There are several ways to get "theater technology" as a major. There is a Theater Technology Double Major, where a technology major is expanded upon by an extra focus on theater. A student could also create a theater technology major through the Interdisciplinary and Global Studies Department (IGSD). There aren't enough classes yet for the Humanities and Arts Department to offer its own major in theater technology, but by working through the IGSD a major is formed by combining theater and other technical classes. A third way to focus on theater technology is to go through the Humanities and Arts Department as a Humanities Literature major with a focus in theater tech.
After only one year of offering these different routes into theater technology, there are already five students working to graduate in that field ( 3 double majors, 1 Humanities Literature major, and 1 Interdisciplinary major). Theater and Drama Professor Susan Vick is very impressed with the turnout so far, and says that it is "pretty phenomenal" to have gained so much interest in such a new program. Of course, WPI's Theater and Drama division has strong support from Masque, the theater club here, and there have always been students working on Suff's, IQP's, and even MQP's in different aspects of theater production. Actually majoring in theater technology though, provides students with a better opportunity to enter the industry of theatrical production once they leave WPI and that is exactly what Susan Vick wants to see.
"There are always jobs out there [in theater production]," Vick explains, and WPI might as well be the one providing trained graduates to fill those jobs. The world is becoming more and more technology oriented, even theater needs people who are trained to use programs like CAD to help design sets and layouts. Susan sees WPI as having a great advantage over other schools because of its technical focus, and she is glad to be helping that focus expand into the arts.
This term has produced a new addition to the developing theater technology program with the first time offering of EN222X, Theater Technology Laboratory. The Theater Tech Lab course is an experimental course being offered to "test the waters" of interest at WPI. This class teaches many aspects of the production process, including set design and building, and the use of rigging and counterweights to enhance productions. The course is graciously being funded by the IGSD to encourage the development of the theater technology program. In the original proposal for the course, Professor Vick expressed the need of a real professional in theatrical production to teach the course. That need was answered by Bob Webb, the Technical Director of the nearby Huntington Theater Company. Huntington just opened a play called "Seven Guitars," whose set was designed by Mr. Webb. After it is done here, the play (and set) will travel to LA, San Francisco, DC, and then on to Broadway. Mr. Webb's expertise will provide a great learning opportunity for WPI students.
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