Theatre Design & Technology - Fall 2005 - 43

In comparing the classroom with the stage, the students supported the idea that the two experiences were
symbiotic. They were unanimous in stating that it would
be especially difficult to accomplish theatrical design
work without any prior training in the classroom. Barnes
thought that the two styles of learning complement one
another perfectly, and provide a bridge to the realities of
the professional theatre world. Shuster described how he
believed both experiences were necessary by comparing
them to Neil Simon's The Odd Couple. "The classroom is
much like Felix; it is very tedious in attention to detail
and analytical, whereas the production is Oscar, the
messy, gross character, who is fun to be around. You
need both to make the play funny."

EDUCATOR INSIGHTS AND PHILOSOPHIES
dam Zonder, a professional production manager and technical theatre
professor at SUNY Albany was asked about some of the
issues in this article and kindly provided some observations. He favors a careful progression of opportunities
for promising design students, but cautioned us to be
conservative. "Programs that just throw students into designing real shows before they are ready do a huge disservice to them as well as to the rest of the people
involved with the show," said Zonder, noting that if students reach a point where the next logical step is to have
them create a realized design, their academic program
should support the effort. Lighting designer Heath Hansum,
at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, emphasized how
students learn problem-solving techniques and interper-

sonal skills when they are placed in a real production environment with a design team. "They learn the value of
collaboration," said Hansum. "Leadership is more than
just knowing the trade, it is establishing a direction and
tactfully guiding your team down a path, smoothing
rough spots with diplomacy and communication."
Zonder teaches an introductory technical theatre
course requiring three academic credits of class time
and one credit of lab time. He said, "Before students can
try to build a flat, they need to know about wood and
other materials. Classroom work and practical work have
to go hand in hand."
Jenny Slattery, a professional stage manager currently working in academia, agrees. "A classroom can
provide an intellectual introduction to the work that stage
managers do, but it cannot fully train those interested in
careers in stage management. To be a good stage manager you must have the ability to respond quickly and
calmly to unexpected and highly stressful situations. You
must also manage complex projects involving intense
personalities and limited resources. You just can't teach
it out of a book."
Hansum related a similar philosophy to the "venue
as laboratory" approach taken at Susquehanna University.
"Theory followed by practical application is important,"
noted Hansum, describing how the study of lighting theory is
enhanced and made relevant by letting students "actually
point the lights at the stage and see how they work."
Slattery pointed out how others will rarely have time
in the professional world to counsel young practitioners.
"The academic environment is a place where young stage

Lighting plot for a main stage production by student designer Jeff Hoenig.
42

TD & T

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