Design and Production Grad Spotlight: Tina Chu
Performance at The Creative School focuses on preparing our graduates with a range of skills they can use to succeed in any industry. For Performance Design and Production, students explore all facets of production design, including costume, scenery, lighting, digital media, and sound, while gaining hands-on experience participating in live performances and industry collaborations. With graduation on the horizon, we are focusing on the different paths our students take upon graduating.
Upcoming Performance Design and Production grad, Tina Chu reflects on her experiences in the program.
“What surprised me the most about Design and Production was learning how many diverse opportunities there are in the live entertainment industry."
During my time at Performance, I had the chance to explore so many different areas of production. Some of my favorite classes included Circus Stage Management, Health & Safety, and Show Systems Engineering. One of the highlights was ASMing (Assistant Stage Managing) and making my acting debut in one of the Studio Theatre projects, Hookman! I loved discovering that being a Stage Manager could also be a creative role, not just a logistical one.
What surprised me most was how many diverse opportunities there are in the industry. A big takeaway from my time here is the importance of organization. If I could give my first-year self advice, it would be: do your work early and find an email system that works for you (mine is that I have to answer it right away or else it will never get answered). I would also tell my first-year self that it is okay to make mistakes because that is the only way to learn. In a more academic stance, take more liberal studies courses early on (in year 1 & 2) so you can dive deeper into professional electives (like Circus Stage Management or Show Systems Engineering) later!
The final bow from fourth year actors in Hookman, where Tina was the Assistant Stage Manager.
Photo by Dahlia Katz.
“Looking ahead, one of my biggest dreams is to work in live music. Whether it's stage managing or even just loading confetti into a canon, I would love to be part of a BTS concert production. Live performance brings me so much joy, and I can't wait to be a part of it professionally.”