Set Design for Musicals and Opera

Set Design: Musicals and Opera introduces students to the creative and collaborative process of scenic design for musical theatre and opera. The course covers fundamental design theory and its application to productions that integrate music, movement, and dramatic storytelling. Students explore the historical and contemporary development of scenic design practices while developing a vocabulary for the discussion, appreciation, participation, and evaluation of theatrical design. The class examines the relationship between scenic design and the disciplines of lighting, costume, sound, projection, choreography, and direction, emphasizing their interconnected roles in creating a successful production. Coursework includes research, critical analysis, sketching, rendering, and model-making using traditional and digital tools.