Bachelor in Stage Management and Technical Theatre

Completing your application form

A guide on what to expect when you are filling out your application form can be found here

To begin your application to the Stage Management and Technical Theatre degree, you will have to fill out the application form. In this form, you will be invited to share your relevant experience and interest for this course. When we talk about relevant training, this is not exclusive to practical theatre experience: many students who have passed through our doors had never worked in theatre before starting at The Lir Academy! The curriculum of the course is shaped around this knowledge and you will be working side by side, equally, in your first year to learn the foundations of all that goes into making theatre happen.

Relevant training can include many things - from studying traditional art, to digital model making, having an interest in design, to working on a craft such as woodworking or knitting. All of these, and many more, can have a practical application in a theatre production - and we are inviting you to show us your creativity!

In your application form, you will also have an opportunity to share your CV and other additional content. Read below to see the skills and student profiles we are looking for in the course, and reflect on how you may be able to demonstrate these transferable skills through your application materials.

To complete the application form, select the "Apply Now" option at the top of the page. At the end of the application form, you can select your interview date and time. Please make sure you write down and save your interview appointment in your diary.

Once you submit your application, The Lir Academy's Admissions Manager will be in touch with further information within two to three weeks. Before attending your interview, you will be invited to submit your portfolio of experience and a short questionnaire relating to practical theatre knowledge.

The interview is an opportunity for you to demonstrate your passion, ability and understanding for this training and the type of work it will lead to. No previous experience in theatre is necessary - we welcome participants from all backgrounds who are committed and interested in pursuing this path.

All eligible candidates who apply before the closing date of 1st February, 2026 will be interviewed.

In your portfolio, questionnaire, and interview we are looking for you to demonstrate:

• your ability to work in a team at a high standard, in managing different obligations and responsibilities (both as a leader, and as a team member being led)
• good problem-solving skills, communication skills and willingness to engage with different subject matters
• evidence of your ability and readiness to engage with a wide variety of responsibilities, and ability to manage these
• your capacity to work under deadlines, to a high standard of organisation and awareness of shared responsibilities
• a serious commitment to pursue this line of training, and understanding of the demands of the work
  

Further guidance and tips on what to include in your portfolio will be available on your confirmation email. Submitting your portfolio at the time of application is not mandatory: you may submit the same after you receive further instruction from us.

Interview Booking and Location

Interviews for this programme are all held online, over Zoom. The link for your interview will be sent a week ahead of your scheduled date.

All times displayed on our website are GMT (Dublin time).

Equality and Diversity ​

Candidates should feel free to disclose impairment at any time during the interview process if they have not done so on their application form. Applicants with a disability who demonstrate talent and potential will be put forward to each stage of the audition process by the panel members who will not concern themselves with the implications the disability may have on subsequent training. The panel will be informed of any disclosed disability on a candidate’s application form unless the candidate has asked for the disability to be kept confidential.

• Candidates must have complete fluency in the English language
• The minimum age for admission is 17 years old (applicants must be 17 years old by the start of the academic year they are applying for)
• Students are expected to have achieved the minimum matriculation requirements for Trinity College Dublin courses, however, exceptions may be made based on the demonstration of exceptional talent and ability at interview stage.
• The standard matriculation requirements for Trinity College Dublin are pass grades in English, Mathematics, a language other than English. If you are enrolled in the Irish Education system, and complete these subjects at Foundation Level and achieve a pass grade, this is accepted.
• You are also expected to have completed a full set of valid subjects for your examination system and be eligible to graduate from the last year of secondary school in your country.
• Full details of the specific matriculation requirements for the country you're applying from are available on Trinity's website.

No experience is necessary for this course, however we do ask that students are able to demonstrate a passion, creative ability and understanding of the type of work this training leads to.

Please note, acceptance onto the course is at the discretion of The Lir Academy. If The Lir Academy feels for whatever reason that a participant is not suitable for the course, they will not be accepted. All decisions are final and not subject to appeal.

Year 1

In the first year, you will build a strong base of skills. This allows students to choose their career path in year two and year three, when taking roles of higher responsibility.

