Continue Aa Degree at Seattle Central

Learn to work behind the scenes in the Entertainment Industry

Intiman Theatre and Seattle Central College have partnered to offer an Associate Arts degree program, emphasis in Technical Theatre for Social Justice (TTSJ), and applications are now live! Over the course of 2 years, accepted students will work alongside Union professionals on Intiman's mainstage productions, while studying equity and social justice at the college. As an associate degree direct transfer agreement (AA-DTA), students who are interested in transferring to a 4-year collegiate program will be eligible to do so.

Intiman Theatre has partnered with the Western Washington Theatrical Training Trust and representatives from the International Alliance of Stage Employees (IATSE) local 15, 488, and 887 unions to ensure students receive the training and skills necessary to begin professional work behind the scenes in the entertainment industry.

Students will receive training in technical theatre and film elements including costumes & properties fabrication, stage lighting, electrics, projections, audio engineering, and scenic carpentry & painting, while studying topics such as contemporary moral problems, principles of environmental sustainability, and applied social and cultural change.

Applications will be accepted through the summer, and students will be accepted on a first come first serve basis. Don't wait, complete the fast and free application today! The first cohort of students began on September 27th, 2021, and applications are now being accepted for fall 2022.

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INFO SESSION

Watch a pre-recorded info session and Q&A for the Associate Arts degree program, emphasis in Technical Theatre for Social Justice at Seattle Central College. A representative from Seattle Promise was present for this event, and shared information on how this degree could be covered by funding from the city.

Highlights

• Work with a Tony A war d-winning theatre
• Learn from working professionals
• Gain hands-on experience as an a pprentice on Intiman productions
• Located in the heart of Seattle
• Free, fast and easy application
• Earn your degree in just 2 years
• Affordable! Costs less than $10,000 for most students
• Option for graduates to transfer to a 4-year University

Press

About Seattle Central College

Seattle Central College is one of three colleges in the Seattle Colleges District, located in the heart of Capitol Hill in Seattle. The college currently serves more than 15,000 people annually. It was the first community college in Seattle, and historically it has served residents of the Central District, downtown, and South Seattle.

It is the most urban campus in the state system of community colleges and plays a key role in the community identity of Capitol Hill. It is well recognized in the city for its social and political activism, and most of the major social justice movements, events, and demonstrations in the city (WTO, the occupy movement, civil rights, marriage equality) have started here or involved the Broadway campus in some way.

It is also one of the most diverse colleges in the state system, with 43% of students identifying as persons of color, and 48% being the first in their family to attend college. Student housing in the neighborhood is available.

The Performance Venues

The historic Broadway Performance Hall is a stately 295 seat theatre at the corner of Broadway and E Pine St in the heart of Capitol Hill. It features two 8-person dressing rooms, ample wing space, a 39-batten fly system, orchestra pit, and a broad stage floor.

• Ground & Section Plans
• Repertory Lighting Plot

The Erickson Theatre is a black box performance space that features 133 seats, and can be adapted to many different configurations. It features three large dressing rooms, a 50' wide stage floor, a vibrant lobby, direct access to the shop spaces, and an adaptable grid system.

• Ground Plan
• Repertory Lighting Plot

Learn More

This is a 2-year, 90-credit program ephasis that uses hands-on experiential learning to prepare students for success in behind-the-scenes storytelling. The hybrid cohort model enables students to collaborate across technical theatre disciplines while they explore social justice issues in the entertainment industry and work together to challenge the status quo.

Intiman Theatre and Seattle Central College formed this partnership to: diversify behind the scenes storytellers, and to create an accessible pathway to paid jobs for students of all ages looking to work in the Entertainment Industry.

The LA Times recently wrote:

While campaigns like #OscarsSoWhite have cast a critical light on how Hollywood has overlooked the work of actors or directors of color, activists say significant disparities remain "below the line," among the crew who staff film, television and theater productions.
These behind-scenes workers include makeup artists, grips, set decorators, film editors and other technicians are represented by various unions that remain overwhelmingly white and are often difficult to join for people of color.

This program will equip students with the skills and knowledge they need to join the work force upon graduation.

