Michelle Prince

THEA 4620
Technical Theatre Unit Outline
1. Lesson #1: Introducing Technical Theatre
a. During this lesson, the teacher will see how much the students understand about
technical theatre. Based on their knowledge, the teacher will introduce sets,
costumes, sound, and lighting.
b. There will then be a discussion about how these elements can add or take away
from a production. The teacher will show examples in videos and/or pictures.
2. Lesson #2: Get to know the play.
a. During this lesson, students will read the play “Steel Magnolias”. Depending on
the class, they will read either in groups or we will read as a whole class.
b. Before they start reading, the teacher will tell the students they should pay special
attention to the things discussed in the prior class: sets, costumes, sound, and
lighting.
3. Lesson #3: Finish Play & Make Groups
a. During this lesson, the students will finish reading Steel Magnolias as a class or in
their groups. They will come back as a whole group, and the teacher will give
them instructions for the rest of the unit.
b. They will then break out into their groups, or “creative teams” and start
brainstorming for the coming classes. Each creative team will have someone who
oversees a different part of the unit. Someone will be the leader during the making
of the set, someone during lighting, someone during costumes, etc. Although there
will be that leader, everyone will still be expected to help with every aspect of the
unit.
4. Lesson #4: Ground Plans
a. Students will work with their creative teams and create a set design for Steel
Magnolias. During this lesson, they will create a ground plan. They can reference
the play and work as a team to decide how they think the set should look.
b. The ground plan should be finished by the end of this class.
5. Lesson #5: Making the Model part 1
 a. Students will gather back together in their creative teams, and they will begin to
create a mini version of their set design with foam board, glue, markers,
scissors/x-acto knives, and any other materials they might need.
6. Lesson #6: Making the Model part 2
a. Students will have another class to finish making their mini model of the set for
Steel Magnolias.
7. Lesson #7: Costumes
a. The creative teams will come back together and create a costume design for each
character of Steel Magnolias. They will need to design a minimum of two
costumes for each character. The teacher will provide them with a blank sketch.
8. Lesson #8: Costumes
a. Students will continue to work in their creative teams to design costumes for the
play.
9. Lesson #9: Sound
a. In their creative teams, students will identify when sound effects are needed. They
will then go online and find different sound effects they think would work/sound
good. They will copy the link and save it on a google doc.
b. They can also decide if they ever want to use any music and any parts during the
show. If so, they can find music they think would fit and copy the link to the
google doc as well.
10. Lesson #10: Lighting
a. During this lesson, students will work again in their creative teams to come up
with a lighting design for Steel Magnolias. It will be very basic. They will need to
note when the lights need to be up or down. Which one actor might need to be
highlighted. They can make those notes in their script.
11. Lessons #11: Presentations
a. The creative team will present in front of the teacher and the class what they have
created. By doing this, that will be how they turn in the assignment.
b. It will be important that each leader presents the section they are over..