Introduction to Stagecraft
MIT's hands-on course in the tools and techniques of theatrical production, taught through OpenCourseWare. Rather than focusing on design, the course trains students in artisanship: woodworking, metalwork, rigging, and period craft skills used backstage. Past final projects include a Renaissance hourglass blown in the MIT glass shop and mounted in a lathe-turned frame, a four-harness loom a student built and then wove cloth on, chain mail tunics and coifs, and electrified period lighting fixtures. Materials include the course's syllabus, project guidelines, and shop safety and technique instruction as delivered at MIT. The course runs each spring and fall for MIT students, and the OCW site makes its structure and assignments available for free self-study, though there is no certificate or instructor feedback for outside learners. It suits anyone wanting a concrete, tool-based introduction to building for the stage.