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THE200 Practicum - Let's Make Theatre

If you love doing theatre OR if you want to try it out, sign up for a Theatre 200 Practicum!

Theatre 200 is a one-credit experiential learning practicum available for any Miami student. 

  • You don't need to be a theatre major or minor
  • You select the area of theatre in which you want to participate. 

If you are an actor, you'll audition. If cast, we will enroll you in THE200.

If you are a designer, technician, stage manager, or dramaturg you'll fill out an application form, meet with a member of our staff to go over specific requirements, and we will enroll you in THE200.

Performance and Directing

To earn a 200 as an actor, you need to audition and be cast in a production. Our audition page lists casting opportunities. Auditions are usually at the start and end of the fall semester. Our typical rehearsal period lasts six weeks, with rehearsals weeknights between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.

If you are interested in directing opportunities, contact Lewis Magruder.

Build Crews

Our build crews focus on specific areas of stagecraft:

  • building scenery
  • painting scenery
  • making costumes
  • hanging and focusing lights
  • props management and construction, etc. 

Students generally choose one area per semester. These lab spaces are open weekday hours, so scheduling happens around your class schedule. Usually you'll work a few hours a week throughout the whole semester on multiple shows and projects.

See availability and sign up »

Running Crews

These crews make the technical elements of our shows run during performance. The run crews include

  • board operators
  • follow spot operators
  • stage crew (shifting scenery)
  • wardrobe crew (organizing costume racks and helping with quick changes)
  • Props run (setting up prop tables, prop prep, etc)

These positions work on one show only, for about ten days of evening and weekend hours. 

See availability and sign up »

Design

Opportunities are available for scenic, costume, lighting, sound, and hair+makeup designers as both lead designers and assistants. These are for folks more interested in  conceptualization, design, and planning more so than the actual making of stuff for the show (though that might be part of the responsibility depending on the show and the design).

Designers work on a specific show, and begin a semester before the show opens. More information on design opportunities and expectations »

Management

We assign a student stage manager to each of our productions, and either one or two assistant stage managers.

Stage managers typically start work a semester a show opens, attending design and production meetings and organizing auditions.

Stage managers and assistants also attend five to six weeks of evening rehearsals five nights a week. More on Stage Management »

Dramaturgy and Writing

Dramaturgs help the production team and the audience better understand the world of the play through research and writing. Sometimes this takes the form of program notes or lobby displays, sometimes through facilitation of connected programming or talkbacks. Some dramaturgs join a production team a semester before the production opens, and some join the semester of the production.

We also give credit to student playwrights when we produce a fringe festival or similar type of programming.

Front of House

If you are interested in marketing, audience development, or educational outreach, this may be a good 200 for you. The lab markets theatre productions through social media features, interviews, and creative campaigns.

The lab meets once a week for the full semester, with most work done with individual timelines. It is very flexible in terms of time commitment.

Independent Artist Series

If you apply to be part of the Independent Artist Series, you will earn a unique THE 200 as part of that company. You will serve multiple functions as a member of a creative company of artists.

Theatre Majors and Minors

Majors need to complete SIX practicum experiences in THE 200 or 400 to graduate, and minors need to complete TWO.

No more than three 200's in any one area may count towards the practicum requirement. If you get cast six times, you can get six 200 credits in Performance (200A), but only THREE will count towards your theatre degree. The other three will count towards the total 124 credit hours you need to graduate.You will need to do three more 200's in other areas to finish the theatre degree.

You CAN do more than one 200 in a semester. Just not in the SAME AREA.

Department of Theatre

Make Theatre. Make a Difference.