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Theatre and Entertainment Production Camp

The Theatre and Entertainment Production Camp at Point Park University offers an immersive, hands-on experience for students interested in the technical and behind-the-scenes elements of live performance. This one-week intensive introduces participants to scenic design, costumes, props, lighting, sound, and stage management through real-world theatre practices.

Students explore each production area through guided workshops, design labs, and crew rotations. From drafting scenic concepts and sewing costumes to hanging lights, running sound, and calling cues, participants gain practical experience while learning how each department collaborates to bring a production to life. Led by experienced theatre professionals and educators, the camp emphasizes creativity, safety, teamwork, and problem-solving, providing a strong foundation and a comprehensive overview of careers in technical theatre and entertainment production.

Program Details

  • Dates: Monday, July 6 - Friday, July 10, 2026 (1 week)
  • Cost: $800 (includes $700 tuition and $100 non-refundable registration fee)

 

To participate in this exciting program, students must be entering grades 9-12 as of Fall 2026 and/or be a 2026 high school graduate.  No prior experience is necessary to participate. 

This program is open to the first 15 students who complete the registration and pay their registration fee. A waitlist will be created once we reach capacity.

Students must attend both weeks to participate. Partial weeks are not offered at this time.  


Important Dates:

Residential and Commuter Check-In: Sunday, July 5 between 1 pm and 3 pm
Orientation (required for all students, optional for parents): Sunday, July 5, from 4 - 5 pm
Dinner (families are welcome): Sunday, July 5, from 5 -6 pm
Student and Staff Meet & Greet: Sunday, July 6, from 7 - 8 pm

Program Dates: Monday, July 6 - Friday, July 10, 2026

 

Daily Class Outlook: 

 

Classes will be held Monday - Friday with a 1-hour lunch break on campus.
Monday, July 6, 2025 - Orientation & Foundations
Time Activity

9:00 - 9:30 am

Welcome, Icebreakers, Program Overview

9:30 - 10:30 am

Theatre Tour: Playhouse Spaces & Backstage Areas

10:30 am - 12:30 pm

Intro to Design: Scenic, Lighting, Costume, Sound (Concept Collaboration)
12:30 - 1:30 pm RDF: Lunch
1:30 - 3:00 pm Shop Safety & Production Process
3:00 - 4:30 pm Intro to Management
4:30 - 5:00 pm Recap - Q & A

 

Tuesday, July 7, 2026 - Scenic & Paints
9:00 - 11:00 am Scenic Design - Concept and Models
11:00 am - 12:30 pm Scenic Construction
12:30 - 1:30 pm RDF: Lunch
1:30 - 3:00 pm Scenic Construction & Paints
3:00 - 5:00 pm SM Planning: Pre-Production

  

Wednesday, July 8, 2026 - Costume & Props
9:00 - 11:00 am Costume Design: Rendering, fabric selection, storytelling through clothing
11:00 am - 12:30 pm Sewing Lab
12:30 - 1:30 pm RDF: Lunch
1:30 - 3:00 pm Prop Construction and Management
3:00 - 5:00 pm SM: Rehearsals & Blocking

 

Thursday, July 9, 2026 - Lighting & Sound
9:00 - 11:00 am Lighting Design Concepts: Color theory, cue sheets, plot drafting
11:00 am - 12:30 pm Hang & Focus Lights
12:30 - 1:30 pm RDF: Lunch
1:30 - 3:00 pm Sound Lab: Microphones, playback, basic mixing
3:00 - 5:00 pm SM: Tech & Calling

 

Friday, July 10, 2026 - Technical Show & Crew Rotation
9:45 - 11:00 am Collaborative Design Session: Unify scenic, costume, lighting and sound ideas into a short production concept
10:30 - 12:30 pm Hang, Load-in, Focus, Stage
12:30 - 1:30 pm RDF: Lunch
1:30 - 3:00 pm Tech Rehearsal: cue-to-cue with rotations in crew roles (students serve as ASM, board ops, crew heads)
3:00 - 4:00 pm Tech Olympics!
4:00 - 5:00 pm Closing, Certificates, Group Photos

Payment Information:

All payments are due before the start of the program. 


Registration and payments will be handled through our easy, user-friendly online registration platform, CampDoc. 
Visa, Mastercard, Discover and Electronic Checks are accepted. Payment plans are available. Students receive a t-shirt, swag bag, and ID holder with their registration. 

Non-Refundable Registration Fee: 
A non-refundable registration fee of $100.00 is required to reserve your spot in the program. Please review our FAQs for the most up-to-date information on cancellations and refunds. 


Dorm and Meal Plan Information:
When applicable, residential students receive 3 meals on weekdays and 2 meals on weekends. Commuters receive a daily lunch buffet included in the program. All meals take place in our Lawrence Hall Dining Room.

BREAKDOWN COST
Tuition $700
Registration Fee $100
Total Commuter $800.00
Add-On: Dorm and Meals $750
Total Resident $1,550.00


Available Discounts:
1. A 30% tuition discount is currently offered to Point Park University employees, alumni, and their immediate family members. Family is defined as yourself, your spouse, and/or your children. Room and board costs are not available for this discount.

2. Enroll a participant in more than one program or register more than one child from the same family to receive $50.00 off your balance. This coupon can only be applied to one program or account.

Aaron Bollinger, M.F.A

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Aaron Bollinger came to Point Park University from Florida State University where he was an assistant professor in the technical production graduate program. Bollinger specializes in scenic automation, show control and digital media engineering for the stage. He was recently technical director for Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre and the electro-mechanical designer for many of Escape Room Pittsburgh’s immersive escape rooms.

At Point Park, Bollinger helped usher over a decade’s worth of theatre production students into the industry. He was honored to be chair of the department at the time that the Pittsburgh Playhouse transitioned into its new location on the downtown campus.

All classes will be held on campus at Point Park University in the Pittsburgh Playhouse. Experience downtown's Center for Arts and Entertainment. 

Get to know our campus!

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Address:
Point Park University
Pittsburgh Playhouse
350 Forbes Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

The option to live on campus is available to students at least 14 years old

We will do our best to fulfill roommate requests, but requests are NOT guaranteed. Students will have the opportunity to enter requests during the registration process. 

Each residence hall has multiple points of secure access to student living areas, such as keycards, access codes, and lock and key. Laundry is available for free to residential students. 

Adult Resident Assistants (current Point Park Students) live on campus to supervise students who are minors. Each RA is responsible for eight to ten minors. 

Learn more about Student Life at Point Park.

As an undergraduate student at Point Park, you’ll have access to opportunities only a world-class city can offer — and few universities can match — for a real-world, career-oriented education. Consider a B.F.A. degree in theatre arts, acting, musical theatre, or theatre production. To learn more, visit our Theatre Webpage.

Community and Summer Education Contact Information
Point Park University Pre-College Programs Logo
Email summercamps@pointpark.edu
Call 412-392-3456
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