THEA 474Theatre Design History I

3 credits · Theatre · Penn State

This course is the first half of a two-semester arc, intended to provide students with a fundamental understanding of the history of theatre design & technology. Beginning with the Greeks and continuing through to modern day, theatre is often a mirror to society, and it is essential that all of the designers, artisans, and craftspeople involved in each production have a visual and aural lexicon of history to draw from. In each area, we will investigate how the world history of the time influenced the creation of theatre productions, with particular attention paid to noteworthy designers, technicians, and craftspeople. Additionally, the evolution of various innovations will be studied to learn how they affected the history of theatre production, but also how theatre influenced the development of new technologies & methods. Theatre Design History I will cover the era from prehistory through to the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, along with specific study of multiple non-Western theatre traditions.