Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Design & Production

Application Deadline for Fall 2025 - December 1, 2024

The Theatre Design & Production BFA introduces and prepares students to be collaborators and leaders in their chosen professions in the performing arts. The dynamic curriculum allows students the flexibility to focus on one area of study or explore multiple disciplines; students are not required to declare a specific track upon acceptance to the program. As a program that only offers a BFA degree, we are solely focused on educating undergraduate students. Theatre Design & Production core courses cover all facets of design and production, including visual communication, aesthetics, ideation, collaboration, management, theory, history, literature, graphics, technology, and allied crafts. Theatre Design & Production majors work as stage managers, shop assistants and technicians for U-M productions in theatre, dance, musical theatre, and opera; students demonstrating preparedness may design costumes, sets, or lighting for these productions. The Theatre Design & Production area prepares the next generation of theatre artists; students will gain rich, hands-on production experiences in theatre, musical theatre, opera, and dance.

Curriculum

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Design & Production requires a minimum of 120 credits: coursework is 68% within SMTD and 32% within the liberal arts. Development of skills follows a rigorous progression, and opportunities to explore individual creativity are continuous. Academic and studio classes are augmented with practical experience in our production facilities.

Portfolio Review:

Each year, 2nd, 3rd and 4th year students participate in an annual portfolio review with faculty and guest respondents. The students’ work is presented in the Duderstadt Gallery and open to the public for two weeks.

 

Silent Advisor

Degree requirements and term-by-term layout for current students.

The D&P Experience

Alumni

Alumni provide a strong network across the country in a variety of performing arts organizations and adjacent fields. From Broadway to Disney World, from the Spoleto Festival to Jacob’s Pillow, and from cruise ships to regional theatres, Wolverines can be found “in the wings” creating and supporting live performance in every venue imaginable.

Guest Artists

Visiting artists interact with students as resident teaching artists in the classroom and as guest designers and stage managers on MainStage season creative teams. They zoom in to chat with students at our weekly seminar or as guests in our classes providing a strong connection to current industry practices.

Studios & Practicums

D&P students find a home in the WDC D&P Studio. Design courses take place in the light, costume, and computer labs, rooms designed specifically for the needs of these unique disciplines.

Students immerse themselves in hands-on work in our professional production shops, supporting the mainstage season through a series of credit bearing production practicums.

1st year students begin with a rotation through several productions shops and are on show run crews in a variety of capacities: wardrobe, props, light board or fly rail operators. Moving forward, students gain more experience with greater responsibility working in the shops or in leadership positions backstage. 

Advanced students are assistant stage managers and assistant designers, or develop deeper production skills in each of the productions areas.  Though not a degree requirement, students demonstrating proficiency in advanced skills may be invited to design or stage manage for the mainstage season.

Performance Venues

Faculty- and guest-directed plays take place in the Arthur Miller Theatre, the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, and the Power Center for the Performing Arts.

Faculty studios, Directing Theses, and the student-led Basement Arts productions are produced in the Newman Studio.

How to Prepare Your Portfolio

We want to get to know YOU! Show work that demonstrates your curiosity, creativity, artistry, organization, flexibility, or storytelling skills.

In the end, remember we are interviewing you, not your portfolio.

Faculty


Raja Benz

Lecturer; Resident Intimacy Choreographer and Cultural Consultant

Daniel Cantor

Associate Professor of Theatre & Drama
Acting, Directing

José Casas

Associate Professor of Theatre & Drama
Playwriting

Mark Colson

Assistant Professor
Acting, Acting for the Camera

Antonio Disla

Clinical Assistant Professor of Theatre & Drama
Acting, African-American Drama

Patrick Drone

Theatrical Properties Shop Manager and Adjunct Lecturer in Theatre & Drama
Theatrical Properties

Jenna Gerdsen

Assistant Professor of Theatre & Drama
Theatre & Drama, Theatre History

Jungah Han

Assistant Professor of Theatre & Drama
Scenic Design

Amy E. Hughes

Professor of Theatre & Drama
Dramatic Literature, Theatre History

Kevin Judge

Associate Professor of Theatre & Drama and Faculty Secretary
Scenic Design

Halena Kays

Assistant Professor
Directing, Theatre & Drama

Jeffrey Kuras

Director University Productions and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music, School of Music, Theatre & Dance
Performing Arts Management, Production Management

Richard Lindsay

Technical Director, University Productions and Adjunct Lecturer in Theatre & Drama, School of Music, Theatre & Dance
Walgreen Scene Shop

Ashley E. Lucas

Professor of Theatre & Drama and LS&A Residential College
Prison Creative Arts Project, Theatre for Social Change

Christianne Myers

Claribel Baird Halstead Collegiate Professor of Theatre & Drama
Costume Design

Mbala Nkanga

Associate Professor of Theatre & Drama, Head of Theatre Studies

Henry P. Reynolds

Information Systems Administrator University Productions and Assistant Professor of Theatre
Administration, Sound Design

Production Opportunities

Theatre Design & Production students have a number of opportunities for hands-on work, both on- and off-campus. 

a male student works in a shop staining a piece of wood
Productions

Productions
The Department of Theatre & Drama, in collaboration with University Productions (the producing arm of SMTD), presents four to five fully-mounted mainstage shows each year, with casts composed entirely of acting majors. D&P students work as stage managers, shop assistants, and technicians for each production, and advanced Design & Production students may design costumes, sets or lighting for these productions.

a male student works in a shop staining a piece of wood
Extra Curricular Opportunities

Extracurricular Opportunities
The student run theatre organization Basement Arts presents a variety of work – from late night stand-up, to new work, to plays – completely produced by students.

Theatre students also produce, direct, design and perform in plays produced by various university groups such as the Gilbert & Sullivan Society, MUSKET, the Rude Mechanicals, and others.

The logo for a local theatre
Local Theatres

Local Theatres
A number of our faculty and students work with the local professional theatres, Tipping Point Theatre in Northville, Michigan, and The Encore Musical Theatre Company in nearby Dexter, Michigan.

In addition, students often work with community and high school theatres in the area, or with the local community theatre, Ann Arbor Civic Theatre.

Questions?