# Will I be pigeonholed?



## cvanp (Jan 20, 2008)

Hey all,

I've been applying to colleges and all (Ithaca is my top choice at the moment) but I got to thinking about what I'm applying for.

I'm applying for Theatre Production Design, which is what I really want to do, however I'm afraid that with a Design degree it might be difficult to get jobs in theatre production. Is this at all the case? I can't imagine it's easy to find a job in Theatre Production Design straight out of college but I bet standard production jobs might be more plentiful.

Are my fears legit or unfounded?

Thanks,


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## Footer (Jan 20, 2008)

Actually, you will get the reversed of pigeonholed. You will be expected to work "technician/carp/labor" type jobs. Very rarely does a bachelors degree lead to design work strait out of school. An undergrad degree in design SHOULD be laying the groundwork for you to go to grad school and spend 2-4 years in an emphasis. I always warn against someone going to undergrad and spending all 4 years in the same field. Undergrad is there to test the waters, you should be doing as much as possible in as many different areas as possible. You will do a ton of technician type jobs, and really thats what you will be doing when you get out. You really are not graduating with a degree in design, and if design is all they are teaching you I would suggest looking at another school. I know Ithaca does not just teach design. People will not expect great design work out of you unless you either have some serious "street cred" or a MFA. 

On the other side, with a BA or BFA or BS you should know the nuts and bolts of whatever field you want to later pursue. To be a costume designer you first must know how to be a cutter/draper and stitcher, to be an LD, you first must know how to be an P.E., to be a scenic designer, you need to at first be a TD. You do not need to be a great technician to be a designer at all, but you at least need to know how to communicate with one and the only way to figure that out is to do the job yourself.


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## icewolf08 (Jan 20, 2008)

cvanp said:


> Hey all,
> I've been applying to colleges and all (Ithaca is my top choice at the moment) but I got to thinking about what I'm applying for.
> I'm applying for Theatre Production Design, which is what I really want to do, however I'm afraid that with a Design degree it might be difficult to get jobs in theatre production. Is this at all the case? I can't imagine it's easy to find a job in Theatre Production Design straight out of college but I bet standard production jobs might be more plentiful.
> Are my fears legit or unfounded?
> Thanks,


Ithaca is pretty good about making sure that you don't pigeon-hole yourself. They make sure that you get exposed to all departments, and they try not to focus you in too tightly until your junior and senior years. Also, since the theatre department is part of the school of Humanities and Sciences you have a pretty good list of gen-ed requirements.

As others have said, the degree in design won't be a hinderance to you. You will come out of school with the technical skills to take production jobs.


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## cvanp (Jan 20, 2008)

Awesome! Thanks for the responses guys, it makes me much more comfortable now.

Here's to a future of theatre production...


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