Senior Capstone Information
A senior capstone in the Department of Theater is a culminating project in which students demonstrate the knowledge and skills they have acquired throughout their undergraduate studies. As we implement this new capstone into our curricular offerings and our production season, we expect to offer a wider variety of capstone possibilities depending on the students’ specialization. For the 2026-27 season it will be limited to stage management, acting, co-directing, and design/tech.
If approved, the students will enroll in the Senior Capstone course (3 hours).
CORE COMPONENTS AND OBJECTIVES:
- A Final Exit Project: The capstone, often completed in the senior year, serves as a “final exit project” to demonstrate proficiency before graduation.
- Specialized Focus: Projects evolve from the student’s area of emphasis, such as acting, directing, design, technical production, or stage management.
- Faculty Mentorship: Students work closely with a faculty mentor who provides guidance on the scope and content of the project.
- Public Presentation: Students will present their work as part of a capstone presentation at the end of the year.
- Written Documentation: In addition to the creative work, students often submit a paper or portfolio that reflects on their process, research, and self-assessment.
CURRENT EXAMPLES OF CAPSTONE PROJECTS FOR THE 2026-27 YEAR:
Acting
- Role-Based Capstone: A student is cast in a major role in a departmental production. The capstone includes the performance, supporting paperwork, and a final paper analyzing the role.
Direction
- Directing Project: A student co-directs a department production, overseeing all aspects of the production with their faculty mentor. The capstone includes the performance, supporting paperwork, and a final paper analyzing the work.
Design
- Design Project: A student completes a comprehensive design for a department production. For example, a lighting design project might involve creating a light plot, renderings, and cueing a pre-chosen song to evoke a specific artistic concept.
Stage Management
- Stage Management: A student stage manages a department production, which includes creating all necessary paperwork and calling the show.
PREREQUISITES FOR THE SENIOR CAPSTONE FOR THE 2026-27 YEAR:
Acting
- History of being cast in a substantial role(s) in the department season before requesting a capstone
- Find a faculty member to serve as your capstone mentor and learn what is required of the capstone
Directing
- THTR 331 completed in your junior year
- Prior experience with directing (please detail in your one-page description)
- Find a faculty member to serve as your capstone mentor and learn what is required of the capstone
Stage Management
- THTR 227 or ASM a department production
- Stage manage a departmental production (either Roe Green or Kalberer)
- Find a faculty member to serve as your capstone mentor and learn what is required of the capstone
Design
- Must have taken THTR 111 and an additional design class of your chosen area (THTR 223, THTR 224, THTR 225, or THTR 226)
- Stage manage a departmental production (either Roe Green or Kalberer)
- Production work in the chosen area (board op, work in costume or scene shop, wardrobe) (work study also considered)
- Assisting a faculty designer on a department show
- Find a faculty member to serve as your capstone mentor and learn what is required of the capstone
Current sophomores and first-year students can find the prerequisites here: Expected Requirements for Future Capstones
PROCESS FOR APPLYING FOR A SENIOR CAPSTONE FOR 2026-27:
- Students can propose designing a mainstage or stage managing a departmental production, co-directing a departmental production, or performing a major role in a departmental production.
- By the end of the fall semester of their junior year, students will submit applications to create a Senior Capstone Experience (SCE).
Applications will be due by 5pm on the last day of class of the fall semester (December 5, 2025). - Applications can be found here:
- Performance Capstone: Performance Capstone Application Form
- Directing Capstone: Directing Capstone Application Form
- Design Capstone: Design Capstone Application Form
- Stage Management Capstone: Stage Management Capstone Application Form
- Applications will have to be authorized by a faculty member who will serve as mentor to the project.
- Applications will be considered by the play selection committee in conjunction with faculty sponsors concerning appropriate positions and roles.
- Students will not get to select their role or design/production responsibility as they will be assigned by the faculty in consultation with the mentor
(similar to our current casting process and design process). - Due to limited opportunities, some applications will be denied for working on the mainstage production.
- In the fall, students will receive information about expectations for their capstone, including the amount/level of work and written responses as dictated by the experience.
- Please email all forms to our Department Capstone Director at Jerrold.Scott@case.edu by December 7, 2025.