Hi, Lindsay.
PCPA Pacific Conservatory Theatre's Technical Theatre Conservatory sounds like it could be perfect for your student. The students train as apprentices with a professional theatre company, and they are taught by industry professionals who have a passion to teach. The students are trained in all aspects of technical theatre, and this training can be part of a four year path to a bachelors. It is also very inexpensive.
I've pasted some information below. Please feel free to share it with your students, friends, colleagues,... anyone.
You can also read more at http://pcpa.org/conservatory1/page18/ and here is a link to a video about the program. https://youtu.be/IVmqIPMkyMA
All the best, Erik
PCPA's 2 year Technical Conservatory
PCPA Pacific Conservatory Theatre's two year Technical Theatre Conservatory is a dynamic technical theatre training program located in Santa Maria on the Central Coast of California. The students train as members of PCPA's year round professional company mentored by professional artists with a passion to teach. Our tuition is approximately $750 (seven hundred fifty dollars) a semester for California residents. Out of state tuition is approximately $5,000 per semester; however, students can establish residency during their first year of training and pay California resident tuition during their second year. Our hope is to create a situation where our graduates can immediately go to work as professional Technicians without being burdened by student loan debt.
The Conservatory is rigorous. The students are in the shops, labs, and classes mentored by professional technicians, managers, and designers from 8:00am to 5:00pm, and then they often return for main stage production work from 6:00pm to 11:00pm five to six days a week. It's all theatre all the time. We offer no general education classes.
We accept no more than 12 tech. students a year, and they range from serious theatre students who just finished strong high school programs to students with some college and students with a bachelor's degree. The students train with PCPA's resident professional company in lights, sound, props, costumes, stage management, set construction, paints, and much more.
PCPA has wonderful relationships with Disney, Cirque du Sole, ZFX, The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and more. Plus, over the last 5 years 100% of our technical theatre graduates have been paid as theatre technicians within a year of graduation.
The students earn approximately 60 units of theatre credits in their two years with us, and these units are transferable. Many students complete our program and enter colleges and universities as sophomores or juniors, however, our goal is to make sure our students are ready to enter the professional world after two years of training with us. Again, I'd like to highlight that 100% of our last 5 graduating classes were paid as theatre technicians within a year of graduation.
Our website has a lot of information about our application process www.pcpa.org. We also have wonderful videos about the tech program that you can watch by following the links below.
If you would prefer to avoid clicking on links in an email, you can access these videos by visiting www.pcpa.org and clicking on 'Conservatory'.
Technical Theatre Conservatory (overview)
https://youtu.be/IVmqIPMkyMA
Technicians behind the scenes
http://youtu.be/Zj2HVr_B17Q
Technicians are admitted based on an application and interview.
Once we have a complete application file we will contact you to set up an interview. Interviews can be conducted in person or by telephone. A complete application file consists of an application (this can be submitted through our website www.pcpa.org), a resume of previous theatrical experience, two letter of recommendation, your most recent transcripts (does not need to be an official copy), and a two page mission statement that talks about what attracted you to PCPA, what you hope to achieve while you are with PCPA, and where you see yourself after PCPA.
PCPA does not provide housing, however, we do have a housing coordinator who will work to help you find housing in your price range.
Financial Aid is available through Allan Hancock College for those that qualify.
If you would like to visit PCPA, tour our facilities, and observe a few classes please contact Sara at sice@pcpa.org.
.
I hope to talk with you.
All the best,
Sara
Sara Ice
Technical Theatre Conservatory Coordinator
sice@pcpa.org
(805)928-7731 ext. 3151
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Erik Stein
Casting Director/Recruitment Coordinator
PCPA Pacific Conservatory Theatre
Author of No Caution! A step-by-step guide to preparing auditions for Universities, Colleges, Conservatories, and Beyond!
Available on Amazon.com and other online booksellers
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-01-2020 14:12
From: Lindsay Brustein
Subject: College Tech/Production Programs
I've got a senior who is interested in studying tech theatre in college. She has stage managed several shows and has some experience running spot, light board, and sound mixing, but doesn't have enough of a background to know that she wants to specialize in a specific area or to produce a large portfolio of work. Does anyone have recommendations on college theatre programs (BFA or BA) where she could get a good survey of experience in different production areas (esp. lights and scenic design) before focusing in on one area?
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Lindsay Hearn Brustein
St. Stephen's Episcopal School
Austin TX
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