Certificate of Achievement  
Technical Theater

"Completing the CTE program at Las Positast is probably one of the best decisions I've ever made. Through the program, I was able to build skills in so many different facets of theatre,  and they translated seamlessly when I was presented with opportunities outside of Las Positas. Through the CTE program and it's team of educators who are also working professionals in their fields, I was able to find my first paid job in theatre, and now I get to employ the skills I've learned as a professional Bay Area Stage Manager. I cannot recommend it highly enough to anyone who's looking to get their foot in the door of this industry." - Christian Tanton (2018)

What does the CTE Certificate  of AchievEment program
do for me?

• Acts as a step in the progress towards your AA-T degree and onward!
• Earns you a certificate is just 3 semesters!
• Trains you as a stage tech. Typical jobs include:  lighting operator, scenic painter, stage manager, sound operator, design assistant, or stage hand. 
• Gets you internships and entry level paying positions in the technical theater field, freeing you up to earn money in the fields you love.
• Our alumni are currently working with Livermore Shakespeare Festival, The Bankhead, Douglas Morrison Theater, Bay Area Musicals, City of Pleasanton, Bay Area Children's Theater, and more!

 

This program prepares students, through coursework and hands on experience, for work in technical theater. The certificate includes a wide range of topics designed to give students basic skills and knowledge to work behind the scenes in theater and other venues. 

We house our program in a beautiful $40mil state of the art performance facility with three theaters (a 450-seat proscenium, a black box, and a newly renovated outdoor amphitheater with seating capacity for over 1,000), a costume shop, scene shop, and rehearsal studio.​

Required Courses for a Certificate 

Intro to Dramatic Arts (Theater History), Intro to Technical Theater, Stagecraft, Lighting Design, Costume Design, Technical Theater in Production A-D, and Bay Area Theater Appreciation! 

Program Map for Strategic & Specific Planning

Course Sequence (Recommended)

Courses	Name	Units	Typical Offering
THEA 50	Stagecraft	3	Fall
THEA 48A	Technical Theater in Production - Beg.	3	Fall/Spring
THEA 10	Introduction to Dramatic Arts	3	Fall
THEA 48B	Technical Theater in Production - Inter.	3	Spring
THEA 48C	Technical Theater in Production - Adv.	3	Summer
	12 units from the following Electives:
MUS 35	Music Technology	3
THEA 48D	Technical Theater in Production - Capstone	3
THEA 50L	Introduction to Stage Lighting	3
THEA 51	Introduction to Costume Design	3
THEA 52	Introduction to Design	3
WLDT 70	Introduction to Welding	2

Total Units Required: 27                  Semesters for Completion: 3 

 

Helpful Information 

• Technical Theater Certificate of Achievement
• Careers in the Theater Arts (pdf)

WITH OVER 31,000 EMPLOYERS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA REQUIRING TRAINED EMPLOYEES IN THE TECHNICAL THEATER FIELD, THIS CERTIFICATE WOULD QUALIFY STUDENTS TO BE AIDES IN THE PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENT.