Practica

How to sign up

Select lab time slots that works for the whole semester.

  • For 1 credit, sign up for 2 lab time slots per week, (leaving a half hour early each day, in order to get the right number of hours). or
  • For 2 credits sign up for 3 lab time slots per week (leaving at the stated end time)

Contact Ariel Thomke with your preferred lab time slots and/or further questions for Costume Shop Practica or Costume Run Crew Practica.

Contact Chris Hawkes with your preferred lab time slots and/or further questions for Scene Shop Practica or Stage and Prop Crew Practica.

Important for Seniors particularly:

To get the priority you have as seniors and to be sure you can graduate, you should request your lab time slots as soon as possible. There are limited available seats/positions available per time slot and since you cannot postpone to another year, it is crucial you claim your seats/positions early.


General Practica Information

The Theater Department places great value on the learning that occurs while working on productions whether as a performer, designer or in a technical position. To reflect this philosophy in required coursework, this type of assignment is called Practicum and is graded and for credit. Practica is in Performance, Stage Management and Technical. Technical Practica is required of each student to fulfill the Major and Minor and those credits count toward graduation

Why do I need technical practica?

Students who participate in production by being members of the tech crew have a much better idea of what goes into a theater production and how to fit into that process productively.   

Indeed, in the early stages of a career, any theater person will probably be called upon to help out with tech or to run a show he/she is not cast in, so the training obtained in practica is guaranteed to be useful.  

Technical Practica Requirements for Theatre Major

10 credits total

  • 2 credits are THEP 213/214/215/216 Technical Production Lab
  • 6 credits must be earned by working in the scene shop (THEP 270/370/470) and costume shop (THEP 273/373/473) or can include hanging and focusing lights. You can fulfill this requirement with the credit combination that works for you, here's some suggestions
    • 3 credits in both scene and costume shop
    • 4 credits in one shop and 2 credits in the other
    • 2 credits hanging and focusing lights, 2 credits in scene shop, 2 credits in costume shop

Technical Practica Requirements for Theatre Minor

8 credits total (THEP 213, 214, 215 and 216 are not acceptable for this section)

  • 4 credits of technical practica by hanging and focusing lights, scene shop, costume shop.
  • Remaining 4 credits of practica may be satisfied by earning 4 credits of performance practica or an additional four credits of technical practica, or any combination of technical and performance practica.

What is Performance Practicum?

Performance Practicum is variable credit received for performing in Theatre Department Mainstage, Studio and InTheWorks productions. This includes performing in Mainstage and Studio productions and Directing class. Approval of director or faculty advisor/instructor is required. Areas of performance include: 

Acting (THEP 260, 360, 460)
Dancing (THEP 261, 361, 461)
Musician (THEP 262, 362, 462)
Arts Management (THEP 264, 364, 464)
Directing/Choreography (THEP 265, 365, 465)

Link to Performance Practicum Registration Request Form


What is Stage Management Practicum?

Stage Management work on all performance and technical aspects of a Theatre Department production. The Stage Manager works closely with the faculty or student director/choreographer. Concurrent registration required for 2 credits of technical practica (276, 376, 476) and 2 credits of performance (266, 366, 466). Permission of production director and/or supervising Stage Management faculty is required. If you are interested in pursuing SM work, contact Olivia O'Brien: oobrien@binghamton.edu 

Link to Stage Management Practicum Registration Request Form


Further Information on Practicum

Each credit one receives requires at least 45 hours of work be performed according to certain criteria which vary depending on the area in which it occurs. While work in the Theater is enjoyable, it carries with it a large commitment of time and energy and must be done well to maintain our level of quality. These are variable credit courses with credit amounts dependent upon the amount of time required by the assignment. The number of credits and meeting times are determined by the instructor. Most performances and rehearsals are in the evening; therefore, evening classes will usually conflict.  

We recommend that you plan to do some amount of practica each semester. This way you will not find yourself, at the end of you career here, rushing to finish that requirement. Please remember that if you haven’t filled out a practicum form, you are not getting credit. It is your responsibility to sign up by the Practica deadlines. 

Because of the collaborative nature of theater and the fact that we operate on an absolute deadline, , there will be no way to make up or complete the class duties/requirements when the production, quarter, semester, or season is over. Failure to complete your duties/requirements for the class in the required time will result in failure of the course.