The year starts with a six-week set of introduction classes in key skills and safety, then progresses to work on The Lir Academy’s ten annual theatrical productions and two fully produced short films.

In your first year, you will work on The Lir Academy productions as crew. This is designed to give students practical experience and a broad grounding in theatre skills.

You will work on each production in a different area, passing through six-week rotations in your foundational training as crew, including:

• Technical Theatre: Sound and Lighting Technologies
• Set Construction & Installing
• Costume
• Scenic Art & Prop Making
• Film Technology

Through a combination of taught skills and practical classes, students will also learn about and work on the following:

• Production Management
• Stage Management
  
• Fundamental Skills certification: Access (working at heights), Electrical Safety, Fire Training, Manual Handling, among others
• Technical & Software skills: CAD - Computer Aided Design, Technical Drawing, Administration Skills (bookkeeping, report-making)
• Professional Development: Industry Talks, Site Visits to Theatres and engagement with theatrical supply companies.

Year 2

The aim of the second year of the course is to enable students to apply skills acquired in their first year. You will work on a series of theatre productions directed and designed by professional theatre practitioners as a student ‘Head of Department’ (HOD).

Students will work on four productions and a film over the year in a variety of roles. Selection of these options will be made in consultation with the Director of Technical Training through regular tutorials.

Accompanying this is a six week block of classes that where you will cover:

• Life and career skills through Professional Development
• Production Management
• Stage Management
• Theatre History and further work in academic writing skills

Throughout the various productions that happen in The Lir Academy, students in their second year will have a chance to take on some of the following Head of Department roles below, depending on their chosen electives. When taking on any of the roles below, students will be responsible for that department's crew.

Stage Management

Stage Manager, Assistant Stage Manager, Company Stage Manager, Deputy Stage Manager, Technical Stage Manager.

Theatre Technologies

Working closely with the professional lighting and sound designers on a production, students will be required to realise their design for a final year Bachelor (Hons) in Acting production. Other roles also include responsibility and oversight of the venue.

Lighting

Production Electrician, Chief LX, Lighting Programmer

Sound

Sound Design Coordinator, Sound Design Assistant, Head of Sound Department,

Construction Roles

Set Construction Supervisor, Head of Set Department

Scenic Art & Prop Roles

Scenic Supervisor/Coordinator, Scenic Artist, Prop Coordinator, Prop Maker

Costume Roles

Costume Supervisor, Costume

Assistant Production Manager & Technical Stage Manager

Students who opt for this option will work with the production manager on the management of an entire production process for one of the final year Bachelor in Acting productions.

Specialised Roles

Based around the productions being hosted several other roles may become available to students.

Year 3

In year three students will get two further heads of department (HOD) roles on Lir Academy productions and undertake work placements with prominent theatre companies, festivals and industry related companies in order to further develop their chosen area of specialism. Past students have worked on placement at the Abbey Theatre, the Gate Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company, Dancing With the Stars, Macnas and more.

Students will also be required to develop a fully original research project in the form of a dissertation. Research projects will be assigned according to the preferred career choice of each individual student. These projects can be theoretical or practical in nature. For example, writing a research paper on a chosen topic, or designing the sound for a theatre production. Students will be encouraged to keep a journal of reflective practices throughout their final year.

A series of elective specialised classes will cover the areas of Stage Management, Lighting Technology, Costume, Sound Technology, Prop Making, Set Construction, Scenic Art & Production Management; students will be required to complete further compulsory modules in Professional Development, Dissertation Writing and Physical Health.

Students admitted to The Lir Academy will also be admitted to Trinity College Dublin and therefore the fees policy of Trinity will apply, as follows:

Higher Education Authority - Free Fees Initiative

Tuition fees for EU students who have not previously studied at degree level are paid by the Irish Exchequer. The student pays a Student Contribution fee. For the academic year 2025/26, this contribution is set at €3,000. This may change for the academic year 2026/2027, depending on Government decision.

Students are also required to pay an additional fee for Student Levies & Charges (SLC) (€311) upon registration.

If a student is awarded a Local Authority grant, the Student Levies & Charges (SLC) fee will be paid by the Local Authority.

There is more information on the criteria for determining eligibility for the Free Fees Initiative on Trinity's website.