Learning Outcomes

• Gain the technical skills and experience necessary to work behind the scenes or continue on to a 4-year collegiate program
• Critically analyze traditional power structures, oppression, and privilege within the performing arts
• Create strategies and tools for empowerment, transformation, and social justice through offstage storytelling
• Collaborate and communicate effectively with those who have diverse perspectives to build solidarity within the cohort and among Intiman Theatre artists

Graduate with an AA-DTA (Associate of Arts Direct Transfer Agreement)

• Affordable – Meets the general education course requirements for most arts and sciences bachelor's degrees at more expensive institutions
• The credits you earn will easily transfer toward your bachelor's degree – Seattle Central has Direct Transfer Agreements (DTA) with most 4-year colleges and universities in Washington State
• Students complete special requirements in Integrated Studies, Communication, U.S. Culture, and Global Studies to qualify for this degree

Apprentice with Intiman Theatre

• Students learn from and work with Intiman Theatre professionals during their two years of study, including Masterclasses and hands-on learning
• Year One: students will observe Intiman's production process including attending 1st rehearsal, touring shop areas and theatrical facilities, observing a technical rehearsal, attending public performances, and participating in strike
• Year Two: students move from observer to active contributors, becoming apprentices while working on three full Intiman productions

Explore social justice issues

• Focus on equity and social justice through courses such as Contemporary Moral Problems, Critical Issues for the 21st Century, Leadership & Social Change, Diversity & Social Justice, Principles of Environmental Sustainability, Applied Social & Cultural Change, and more
• Apply learnings to technical theatre, including:
  • How to make environmentally conscious decisions in carpentry or wardrobe
  • Costuming with a cultural lens
  • Set-building with considerations for physical accessibility
  • Using lighting gels and methods that compliment skin tone

How to Apply

Seattle Central College has open enrollment. Anyone with a high school diploma or who is age 18+ can become an SCC student by filling out their fast and free online application form HERE. The Technical Theatre for Social Justice emphasis (Intiman) also has a fast and free application form HERE . Students will have to apply to both SCC and Intiman to ensure they are enrolled in the correct program.

The Intiman application can be completed relatively quickly.  It involves:

• Name & contact info
• Ranking areas of interest
• Demographics (optional)
• 3 short answer questions (200 words or less each)
  • Please detail your experience in theatre and live performance arts, specifically as it relates to working backstage and offscreen.
  • What role do you believe theatre technicians play in the fight for social justice? What does working towards equity and social justice mean to you?
  • What skills do you hope to learn while working directly with Intiman Theatre?

Seattle Central College – Main Application

Application for fall 2022 quarter is now open! Apply by August 25, 2022

Fall Quarter start date: September 26, 2022

SCC has several financial aid options available to include a monthly payment plan with zero interest. More info can be found HERE.

Student housing is available for an additional fee through Seattle Central College.

Technical Theatre for Social Justice (TTSJ) – Intiman Application

Priority deadline: August 1, 2022

The application is free and easy. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact Dr. Liz Coen, Education Director.

Seattle Promise Scholarship

Information HERE

Application HERE

Students who qualify for Seattle Promise are eligible to receive 90 credit hours of free tuition in this program.

Federal Financial Aid

FAFSA (Federal Student Aid) Application HERE

Questions or assistance, contact the SCC Financial Aid Office – FinancialAid.Central@seattlecolleges.edu or 206.934.3844

Learn more about SCC tuition costs and available waivers HERE

SCC financial aid deadline — Find out more here

FAQ

Anyone 18 years of age or older who will have graduated highschool or passed the GED exam before the start of the first term.  Prospective students who are younger than 18, but at least 16 years old may submit an underaged petition to SCC. Running Start Students who are in 11th or 12th grade may also apply for the TTSJ. Find more info on Running Start HERE.

Students will join a cohort of like-minded learners, and over the course of 2 years work together to challenge social justice issues within technical theater. They will receive training in costumes & properties fabrication, electrics, audio engineering, scenic carpentry & painting, and skills for success in the entertainment industry, as well as studying topics such as principles of environmental sustainability and applied social and cultural change. They'll learn from and network with prestigious guest speakers and working professionals, and leave the program well-prepared to enter the workforce of behind the scenes storytellers for theatre, film, TV and more.

