Technical Design and Production

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Technical Design and Production

Shaminda Amarakoon, Chair
Jennifer McClure, Associate Chair

Yale University requires all students, other than those with approved medical or religious exemptions, to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and to have obtained a booster shot. According to University policy, vaccine exempt individuals must wear a mask at all times and maintain a six-foot social distance from others both indoors and outdoors, in addition to twice weekly testing. Theatrical production activity is central to the training in all programs at David Geffen School of Drama. Production work at the School and Yale Repertory Theatre requires everyone taking part to be vaccinated and boosted because we cannot guarantee that the production environment will support the ability to socially distance throughout rehearsals, tech and performances. Additionally, there are many in-class activities where a six-foot distance from faculty and other students cannot be accommodated. Therefore, we are not able to offer candidates who are not fully vaccinated and boosted admission to our programs. If you receive an offer to attend the School you will therefore need to attest to being fully vaccinated and having received a booster, and ultimately show proof of full vaccination and booster as authorized by the World Health Organization and Food and Drug Administration in accordance with Yale's COVID-19 guidelines.

The faculty of Technical Design and Production (TD&P) program, through a curated curriculum, aims to train global technical managers and change-makers who center anti-racism in their decision-making. The program brings together dedicated full-time faculty, lecturers, and production staff members with a focus on supporting students in their career goals. In a field with rapidly evolving technology and spectacle, we train technical managers who put people before products while achieving artistic goals. Contemporary theatre design and production technology have become more complex, and practitioners must be trained to understand and apply new technologies.

We are looking for those who appreciate the artistry of our technical systems as much as the science necessary to execute them. For those who enjoy solving challenges through collaboration and who are driven to discover and innovate.

Our alumni can be found in almost every sector of our industry as well as many others. They will also be a source of support for you long after your time at the School.

Conservatory-style classroom training is complemented by a variety of roles on productions, known as professional work assignments (PWA), which serve to reinforce concepts from coursework, expose students to new disciplines, and give everyone practical experience. Students in the program generally concentrate on one of four areas of study: Production Management, Technical Direction, Stage Machinery Design and Automation, and Theater Planning and Consulting. With any of these tracks comes the production planning tools and technical expertise to work on complex projects and with large teams immediately after graduation.