Fee Status
If an EU student is not eligible for the Free Fees Initiative, the total cost is €9,550 (2025/26) per year.

A breakdown of undergraduate EU fees can be found on Trinity's website.

To determine your fee status, read below. You can also consult the resources provided by Trinity College to determine your fee status:

Undergraduate Students

Eligibility Reckoner

EU Fees Eligibility

A student is considered eligible for EU fees if they meet the following criteria:

1. is ordinarily resident¹ in the EU²

AND

• has received full-time post primary education

AND/OR

• has worked full-time³ in the EU for three of the five years immediately preceding admission to Trinity

2. Or is a person who has

• official refugee status⁴ or has been granted humanitarian leave to remain in the State

AND

• has been ordinarily resident in the EU² for three of the five years immediately preceding admission to Trinity.

Important notes:

1. For students aged under 23, the student's parent(s) must also have been ordinarily resident in an EU Member State for three of the five years prior to the student's entry to Trinity.

2. EU, EEA countries (Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein), Swiss Confederation or United Kingdom.

3. Where an applicant can show that they have been in receipt of social welfare payments this may be taken in lieu of full-time employment.

4. Applicants who have written confirmation that they have been allowed to come to Ireland as part of the family re-unification scheme may also be eligible.

5. The Admissions Team may contact some applicants to seek supporting documentation regarding their EU/non-EU status.

6. Children of emigrants may be assessed as EU applicants if they can provide documentary evidence of having completed 5+ years of primary and/or secondary education in the EU/EEA/Swiss Confederation or United Kingdom, and have no previous third-level attendance.

Non-EU Fees

If you do not satisfy the criteria for EU Fees, then you must pay non-EU Fee rate, regardless of nationality or citizenship (€ 24,760 - AY 2025/26).

Students classified for fee purposes as non-EU will not be permitted to change their fee status following admission. This fee includes tuition fees and the SLC fee.

A breakdown of undergraduate non-EU fees can be found on Trinity's website.

Annual Review of Tuition fees and other charges by Trinity College Dublin:

Please note, tuition fees and other charges are subject to annual review by Trinity College Dublin which may result in a fee increase each year. All students (undergraduate and postgraduate, EU & non EU) on courses/programmes of study of more than one year should be aware that tuition fees and other charges may be subject to increase annually.

The annual revision is approved by Trinity’s Committee and College Board and typically increase by approximately 3% per annum or more in any given year.

The undergraduate EU rate of tuition and student contribution is set by the Department of Education and Skills.

The Lir Academy Student Bursary Fund is open to all EU students who have been offered a place on the Undergraduate Bachelor in Acting, Undergraduate Bachelor in Stage Management and Technical Theatre or any of the Postgraduate courses at The Lir Academy, National Academy of Dramatic Art, or are already studying here.

Students can apply for the bursary once a place has been offered on one of the above courses. The Lir Academy Academic Administration team will be in touch with further details on the Bursary following admission to the course and acceptance of a formal offer from Trinity College.

The Lir Academy Virtual Tour is available HERE. But first, make sure you're familiar with a few ground rules that will help you get the most out of this experience!

1. On the bottom left-hand corner you will find a play button.

You can press that button if you want to be taken to the building automatically, or you can just click through the building to move at your own pace. To move through the building, click on the walls, floor, or use the shortcut links to go directly to a selected part of the building.

2. Throughout the tour you will be guided by our students' voice-overs and have the option to watch videos and photo selections that will transport you straight into life at The Lir Academy. Here's a map for finding your way around this material:

• The purple buttons are voice-overs.
• The red buttons are videos and photo slideshows.
• The green buttons will present you will give some information you may not have known about The Lir Academy.
• At a few different points throughout the building, the green dots will present you with a shortcut to a different area of the building

3. Please note that if you have virtual reality glasses, you can use them to physically walk through the building. All you have to do is click the "View in VR" symbol on the bottom right-hand corner.

5. Want to share your excitement with your friends and family? You can click the share button on the bottom right-hand corner and help us spread the word on social media!

But most of all, enjoy your virtual tour of The Lir Academy!

Download the course handbook here