 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The Directing Program
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM
GRADUATE PROGRAM
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
FACULTY & STAFF
UNDERGRADUATE DIRECTING CURRICULUM
GRADUATE DIRECTING CURRICULUM
ALUMNI
CONTACT
The CMU School of Drama offers undergraduate and graduate directors the opportunity to study both classical and experimental approaches to theater. Through continuous production work, the spectrum of directing skills are rigorously developed in workshops and fully-realized projects, as well as through theory, history, and studio classes. Directors are provided with the tools to think critically and adventurously, and to articulate their own vision as a creative artist.UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM
Degree Offered: BFA
The Undergraduate Directing Program promotes creativity, intellectual curiosity, leadership ability, and a well-rounded understanding of the theatre. It provides a detailed exploration of the techniques of directing for stage as well as introductory work in directing for the camera.The curriculum is designed for those serious about the art of directing and intending to pursue a career in theatre, film, or television. Coursework in scene design, lighting, and costume design develops the students' visual sophistication as well as an understanding of how these elements combine in practical production situations. Stage management skills are studied and practiced. Theatre history, criticism, playwriting, play development, and theatre management classes introduce the student to the wide range of knowledge necessary for directing. There are many avenues open for practical application: scene work in class, a short film written and directed by the students, opportunities in multi-camera directing, and studio projects. The broad scope of the directing curriculum encourages the director's interaction with all the theatrical disciplines. Collaboration, so necessary to the art, is the goal. To expand their interests and vision, the students in this Option are encouraged to take several electives and to pursue a minor outside the School of Drama.
Each undergraduate director is required to direct four projects:
1. A single camera video project, created by the director, in the junior year.
2. Each Director is required to direct a ten to forty minute play or self created performance piece for “Playground” in the Freshman, Sophomore, or Junior year.}
3. A multi-camera video project in the senior year.
4. A 60-90 minute project, with some design support, in the senior year.
Directors will serve as crew members in the first year and assistant directors and assistant stage managers in the second and third years.
THE GRADUATE DIRECTING PROGRAM
Graduate Directing
Degree Offered: Masters of Fine Arts
The CMU School of Drama offers undergraduate and graduate directors the opportunity to study both classical and experimental approaches to theater. Through continuous production work, the spectrum of directing skills are rigorously developed in workshops and fully-realized projects, as well as through theory, history, and studio classes.
Directors are provided with the tools to think critically and adventurously, and to articulate their own vision as a creative artist.
The Graduate Directing program admits two highly-motivated directors each year who possess the ability and drive to articulate their own vision in the theater. This three-year program is built for directors who have at least four years of professional experience, who want to expand and sharpen their skills, and want to be challenged to think critically and adventurously about their work in a generative environment.
Graduate Directing offers the exceptional opportunity to study both rigorous, classical training and experimental approaches to contemporary media.
As the boundaries of theater continue to expand, it is critical that directors be provided with the tools, vocabulary, and vision to thrive in this new environment. To this end, the program is beginning a new initiative, which integrates video and new media in a ‘laboratory’ environment, while also maintaining classes with a more traditional approach.
During each semester the director is involved in at least one production in the School’s fully-equipped theaters, progressing from one-acts, to work with new playwrights, to two fully-supported productions. In each of these, graduate directors work with students from acting, design, dramaturgy, and production management; communication with collaborators and integration of design and media are critical tools for all directors.
The program also includes rigorous study of theory, history, and dramaturgy, as well as design classes and electives around the University. A semester is also spent working with a professional mentor in the field, either nationally or internationally. The School’s directors emerge as well-rounded creative artists, able to think, write, and speak about their work, as well as enacting it fully in the theater. Our approach to new and old forms still focus on the basic values of theater; the essential nature of a live event, the possibility of visionary spectacle, and the creation of meaning in dialogue with an audience.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Undergraduate
To apply to the Directing Option, follow the Acting audition guidelines with one major change-- plan to perform only one monologue. Bring to the audition a statement describing why you are pursuing this line of study, explaining your choice of monologue and including a critical analysis of the play. Bring any director's scripts, design portfolio, dramatic writing, photography or any other evidence of your creative life.
Graduate
At the initial audition, be prepared to discuss your work critically, describing why you are pursuing this line of study, your influences, interests, and professional goals. Candidates must have at least three years of professional experience, please bring a c.v. with key productions and career highlights. DVD’s, photographs, or online work may also be viewed as time permits.
Phase Two: if selected, applicants will be invited to the School of Drama to all directing faculty and direct in a short scene rehearsal with actors. Directors will also be asked to provide more visual material and to discuss specific productions at length.
FACULTY & STAFF
| Jed Allen Harris | Option Coordinator of Undergraduate Directing, Associate Teaching Professor of Directing |
| Gregory Lehane | Professor of Drama and Music |
| Marianne Weems | Option Coordinator of Graduate Directing, Associate Professor of Graduate Directing |
For faculty bios, click here.
