supports an outstanding Broadcasting studio and is expanding its media facilities. Regular opportunities are provided for students majoring in Production and Design who desire experience in film and broadcasting. Sound and lighting designers and technicians often take courses in these areas and have worked on related senior projects.
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Program Accreditation and Student Awards
The Production/Design program meets the rigorous standards of the Department of Theatre and Dance’s accrediting body, the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST), thus placing it among the most competitive programs in the nation.
Students regularly win the highest awards in Design, Technology and Management through the Kennedy Center’s American College Theatre Festival. At the national level, students have won both the Barbizon Award in Costume Design and the National Stage Management Award. At the regional festival level, students have been awarded numerous design awards, certificates of merit in craft and wardrobe, as well as have regularly won the Region II Tech Olympic Award.
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How to Apply
For information on applying to the BFA Production and Design program, see the Department Admissions page.
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For Further Information
For further information regarding Production and Design and other programs in the Department of Theatre and Dance, please contact and/or visit us on campus.
Contact —
Production/Design Program Coordinator:
Prof. Debra Otte
973.655.7680
Events for Prospective Students
Arts Days / Events for Prospective Students
All Design programs
The College of the Arts offers additional programs for students interested in design.
All programs:
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