Bachelor in Stage Management and Technical Theatre

Complete the application form and within two weeks the admissions manager will contact you to arrange an interview date and time.

Everyone who applies for this course will be interviewed.

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 experience necessary.

Year 1

First year builds a strong base of skills which allows students to choose their career path in year two and year three. 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.

Students work on Lir Academy productions as crew. This is designed to give students practical experience and a broad grounding in theatre skills.

Training as crew includes:

• Technical Theatre
• Set Construction
• Costume Department
• Scenic Art & Prop Making
• Film

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

• Access Training
• CAD - Autocad - Computer Aided Design
• Electrical Safety
• Film Classes
• Writing Skills
• Physical Health
• Meet the industry
• Prop Making
• Stage Craft
• Stage Management

Year 2

The aim of the second year of the course is to enable students to apply skills acquired in their first year to 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 chosen in consultation with the Director of Technical Training through regular tutorials.

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

• Life and career skills through Professional Development
• Further work in CAD
• Further work in Prop Making
• Set design
• Costume Design
• Lighting Design
• Sound Design
• AV - Video technology
• Production Management
• Further work in Physical Health
• Theatre History and further work in writing skills

The roles students undertake in their second year are:

Stage Management in Production

Students will be assigned in the role of Stage Manager, Deputy Stage Manager, or a Film role and Assistant Stage Manager in two of the final year productions of the Bachelor in Acting degree.

Production electrician / Chief LX

Working closely with a professional lighting designer, students will be required to realise a lighting design in the studio theatre.

Sound Design Coordinator

Working closely with the professional director and or Sound Designer of one of the final year Bachelor in Acting productions, students will be responsible for researching, collaborating on, and recording the sound design for the production.

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.

Prop Maker/Supervisor

Working closely with the Technical Manager, Stage Manager and Deputy Stage Manager, students will be responsible for designing and making props to a professional standard for use in one of the final year Bachelor in Acting productions.

Costume supervisor

Students will work closely with the professional Costume Designer and will be responsible for the oversight of the costume department of a final year academy production.

Scenic Construction Roles

Working alongside the set designer students will realise the construction and fit up of a theatre set on one of the final year Bachelor in Acting productions.

Scenic Artist

Working alongside the set designer students will realise the scenic paint and texture finish of a theatrical set on one of the final year Bachelor in Acting productions.

Film/TV

Students will work in a technical capacity in the production of a short film. The process will replicate the working environment of film or television recording.

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 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.

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 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. As well as compulsory classes in Professional Development, dissertation writing and Physical Health.

• Candidates must have complete fluency in the English language
• The minimum age for admission is 17
• 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 natural talent at auditions.
• The standard matriculation requirements are pass grades in English, Mathematics, a language other than English, and a full set of valid subjects for your examination system.
• 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 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.

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

Free Fees

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; €3,000 and additional student levies and charges (€191.75).

If a student is awarded a Local Authority grant, the Student Services Fee will be paid by Local Authority. The Sports Centre and USI Levy must be paid by ALL students.

There is more information on the criteria for determining eligibility for free on Trinity's website.

EU Fees

If an EU student is not eligible for free fees, the total cost is €9,550 (2023/24) per year.
A breakdown of undergraduate EU fees can be found on Trinity's website.

Non-EU Fees

If you do not satisfy the criteria for Free Fees or EU Fees then you must pay non-EU Fees; €23,650 (2023/24) regardless of nationality or citizenship. Students classified for fee purposes as non-EU will not be permitted to change their fee status following admission. This fee includes tuition fees, sports centre charge, USI levy and the commencement 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 (commencement/graduation fee, sports centre charge and USI levy) 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, National Academy of Dramatic Art, or are already studying here.

Students can apply for the bursary once a place has been offered on the course.

Download the course handbook here