The Theatre School's Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in Stage Management is a blend of training in management, design, and technical skills. The four-year curriculum simulates a Stage Manager's professional experience and process. Students learn to communicate and collaborate with directors, designers, actors, and our professional staff as part of The Theatre School's Production Season. Students learn from a distinguished and award-winning faculty from diverse entertainment backgrounds, as designers, artists and technicians inside the classroom and through individual guidance and advising in production work. Stage Managers are encouraged to become familiar with all departments to become well-rounded managers.
Set the stage for your theatre career...
The Stage Management degree program offers a blend of training in the management, design and technical aspects of theatre. It simulates the professional experience and process of stage managers — teaching you to communicate and collaborate with actors, directors, and creative teams to manage all areas of production.
Participate in productions as stage managers and assistant stage managers and complete a professional internship to gain first-hand knowledge of the roles of stage managers in the theatre industry. The Theatre School offers a variety of productions, from stand-up comedy shows to musicals and everything in between, at every level of production. Students also have the opportunity to fill different roles on the stage management team to get a more well-rounded stage management experience.
Coursework includes: Costume Design, Directing, Lighting Design & Technology, Production Management, Projection Design, Scene Design & Technology, Sound Design, Stage Management, and Theatre Technology
Common career paths are stage management, production management, company management, project management, technical production, themed entertainment management, education, and business.
Graduates from the BFA Stage Management program succeed in careers across the entertainment industry including regional theatre, touring productions, opera, cruise lines, film & television, concerts and special events. These are some of the companies where Stage Management graduates from The Theatre School can be found.
BFA Stage Management Curriculum
First Year
Second Year
Third Year
Fourth Year
Liberal Studies
In addition to the major's requirements, students complete 52 quarterly credit hours (13 courses) in the university's Liberal Studies Program. Courses are taken in theatre history, writing, quantitative reasoning and technological literacy, philosophical inquiry, religious dimensions, scientific inquiry, understanding the past, multiculturalism in the United States, and electives. These liberal studies courses are scheduled during the first three years of the program.
Featured Faculty
At The Theatre School, you’ll learn from industry professionals, including designers, technicians, and production staff, both in the classroom and through production work. Christine Freeburg, the program head, has been a professional Stage Manager in Chicago and regionally for over 25 years. She brings both her experience and network to the classroom with guest lecturers from across the industry and the opportunity to observe rehearsals in some of the biggest theaters in Chicago.