For staff bios, click here.
UNDERGRADUATE DIRECTING CURRICULUM
Freshman Year
| Fall | Class | Units |
| 54-011 | Warmup | 1 |
| 54-121 | Directing I: Sources | 9 |
| 54-101 | Acting I | 12 |
| 54-107 | Movement I | 4 |
| 54-177 | Foundations of Drama I | 6 |
| 54-517 | Directors’ Colloquium | 1 |
| 54-159 | Production Symposium I | 6 |
| 54-175 | Conservatory Hour | 1 |
| 64-100 | Critical Histories of the Arts | 9 |
| 99-101 | Computing @ Carnegie Mellon | 3 |
| xx-xxx | Non-Drama Elective | 6-9 |
Units – 57 – 60
| Spring | Class | Units |
| 54-012 | Warmup | 1 |
| 54-122 | Directing I: Sources | 9 |
| 54-102 | Acting I | 12 |
| 54-108 | Movement I | 4 |
| 54-177 | Foundations of Drama I | 6 |
| 54-160 | Production Symposium I | 6 |
| 54-518 | Directors’ Colloquium | 1 |
| 54-176 | Conservatory Hour | 1 |
| 76-101 | Interpretation & Argument | 9 |
| xx-xxx | Non-Drama Elective | 6-9 |
Units – 56 – 59
Sophomore Year
| Fall | Class | Units |
| 54-201 | Acting II | 12 |
| 54-221 | Directing II: Fundamentals | 9 |
| 54-281 | Foundations of Drama II | 6 |
| 54-517 | Directors’ Colloquium | 1 |
| 54-257 | Directing Production II | 12 |
| 54-xxx | Make-Up (Optional) | 2 |
| xx-xxx | Non-Drama Elective | 6-9 |
Units – 46 – 49
| Spring | Class | Units |
| 54-202 | Acting II | 12 |
| 54-222 | Directing II: Fundamentals | 9 |
| 54-277 | Intro to Stage Management | 6 |
| 54-281 | Foundations of Drama II | 6 |
| 54-518 | Directors’ Colloquium | 1 |
| 54-258 | Directing Production II | 12 |
| xx-xxx | Non-Drama Elective | 6-9 |
Units – 52 - 55
Junior Year
| Fall | Class | Units |
| 54-321 | Acting III for Directors | - |
| 54-231 | Design for the Stage | 6 |
| 54-239 | History of Architecture & Décor | 4 |
| OR *** | ||
| 54-245 | History of Clothing | 4 |
| 54-517 | Directors’ Colloquium | 1 |
| 54-357 | Directing Production III | 12 |
| 54-277 | Stage Management I | 6 |
| xx-xxx | Non-Drama Elective | 6-9 |
| 54-xxx | History of Drama | 3 |
Units – 51 – 54
| Spring | Class | Units |
| xx-xxx | Internship semester | 36 |
Senior Year
| Fall | Class | Units |
| 54-401 | Camera Lab | 6 |
| 54-409 | Theatre Lab | 9 |
| 54-433 | Producing for TV & Film | 9 |
| 54-457 | Directing Production IV | 12 |
| 54-517 | Directors’ Colloquium | 1 |
| 54-475 | Theatre Management | 6 |
| xx-xxx | Non-Drama Elective | 6-9 |
| 54-xxx | History of Drama (If Needed) | 3 |
Units – 52 – 55
| Spring | Class | Units |
| 54-422 | Directing IV: Departures from Realism | 6 |
| 54-410 | Theatre Lab | 9 |
| 54-xxx | TV Project | 3 |
| 54-458 | Directing Production IV | 12 |
| 54-518 | Directors’ Colloquium | 1 |
| 54-xxx | History of Drama (If Needed) | 3 |
| xx-xxx | Non-Drama Elective | 6-9 |
Units – 40 – 49
* One semester of Directing Production IV required – Senior Thesis Play. Second semester is optional. All Directors will be required to take a total of two Drama History minis of varying topics over their junior and senior year.
*Foundations of Drama I and II will only be taken one semester. Students are also required to take one semester of an approved HSS course during a semester of their freshman and sophomore year in which they are not taking a Foundations course.
