New CRTC Program: Stagecraft

New CRTC Program: Stagecraft

On Monday night, May 10, the Instructional Committee of the Concord School Board voted to recommend to the entire School Board that the CRTC offer Stagecraft as a new CTE program beginning in 2016/2017.

We’ve been pondering a program of this nature for years given the strong support for the performing arts in all the communities we serve.  Our initial focus was acting and directing, but our CRTC Community Theater Program Task Force focused us on stagecraft (also called technical theater), which includes sound, lighting, costumes, sets, and props.  The task force determined that actors were being provided more than enough opportunities presently and students who were interested in stagecraft did not have many (if any) formal opportunities to explore and expand their skills.

To establish Stagecraft as a full CTE program we are working on the following three major program elements:

• Post-Secondary Relationships - Both UNH and Plymouth State have expressed interest in forming a dual enrollment relationship (it cannot be formalized until after our first year).  Numerous stagecraft courses are part of any theater major’s core college expectations.
• Industry Partners - There are so many potential partners, including performance auditoriums in most of our high schools, as well major theaters in the area.  We were also pleased to have Steve Martin, from the Capital Center of the Arts, as a member of our task force.  They will certainly partner with us.
• Industry Certificates - There are a number of which we are exploring.

We will spend the summer and fall fleshing out more details and then start to market the new program in January, 2016.  Please contact us to learn more and/or to have input in the process.