The shops and stages Intiman uses will become the classroom, including the historic Broadway Performance Hall and the Erickson Theatre. Students will earn 15 credits while working as apprentices with Intiman mentors and IATSE union professionals. This translates to nearly 300 hands-on learning hours spent in professional shops and technical rehearsals for main stage shows!

This degree provides training and apprenticeship hours to enter the work force upon graduation, or students can direct transfer to a 4-year university. Best of all: very little debt! This degree costs less than $10,000 for most students.

The AA-DTA is an Associate of Arts degree Direct Transfer Agreement which prescribes academic requirements so that upon graduation you will meet the general education requirements of most arts and sciences bachelor's degrees to ensure the credits you earn will easily transfer to most 4-year colleges and universities.  Find out more about the AA-DTA at SCC HERE

Priority deadline is February 1st, 2022, but we will be accepting applications through the summer. Students are accepted on a first come, first serve basis. Don't delay – apply today!

The cost is different for each student depending on many factors, but the average cost of a 2-year Associate's Degree for a US citizen at SCC including tuition, fees, books and supplies is estimated to be under $10,000.  More information on these costs is available on SCC's website HERE

Yes! TTSJ students are eligible to apply for Federal Aid through the FAFSA or state aid through the WASFA. Additionally, some students may be eligible to apply for Seattle Promise. Other students may apply for a myriad of scholarships and grants. Out-of-State students can apply for reduced Tuition Waivers. SCC also offers a Deferred Payment Plan to all students who enroll in this option and pay a small fee. For more information on financial aid options visit SCC's Financial Aid website HERE

Seattle Promise provides financial support as well as ongoing college and career guidance for recent graduates of Seattle public high schools who attend Seattle Colleges. The program provides tuition support for up to 90 credit hours (enough for a 2-year degree). All Seattle public high school graduates are eligible regardless of grade point average (GPA), income, or country of birth. More information about Seattle Promise can be found HERE

Yes! You can enroll in TTSJ emphasis courses even if you already have a college degree, however you may not be able to earn the AA-DTA degree certificate as you will have likely already met the general education requirements. After completing the TTSJ emphasis, your SCC transcript will show that you have completed all of the requirements for the TTSJ. Additionally, you may not be required to take courses for which you have already met the requirements through your previous degree, although you may still elect to. Students with a previous degree should be aware that it may be more difficult to receive financial aid. For support answering additional questions, please email julieta@intiman.org

The current course structure is designed to engage students over 2 years during 6 school terms (Fall, Winter, and Spring) for a total of 90 credit hours. Some students may require additional courses or course hours.

Founded in 1893, IATSE is "The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, Its Territories and Canada." IATSE union members "work in all forms of live theater, motion picture and television production, trade shows and exhibitions, television broadcasting, and concerts as well as the equipment and construction shops that support all these areas of the entertainment industry. We represent virtually all the behind-the-scenes workers in crafts ranging from motion picture animator to theater usher." As a TTSJ student you will get to work directly with and learn from these union professionals.  Check out IATSE's website HERE

You should apply for both as close together as possible (in any order) so that our team can best track your application.

As soon as possible! You can apply for the FAFSA before or after you apply for SCC. Just remember to list Seattle Central College on the FAFSA as one of your preferred colleges. Be sure to keep track of your FAS ID which will be generated before your FAFSA application! One of the main delays in student financial aid applications is a lost FSA ID. More information on the FAFSA can be found HERE

In order to ensure Intiman can fully support students and provide them with a hands-on learning experience, the cohort will be capped at 40 students. Student acceptance priority will be determined by:

1) Understanding of social justice and commitment to Intiman's mission

2) Areas of Interest & Intiman's ability to best support student learning

3) Date of Application

Previous experience in your area of interest is welcomed, but not required.

Student photos by Joe Moore and Naomi Ishisaka.

Backstage video and photos by Marcos Everstijn.

Behind the Scenes Job Opportunities

Learn more about the many career opportunities working behind the scenes in the entertainment industry! Each of these featured artists works in Seattle, and shares their own journey working behind the scenes in television, film, theatre, concerts, and more…

Lighting

Filmmaking

Sound

Stage Hand

Director of Photography

Wardrobe & Costuming

Scenic Design & Painting

davisthatent.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.intiman.org/aa/

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