GRADUATE DIRECTING REQUIREMENTS
Minimum number of units: core units, electives and selectives:
First Year
| Fall | Class | Units |
| 54-757 | Graduate 1 Production | 10 |
| 54-783 | Graduate Directing: Future Stages | 9 |
| 54-709 | Theater Lab with Playwrights | 9 |
| 54-785 | Graduate Colloquium | 9 |
| 54-515 | Directing Thinktank | 1 |
| 54-703 | Applied Internship (section E) | 8 |
| Scenography | 9 | |
| Elective | 6 |
Units – 57
| Spring | Class | Units |
| 54-758 | Graduate 1 Production | 10 |
| 54-784 | Graduate Directing: Future Stages | 9 |
| 54-710 | Theater Lab with Playwrights | 9 |
| 54-786 | Graduate Colloquium | 9 |
| 54-516 | Directing Thinktank | 1 |
| 54-704 | Applied Internship (section E) | 8 |
| Design for Non-Majors | 6 | |
| Elective or Independent Study | 6 |
Units – 57
Second Year
| Fall | Class | Units |
| 54-857 | Graduate 2 Production | 10 |
| 54-821 | Graduate Directing: Future Stages | 9 |
| 54-809 | Theater Lab with Playwrights | 9 |
| 54-885 | Graduate Colloquium | 9 |
| 54-515 | Directing Thinktank | 1 |
| 54-803 | Applied Internship | 8 |
| 54-717 | Camera Lab "Mini" | 6 |
| Elective or Independent Study | 6 |
Units – 58
| Spring | Class | Units |
| 54-858 | Graduate 2 Production | 10 |
| 54-822 | Graduate Directing: Future Stages | 9 |
| 54-810 | Theater Lab with Playwrights | 9 |
| 54-886 | Graduate Colloquium | 9 |
| 54-516 | Directing Thinktank | 1 |
| 54-804 | Applied Internship | 8 |
| 54-718 | Camera Lab "Mini" | 6 |
| Elective or Independent Study | 6 |
Units – 58
Third Year
| Fall | Class | Units |
| 54-995/996 | Internship outside of CMU | 40 |
| 54-967/958 | Grad 3 Thesis Production | 15 |
Units – 45
| Spring | Class | Units |
| 54-957/958 | Grad 3 Thesis Production | 30 |
| 54-515/516 | Directing Thinktank | 1 |
| 54-903/904 | Applied Internship | 8 |
| Elective or Independent Study | 6 |
Units – 45
Additional Recommended Courses
to be taken when possible within these three years
| Class | Units | |
| 54-739/740 | History of Architecture & Décor | 8-12 |
| 54-745/746 | History of Clothing | 8-12 |
Please note that this curriculum may undergo minor modifications in discussion with individual graduate directors.
Other requirements (minimum QPA, thesis, etc.)
QPA of 2.0
Direction of a one-act
Direction of a New-Work (one each of first two years)
Direction of a 2nd-year graduate production
Thesis production (including documentation of said production)
Who is in charge of the certification:
School of Drama Academic Coordinator after Academic Audit by Option Coordinator and Faculty Advisor.
Policies for admitting transfer students:
No transfers are accepted.
A summary of the curriculum
The curriculum includes directing theory and practice, criticism, and history, as well as classes in design. A highly collaborative environment provides the opportunity to work with designers, actors, and playwrights in various workshops and productions.
In addition to theatre theory and practice, the School recognizes the growing role of other media in the performing arts and includes in depth courses in cross media performance and genre-bending collaborations.
Note: The School of Drama trains the individual student, especially at the graduate level. The faculty reviews each student‘s experience at the point of matriculation. School of Drama electives are selected to fill any gaps in each student’s education and experience.
ALUMNI
To view credits from recent alumni, click here.
CONTACT
UNDERGRADUATE DIRECTING:
Jed Allen Harris
Option Coordinator of Undergraduate Directing, Associate Teaching Professor of Directing
School of Drama
Purnell Center for the Arts
5000 Forbes Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
(412) 268-7146
jharris@andrew.cmu.edu
GRADUATE DIRECTING
Marianne Weems
Option Coordinator of Graduate Directing, Associate Professor of Graduate Directing
School of Drama
Purnell Center for the Arts
5000 Forbes Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
(412) 268-5069
mweems@andrew.cmu.edu
For general questions about the undergraduate programs at the School of Drama, contact:
Anya Martin
External Relations Officer
School of Drama
Carnegie Mellon University
Purnell Center for the Arts 218B
(412) 268-2068
aamartin@andrew.cmu.edu
For general questions about the graduate programs at the School of Drama, contact:
Dick Block
Associate Head, School of Drama
Teaching Professor of Design
School of Drama
Carnegie Mellon University
Purnell Center for the Arts 219
(412) 268-7219
rblock@andrew.cmu.edu
Interested in visiting the School of Drama?
Drama school tours are offered Monday through Friday by reservation only. To reserve a space please visit www.cmudramatours.eventbrite.com. Tours are not guaranteed without a reservation. Because of the sensitive nature of a lot of our classes, the School of Drama does not have an open door policy on visiting students attending classes. We will have classes available during Sleeping Bag Weekends for students interested in attending Carnegie Mellon University. Students and their families interested in visiting classes on Sleeping Bag Weekend should meet in the lobby of the Purnell Center for the Arts at 8:30 AM on the Monday of each Sleeping Bag Weekend to obtain a schedule of classes available. To schedule a Sleeping Bag Weekend visit please go to www.cmu.edu/enrollment/admission/sbw/.