BA (Hons) Theatre, Performance and Event Design (TPE)

Have you ever wondered who designs:

Stage productions for your favourite bands?
‘Experiences’ for theme parks?
West end theatre productions?
TV soap operas?
Interactive exhibitions?

Are you interested in puppets or touring theatre?
Would you enjoy creating spaces using Cad or scale models?
Are you interested in performer’s costumes and how they reflect their character?

If so then Theatre, Performance and Event Design (TPE) could be the course for you.

Introduction to the Course

Based on established theatre design principles and conceptual rigour the course offers a wide variety of training, incorporating traditional design skills whilst embracing applications of new media.

Throughout, students are encouraged to explore areas that are of specific interest to them such as: designs for plays, dance, puppetry, themed environments, opera, award shows, pop/rock concerts, installations, carnivals, exhibitions, product launches, film, TV, festivals, animation and large scale events.

The course is concerned with designing for a wide range of performance contexts. It has excellent professional links with a range of companies involved in theatre and performance, providing a variety of opportunities for student placements, including a range of exciting and challenging opportunities through which to explore the role of the designer for performance.

Your Learning Experience

The study of Theatre, Performance and Event Design is at once both broad and highly specific, requiring individuals to be independent and collaborative.  The students are encouraged to be ambitious in their thinking and to embrace all aspects of Performance related design.

Learning is primarily through studio-based projects, where you will be introduced to skills (traditional, digital and a combination of both) that will enable you to design in a variety of performance contexts.

Established theatre design principles can be applied to many different situations and provide the core to this three year course.

Level 4 (year 1) provides an introduction to the fundamental skills and methodologies of the designer, working primarily on studio-based projects as well as team-based designs. Modules include – Theatre Design Principles, The Figure in Space, The Performance, providing an overall perception and basic experience of the designer's role.

Level 5 (year 2) broadens your experience of the designer's role, combining theory and experiment, work placement and live project initiatives within a broad spectrum of performance areas. Collaborations have included: Birmingham Royal Ballet, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Merlin Leisure, Flatpack film Festival and Livenation’s ‘Download Music Festival’. This level also provides you with an opportunity to develop a personal sense of direction.

 
Level 6 (year 3) consolidates your personal practice, giving the opportunity to prepare and present a personal profile of creative design for degree assessment. This is assessed against professional standards of experimental and disciplined practice whilst retaining a vocational relevance throughout.

The staff team are experienced designers and makers with backgrounds in a variety of performance and visual communication contexts. Their understanding of contemporary educational practice is supported by their continued roles as practitioners within the industry about which they teach.

Facilities available to you on the course include designated studio spaces, a black box studio theatre, digital imaging suites, printmaking, photographic studios, green screen room, sound studio, animation studio and filmmaking/editing facilities.

The structure and ethos of the course reflects the multi disciplinary nature of the contemporary Performance Designer. Employment opportunities include theatre design, film, television, design for music, animation, event, interior design and a wide range of performance related contexts.

We are interested in allowing you to discover your own personal direction within this ever expanding and exciting area of design.

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