About our productions
All performance projects at Concordia – whether large productions or modest class outcomes – are first and foremost teaching and learning environments in which professionals work with, or alongside, students.
We hope our project-based courses will be artistically exciting and socially relevant; we insist that they be safe, collaborative, ethical opportunities for learning.
We intend that these projects will not only teach students current practices in the profession, but also give them the space, tools, and guidance to work towards changing the profession for the better.
Our guiding principles
The Department of Theatre has established living guidelines to address urgent social issues and to ensure that students, staff and faculty can work and create together in a respectful, sensitive manner. Everyone involved with Theatre productions must familiarize themselves with – and faithfully follow – each of the statements.
Types of productions
Mainstage Productions
Our larger mainstage productions are intended to be projects in which students from all three of our Specialization Programs collaborate together, supported by the professional staff of the Performance Production Department (including the Technical/Venue Coordinators; the Scene, Costumes, and Prop Shop Heads; Stage Supervisors; and other technical staff).
For each mainstage project, there’s a “home” course taught by a Director/Project Leader – usually under an ACTT (Acting for the Theatre Program) course code, or else under a PERC (Performance Creation Program) course code. Student performers, assistant directors, dramaturges, and co-creators typically register in the “home” course. Student designers register in a separate Design Supervision course, taught by a SCEN (Scenography Program) faculty member, and student stage managers register in a separate Elements of Production course taught by a SCEN (Scenography Program) faculty member.
Mainstage productions usually perform at the Concordia Theatre (formerly called the D.B. Clarke Theatre), though sometimes we produce in off-campus venues. Mainstage productions culminate in several days of tech rehearsals followed by 4 – 6 performances within a single week.
Studio Productions
Our smaller studio productions are typically ensemble-driven DIY-style projects, modestly supported by the Performance Production staff (e.g. borrowing items “off the shelf” from our prop and costume shops; some hours of staff support for basic lighting & audio equipment training). Stage management, design, and running crew duties are handled by class/ensemble members.
Studio productions usually perform in one of our larger grid-equipped teaching studios (audience capacity of 20 – 30). They culminate in 1 - 3 performances over 2 - 3 days.
Supported in-class outcomes
Some courses which are not productions of any size still receive a bit of support from Performance Production staff to realize their outcomes. For example, staff might help students learn the basics of focusing lighting, or students might borrow costume pieces from the shop. While faculty and staff want every course to be a rich learning experience, it’s important to understand that non-production courses are meant to be technically very light, and not where the department’s resources will be focused.