THEA 297: Summer Concert Touring Production Practicum

Citrus College Course Outline of Record

Citrus College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Fall 2024
Credits: 4
Total Contact Hours: 180
Lecture Hours : 18
Lab Hours: 0
Hours Arranged: 162
Outside of Class Hours: 36
Total Student Learning Hours: 216
Prerequisite: Interview.
Transferable to CSU: No
Transferable to UC: No
Grading Method: Standard Letter

Catalog Course Description

A course in the technical execution of a live concert performance. 18 lecture hours, 162 lab hours arranged.

Course Objectives

  • analyze the relationship of the touring technician with the production team in order to understand their role with the lighting designer, sound engineer and the rest of the concert team.
  • examine the role of the lighting designer in order to understand the responsibilities of the concert technician
  • experiment with a variety of intelligent lighting instruments and consoles in order to understand the lighting programmer's responsibility
  • inspect and assess the maintenance and repair of various intelligent lighting consoles and sound equipment in order to understand how each unit operates.
  • assess the capabilities of an intelligent light console by setting up and programming a variety of units for a concert in order to offer lighting designers a range of options
  • understand the logistics in planning, setting up and traveling a concert series.

Major Course Content

  1. Learn the basic and advanced steps in concert touring through the use of various equipment and their traveling capabilities.
  2. Apply project management skills to coordinate and execute a concert tour outside the college boundaries.
  3. Learn the basic and advanced steps in programming a lighting rig using an intelligent lighting console.
  4. Analyze and dissect various intelligent lighting console types and their application for live events. 
  5. Dissect and understand the various capabilities of scanners and moving heads and their use in live events.
  6. Dissect and understand the various capabilities of LED fixtures.
  7. Compile and understand the use of control protocols for live events. 
  8. Analyze and understand the steps of troubleshooting lighting consoles while in production mode.
  9. Learn the basic and advanced steps in setting up a sound rig.
  10. Analyze and dissect various sound console types and their application for live events.
  11. Dissect and understand the various capabilities of amps and speakers and their use in live events.
  12. Compile and understand the use of sound control methods for live events.
  13. Analyze and understand the steps of troubleshooting sound consoles while in production mode.

Hours Arranged Content

  • The application of class lecture content for the manipulation of intelligent lighting instruments through an intelligent console.
  • Programming various intelligent lighting control consoles.
  • Intelligent lighting crew work.    
  • Rigging a lighting plot with intelligent lights for a variety of situations and venues.
  • Designing and programming a small concert and theatrical production.
  • Control protocol signal path. 
  • Dissection of intelligent lighting console.
  • Troubleshooting procedures.
  • Repair procedures.
  • Maintenance procedures.
  • The application of class lecture content for the manipulation of sound by setting up at various concert venues.
  • Sound crew work.    
  • Rigging a sound system for a variety of situations and venues.
  • Control protocol signal path. 
  • Dissection of sound consoles.

Suggested Reading Other Than Required Textbook

PLSN (Projection, Lights and Staging News) Industry magazine
Concert Tour Production Management John Vassey ISBN-13: 978-0240802350
Electricity for the Entertainment Electrician & Technician Richard Cadena ISBN-13: 978-0240809953
Concert Sound and Lighting Systems John Vassey ISBN-13: 978-0240803647

Examples of Required Writing Assignments

Interview a venue electrical engineer and write a 10 page paper on your findings.
Interview a concert lighting designer and sound engineer and write a 10 page paper on your findings.

Examples of Outside Assignments

Attend a professional concert tour rig load in and strike.
Interview a venue electrical engineer
Interview a concert lighting designer and sound engineer. Visit concert tour venues.

Instruction Type(s)

Lab, Lecture, Online Education Lab, Online Education Lecture