Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Production Practicum Capstone (Face-to-Face)

THEA 4752-01

Course: THEA 4752-01
Credits: 2
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: TA
CRN: 33781

Course Description

Students will request and be assigned a production responsibility for a department production or theatre education production or event. The responsibility should be reflective of the student’s interest and skill and will represent a culmination of the student’s work. Acceptable projects can include, but are not limited to: Scenic, Costume, Lighting, Sound, Projection Design, Stage Management, Technical Direction, Scenic Charge, Sound Composition for a mainstage play, musical, or dance concert, educational outreach/engagement programming, or producing a play at a K-12 school. Production Practicum Capstone assignments must be approved by the faculty before a student may enroll in the course.


Required Texts

None

Learning Outcomes

  1. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of theatrical design and/or production principles and theories, while incorporating historical and cultural contexts, and applying advanced technical and artistic skills to create innovative designs across diverse genres of live theatrical productions.
  2. Collaborate effectively with directors, producers, and production team members to translate creative concepts into practical productions or designs or practical designs into reality. Additionally, communicate design and production concepts and intentions clearly through oral, written, and visual presentations to peers, faculty, and industry professionals.
  3. Conduct in-depth research to inform design, production, or event choices, integrating historical, cultural, and visual references into the design and production process. Develop the ability to analyze and critique design work, providing constructive feedback and engaging in critical discussions about theatrical design and the production itself.
  4. Develop a comprehensive design and production process showcasing proficiency in various design/tech elements, industry-standard software and equipment, and the ability to explore and integrate emerging technologies and trends, while creating and maintaining a production budget.
  5. Utilize and demonstrate best practices in design, development, and implementation of the capstone project, including all necessary work in areas such as research, rendering, technical document, teaching practices, lesson plans, or other activities


Course Requirements


10% Submission of Contract & Accountability Time Log 
10% Midpoint Review
10% Final Review
70% The Project, All Deliverables

Project
Each project will be unique in its creation. The projects are expected to follow standard theatrical production processes including design/development, budgeting, pre-production work and planning, building/creating requisite components, load-in, tech, dress, performance, and strike. Each student will create a detailed schedule/timeline for their project with representative deadlines established and approved by the faculty mentors and department staff. The accountability timesheet, midpoint review, final review, and quality and meeting deadlines of project deliverables will be the basis for final grade determination.

  • Completion & Submission of Contract & Accountability Time Log:
    Meeting with faculty mentor to determine dates for deliverables and reviews in the contract. Submission of completed production capstone contract by the deadline. Daily/Weekly submission of Accountability Time Log, documenting date, task(s), specific details accomplished on the task, and time spent on the specific task.

  • Midpoint Review:
    Feedback and reviews from TDAA faculty, staff, and project collaborators working with the student on the capstone project will be collected and reviewed by the faculty mentor. Feedback will include, but not be limited to, student's process, attendance, maintenance of deadlines, and collaboration and communication with the team A meeting with the faculty mentor will address the feedback. The results of the feedback/review coupled with student/mentor review discussion will determine the grade. 

  • Final Review:
    Feedback and reviews from TDAA faculty, staff, and project collaborators who worked with the student on the capstone project will be collected and reviewed by the faculty mentor. A meeting with the faculty mentor will address the feedback and review of the project in total. The results of the feedback/review coupled with student/mentor review discussion and growth or modification of work/behavior since midpoint review (if needed) will determine the grade. 
The Project, All Deliverables: There will be a total of four deliverables for the project. The requirements and deadlines of each deliverable will be determined by the faculty mentor, in conversation with the student, and are part of the Production Capstone Project. Necessary project specifics of each deliverable will be put in the Production Capstone Contract as well.


Course Outline

Week One: (8/27) Each student, with assistance from the instructor, will draft a unique, individual outline of weekly work to be completed based on the deadlines of their practicum project.
All Following Weeks: (9/3 - 12/1) Each class is structured as a time to work on critical components of the capstone project. The instructor is also available to meet with students during this class time to discuss progress on individual projects, concerns, hold requisite reviews, and approve deliverables for the project.
The final class will be a post-mortem for the practicum project.

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work


Deadlines:
 Students who miss more than one deadline will have their grade lowered by 1/3 of a letter grade with an additional 1/3 for every additional deadline missed. Attendance at all production meetings and rehearsals is expected, missing these collaboration times is taken as missing a deadline.


Attendance Policy


Attendance and Deadlines:
Attendance is required unless excused by the instructor or for official university travel. Attendance at all production meetings and rehearsals is expected, missing these collaboration times is taken as missing a deadline.


Course Fees

None

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.