Skip To Main Content
Penn State College of Arts and Architecture
Penn State College of Arts and Architecture
Select where to search:


B.F.A. in Theatre

Design your future.
Own the experience.

Behind any successful theatrical production or live performance event is a production team with the artistic drive to envision it and the technical skills to make it a reality. The B.F.A. program in Theatre Design, Technology and Management at Penn State offers students professional training and the skills to succeed in this fast-paced environment. Classes in Theatre Design, Technology and Management are taught by award winning faculty currently working in the industry and up to date with the latest technology and the best practices in the profession.

During your time at Penn State you will have endless opportunities to explore every aspect of theatre production both in the classroom and on stage, and you will be given the tools and the training to meet your potential and excel as a professional in your chosen field.

Are you ready to design your future? We are here to help you succeed.

Theatre Design, Technology and Management students at Penn State have access to state-of-the-art facilities where they will gain hands-on experience in every aspect of theatre design and production.

Students can choose the Design & Technology option or the Stage Management* option in this degree. Within the Design & Technology option, students may specialize in costume, lighting, scenic design, sound design or technical direction. Education in each area is led by world-class faculty with extensive experience in the industry and a deep understanding of evolving aspects of the profession.

Students in the Stage Management* option will take a full range of classes in every area of production including acting, design, music fundamentals and directing, and through classwork and hands-on experiences become excellent collaborators, outstanding managers and effective leaders.

In addition to the exceptional Penn State general education curriculum, B.F.A. students in Theatre Design, Technology and Management will handle challenging production assignments and exciting design opportunities which are a fundamental component of their educational experience in our programs.

Is a B.F.A. in Theatre a good fit for you?

The Design, Technology and Management program at Penn State is a highly respected incubator for theatre design and technology professionals and stage managers with the skills to succeed in today’s job market.

Our program has one of the largest student chapters of the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT). Students can attend the Institute’s annual conference, where industry leaders gather to shape the future of the field and where students can network with other professionals and a large network of successful Penn State School of Theatre alumni.

Students working toward a B.F.A. degree in Theatre Design, Technology and Management will benefit from small class sizes and specialized one-to-one training from our revered faculty. Our programs offer outstanding preparation, individualized mentorship, and foster interdisciplinary collaboration.

School of Theatre monster concept design on display.
Theatre student sitting behinds a technical control board in the Penn State TAPS facility.

Degree Options

The B.F.A. Program in Theatre Design, Technology and Management will prepare you to enter the professional world and shape the future of theatre production or live performance. We invite you to explore our two-degree options here:

– Theatre Design & Technology option
– The Stage Management option

Theatre Design & Technology

Costume Design

  • Exceptional education in costume design and costume technology through class- room and hands-on production work
  • Built on the design principles of text  and character analysis, with class projects exploring uses of color, texture, silhouette, and scale
  • Training in sewing techniques, draping, and flat pattern making, plus two semesters of fashion history
  • Accomplished undergraduate students are offered a realized costume design assignment in the School of Theatre season

Lighting Design

  • Intensive pre-professional program with all students gaining a wide range of design and technical experiences; the School of Theatre season is designed almost entirely  by undergraduate lighting design students
  • Extensive hands-on and classroom training and internship opportunities prepare students to pursue graduate study or enter the professional world right after graduation
  • In addition to working in our venues, lighting design students have 24-hour access to the School of Theatre Lighting Lab, which is one of the most advanced and well-equipped facilities of its kind

Scenic Design

  • Exceptional pre-professional training program with the mission of preparing students for a successful career in the live entertainment industry
  • Extensive design and production opportunities in the School of Theatre season
  • Students receive outstanding training in scenic art and props construction
  • Penn State scenic designers gain proficiency in contemporary digital media and traditional design presentation techniques

Sound Design

  • Coursework helps students develop the unique set of skills and talents required of sound designers
  • The sound design curriculum includes classes in the science of music, audio recording, live sound, and show control
  • Sound students design, engineer, load-in, and mix every show produced by the School of Theatre and have opportunities to work on productions for the wider University community
  • Penn State sound design alumni are currently mixing musicals on Broadway, touring nationally/internationally in music and theatre, writing music, and designing for theme parks

Technical Direction

  • Exceptional education in all aspects of scenic technology
  • Hands-on training in technical design, production management, wood working, metal working, rigging, automation, control systems, hydraulics, pneumatics, and stage machinery
  • Teaching facilities include12,000-square-foot shop and state-of-the-art rigging lab
  • Program prepares students for careers in a variety of entertainment-related fields, including theme parks, commercial scene shops, and regional theatres

Contact: Milagros Ponce de Leon 
Head, B.F.A. Theatre Design and Technology

Stage Management

  • One of the most established four-year stage management undergraduate degree programs in the country
  • Built on the principle of total immersion in the theatre
  • Coursework centers on the stage manager’s experience and training but also spans all of the design disciplines and craft classes in technical areas, as well as acting, directing, movement, and voice classes.
  • Penn State stage managers exit the program fully rounded in the theatrical experience and ready to join the profession

See it in 360º

Welcome to our studios and spaces! Each of these 360º views is a portal of sorts into the learning, performance, and design spaces in the School of Theatre!

You can click-and-drag to control the view in the frame, and there are embedded ‘links’ within the viewer that enable you to move among physical locations. By clicking the arrow icon at the footer of the viewer window, you can access the tour navigation menu, including the full screen (and you really should check these out full screen).

Painting ShopSnap Content


Theatre Technical + Shop Spaces


Pavilion TheatreSnap Content


Theatre Performance Classrooms + Stages


Considering the B.F.A. in Theatre at Penn State? Consider this.

Our alumni work in every area of theatre and live entertainment design, production, and management across the country.

  • Learn from world-class faculty with extensive industry experience.

  • From the start, you’ll get hands-on experience in state-of-the-art facilities.

  • Get involved in Penn State’s active student chapter of USITT.

Alumni Spotlight

You’ve gotta work hard to play hard. Sure, some people can skirt by without working as hard as others, but that will only take them so far.
Penn State Musical Theatre alumna Brinie Wallace

Alumni Spotlight

Brinie Wallace

B.F.A. in Musical Theatre 2016

Brinie Wallace is currently an ensemble member in the North American tour of The Book of Mormon after premiering the musical in Australia. She says her Penn State education reinforced in her the need to be “present and persistent” in the musical theatre profession, so you are ready to take on whatever challenges come your way.

Brinie Wallace, second from the right, performs as a member of the ensemble in the nationally touring Broadway production of “The Book of Mormon.” Wallace is a 2016 Penn State School of Theatre graduate. IMAGE: The Book of Mormon (c) Julieta Cervantes 2019

News from A&A

Theatre professor wins national research fellowship

Samuel Yates, assistant professor of theatre, has been awarded an ASTR research fellowship to develop a project on 18th-century actor, editor and playwright Elizabeth Inchbald.

Samuel Yates, assistant professor of theatre, has been awarded the American Society for Theatre Research's (ASTR) annual Research Fellowship to begin developing a new project, "'Mend your speech': Elizabeth Inchbald, Communication


Read More

Theatre lighting design students collaborate on off-Broadway production

For one week leading up to the Nov. 25 opening of “Lone Star,” theatre lighting design students will get hands-on experience.
Read More

College of Arts and Architecture announces fall 2023 student marshal

School of Theatre student Evelyn Murphy-Welconish has been named the fall 2023 commencement student marshal.
Read More