MAJOR

Live Experience Design & Production

From rock concert stage design to immersive installation art, experience designers use creative technology to engage the senses and stimulate emotional reactions to performers, stories, and environments.

In this four-year progressive program, you’ll learn the technical, design, and management areas of live events including production, lighting design and technology, live sound, and live visuals. You’ll also learn the business of live events in areas like theater, live music, concert touring, and corporate and sporting events. Through a core curriculum in art/design history, theory, technology, hands-on studio work, and practical field experience, you’ll gain foundational knowledge of the skills used in experience design.

World-class Collaboration

The College collaborates with the Academy of Live Technology on the Rock Lititz campus in Lititz, PA. Most recently, graduates from the UK-based ALT have worked on shows from the West End stage to Hollywood film production to the global tours of such musical giants as Beyonce & Jay-Z, and Ed Sheeran.

As a student at PCA&D, you’ll work with world-renowned professionals from the Academy of Live Technology (ALT) at Rock Lititz and receive cutting-edge instruction using the latest technologies.

Need help with your Portfolio?

PCA&D requires all students interested in our BFA degree program to have a portfolio review in a variety of media. Sign up to attend a free, week-long online workshop that will help you prepare a portfolio for admission to PCA&D.

Portfolio requirements

Workshop Dates & registration

our program

Why LiveX at PCA&D?

The BFA in Live Experience Design & Production at PCA&D strikes a balance between theory and practice, preparing you to be a creative, contemplative problem-solver and experience designer. Through teamwork and mentorship, you’ll acquire firsthand experience, knowledge of the industry, and concrete skills you can carry with you into a wide range of professional practices after graduation.

Starting in your Sophomore year, you’ll take courses in the major at ALT’s world-class facilities at Rock Lititz. The Rock Lititz Campus is 96 acres of state-of-the-art facilities, custom fit to support innovative productions of all kinds. You’ll gain professional experience at an internship site and complete a year-long senior studio, culminating in the creation of an interactive experiential environment as part of PCA&D’s Senior Show.

Did we mention, you’ll learn in the #1 best small city to live in the U.S., and a vibrant arts-rich environment of more than 125 galleries and creative spaces?

Explore classes

Scholarships available

Four scholarships will be awarded to the Fall 2023 incoming class, courtesy of the humanitarian organization, “Just a Bunch of Roadies“. The scholarships are in memory of two industry professionals who were giants in the field of live events production, Lori Tierney and John Campion.

Customize your program

At PCA&D students have the opportunity to explore multiple interests by incorporating a minor or certificate into their major studies. Expanding your skill sets to cross disciplines will make you more appealing to future employers and broaden your potential career path.

Minors and Certificates

careers

Where could your creative life take you?

Real-world experiences in and out of the classroom are opportunities to network and work with others in their fields, making connections that can lead to lifelong mentors or even pre-graduation job offers. Here you will build skill sets allowing you to land positions in:

Advertising Consultants
Production Manager
Tour Manager
Lighting Programmer

Sound Engineer
Stage Manager
Lighting Designer
Video & Content Designer

Artist Liaison
Experience Designer
Technical Manager
Video Production Manager

where are Alumni now?

PCA&D students find work in a wide variety of fields and with prestigious companies and organizations nationally and all over the world.

Mak Sherrid ’24 starting to make his mark in the costume industry

For Mak Sherrid, work isn’t just work. It’s a sense of childlike wonder, and a chance to use his creative skills in costuming to bring that wonder to a wide audience. Whether it’s his day job as Assistant Director of Costume at the award-winning Dutch Wonderland theme park, or his

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Department faculty

A faculty of working professionals

As experienced working professionals with strong ties to resources and opportunities in the field, your faculty assign competitive, real-world projects to enhance your portfolio with professional work well before you graduate.

Alexandra Leonhart, Department Chair

Alexandra is the Director of Aesthetic Technologies at PCA&D. Her specializations include sound and visual technologies, 3D fabrication equipment, and electronic hardware design for artists. Inspired by the process of material investigation, Alexandra creates devices exploring the intersection of physical computing and simple artificial interpretations forming complex relations of light, sound, and mechanical movement.

Katie earned her BA from Skidmore College in English Literature and Theatre Arts, and her MA from the University of Chicago with a concentration in English Literature and Theater & Performance Studies. Katie’s academic interests include Early Modern Drama, History of the Book, and Theater and Performance Theory. Katie has a background in classical acting and has trained at institutions such as Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, MA. She has also worked as a dramaturg in Chicago.

Mike has been involved in theatre of one form or another for most of his life, from actor to stagehand to technical director and scenic designer. He is currently the Entertainment Technology Support Manager at Millersville University. I earned a Master of Science in Technology and Innovation with a concentration in Education from Millersville University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from Adelphi University. He loves to play harmonica, sing with my kids, and cook.

Brittany is a passionate storyteller dedicated to fostering empathy through her work as a projection designer for the stage. She has an extensive portfolio that includes designs for theater, dance, immersive media, concerts, and opera. Her notable recent credits include “Cats: The Jellicle Ball”, “Becoming A Man” at A.R.T., “Westerly Breath” at the MET Museum, “Amani” at Rattlestick Theater, “A Raisin in the Sun” at the Public Theater, and “Goddess” at Berkeley Repertory Theatre.

SK Watson is a lighting designer for live entertainment. Their work has varied throughout opera, ballet, fashion, theater, music festivals, movies and children’s theater for the past 20 years regionally and in NYC. Previously SK has taught at CUNY City College of Technology in the Entertainment Technology Department teaching lighting technology, design, and electricity. Watson graduated from Centre College with their BA in Dramatic Arts and continued their education at Ohio University for their MFA in Lighting Design.

Zak has been working in show business for the past 27 years. In that time, he’s been a Technical Designer, Art Director, Set Designer, Audio Engineer, Production Manager, Video Designer, Carpenter, Prop Master, or Charge Artist for hundreds of productions; covering theatre, opera, musicals, dance, episodic television, touring concerts, music festivals, awards shows, top secret product launches, Fashion, trade shows, and professional wrestling.

Dave has been in the live event industry as an audio engineer for 36+ years, over 28 of which have been with ShowCo and CLAIR Global. He has spent many years as a System Engineer/Audio Engineer controlling concert sound systems. He has been the FOH mixer for artists such as P!NK, John Fogerty, Wall Flowers, Blondie to mention a few.

Ryan is a Director, Producer, and Stage Manager who has a 20+ year theatrical career. His Broadway and National Tour credits include: Rent, Wicked, Avenue Q, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, The Drowsy Chaperone, School of Rock, Chicago: The Musical, and Mary Poppins (to name a few). Outside of theater, Ryan has worked on the Rock Lititz Campus as a Program Manager for Atomic Design. Currently, Ryan serves as the Producing Artistic Director of the Totem Pole Playhouse.

how to apply

Make your creative life, a way of life

While you’re still deciding on a school, go ahead and start an application, it’s free! Submitting an application isn’t a commitment to PCA&D but it helps us get to know you better. Or you can start by submitting 8-10 pieces of your art to help us assess your potential.