From arena concerts to Broadway to Disney World, the stage keeps growing. The spectacle of stage production is a rising business and why Texas Christian University’s College of Fine Arts is working in conjunction with the university to develop and launch a Bachelor of Fine Arts in stage, event and production management this fall.  

“Whether it’s running arenas or performing arts centers, students will be able to take this degree and apply it to all types of industry,” said Jeff Cochran, assistant professor, who came to TCU this year to build the program. “If you want to do musical theatre and plays, this degree will get you there. If you want to get into large-scale corporate events or venue management, this degree will get you there.” 

To help high school students see themselves in this type of career, Cochran and Broadway Dallas staff hosted a workshop in January with about 30 North Texas students. “Behind the Curtain: The Art of Calling the Show” gave participants a taste of what it takes to be in stage, event and production management. 

Cochran and Eric Tysinger of Broadway Dallas, which produces the High School Musical Theatre Awards, and Theatre TCU students put on a mock technical rehearsal at the workshop.  

“They got a complete arc of what it means to call a show,” Cochran explained. “That started with how a technical rehearsal goes and concluded with the actual calling of a real show.” 

The workshop was a first for TCU, with plans for more.  

“It’s much more common to find these types of workshops for performance students but not for technically based students,” Cochran said. “It was a great way for us to be a community partner, plus it helped us get out the word about our new program.”  

Broadening the Meaning of Storytelling
The goal is to launch the new BFA in the fall. The curriculum of  is set to focus on stage management, technical production and theatrical design. Cochran said the shows the university produces will serve as labs for these skill sets. 

Cochran will be leading student recruitment efforts. Much of the draw may be the technical aspect.  

“Technology has evolved and there’s a need for specialization,” he said. “Today, there’s all this automation, moving lights and video walls. When you go see a Broadway show or to a large corporate event, these aren’t just speakers or performers getting on stage. You’re going to see a spectacle.” 

Providing classroom study with hands-on technical experience will prepare TCU students for careers beyond theatre, he noted. 

“Students want to be storytellers. Now, we can broaden what storytelling means and the different types of stories that we want to tell,” Cochran said. “What we’re building here will give them an opportunity to work in every aspect of the industry, whether it is in a New York kind of Broadway world or whether it’s at Disney.” 

-Susan Green