Capstones

Normally, students undertaking a capstone project are in their last year of the program. 

To be considered, your transcript should reflect progression through the required Theatre and Performance courses relevant to your level and area of interest, and must include at least one Production Participation course. For example, you could apply to do an acting capstone if you 1) had taken intermediate acting courses and been an actor in at least one mainstage production or 2) had taken advanced acting courses and been an ASM or a head in at least one mainstage production.

To be eligible, you must be in good academic standing.  This means that your Theatre and Performance average must be 70% or higher and your overall average 60% or higher.

A capstone project lasts one term – Fall, Winter or Spring.

You should normally have all other required courses completed.

Capstone projects are worth 1.5 academic units (or three courses). The course code is THPERF 400 in the Spring & Fall terms and THPERF 410 in the Winter term.

Course overloads are not normally permitted in your capstone term. 

You will have 2 instructors of record for your capstone. 

For the practicum contribution portion, worth 1.0 of your total academic units, you will be supervised by the instructor of record for your section (actors and assistant directors by the section 1 instructor; heads of department, stage management and designers by the section 2 instructor; and dramaturgs and writers by the section 3 instructor). You will be attending the same meet times as students in 3/416 or 3/417. As always, practicum grades are determined in consultation with all section instructors, visiting artists, and teaching staff.

For the remaining 0.5 unit, capstone students have reading, written assignments, and meetings with the capstone instructor. Grades will be assigned by the capstone instructor in consultation with your section instructor.  This portion is focused on criticism and theory, as well as the application of this theory to the contribution you are making to the production.

Once all the applications are received, each is reviewed by the Undergrad Advisor to ensure that the student is eligible to apply.

All eligible applications are then reviewed by Theatre and Performance unit faculty and staff.  The unit will assign each student to a capstone project that offers the best fit within the following criteria:

• opportunities available in productions planned for the upcoming academic year;
• availability of instructors to supervise;
• your interests as outlined in the application;
• your qualifications based on experience in previous Production Participation courses (i.e., THPERF 206, 207, 306, 307, 406, 407, 316, 317, 416, and 417) and other Theatre and Performance courses relevant to your area of interest (please note that only experience in the Theatre and Performance program is relevant);
• your learning objectives as outlined in the application;
• challenges appropriate to a capstone level project; and
• the potential of the assignment to provide you with competencies you can use after you graduate.