Express ideas creatively through light and sound
Explore the art of light and sound for the theater
The Lighting and Sound Summer Institute is a two-week, UC credit-bearing intensive for students interested in lighting and sound for theater. This program provides opportunities to work with our faculty in classes such as Introduction to Lighting Intensity, Form, and Direction, Electrics Programming, and Drafting for Theater.
Students will learn the technical components of breaking down a script and the art of collaboration while gaining hands-on experience in curating research, communicating ideas, and expressing creative intent. This program is designed for a student at any level who seeks the additional discipline and training required for participation in an educational theater setting and a career in the entertainment industry.
Participation in this institute is open to pre-college students.
Design Innovation Summer Institute – Lighting and Sound Program Overview
Application deadline: June 6, 2025 | Enrollment deadline: June 13, 2025
Applications are reviewed and admission to the program is granted on a rolling basis starting February 15th. Applying at your earliest convenience, prior to June 6th, is highly recommended.
Admission to the program is by digital audition and instructor consent. Applicants are required to provide the following during the online registration process:
- An unofficial transcript from grade 9 to present reflecting a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher
- If your school transcript utilizes a different grading system, please submit your transcript as is. If available, please attach a translation/equivalency guide.
- INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: If you are an international student, a transcript refers to your complete secondary academic record. To learn more about converting your grades into a US-based GPA, please click here.
- If your school has a translation/equivalency guide, please also include it with your transcript. If you do not have a translation/equivalency guide, please still submit your most up-to-date transcript as is for staff to review.
- Value statement: At the time of registration, ALL applicants will be prompted to submit a few short sentences reflecting on their pursuit of participation in a UCLA Precollege Summer Institute. Please note that students are strongly discouraged from relying on ChatGpt/AI tools for their application responses and are encouraged to submit original and authentic answers.
- In 400 words, describe your passion for lighting or sound. How have you used your passion to tell a story?
- In 400 words, what do you hope to gain from the Design Innovation Summer Institute -Lighting and Sound?
- A resume (if you do not have a resume, submit a brief description of your theatrical and/or artistic experience).
- The resume can be uploaded as a word or pdf file during the application process.
Applicants who successfully submit all requirements will be reviewed and notified via email of an admission decision within 3 weeks. See Application Requirements below for more details. Please note that all levels are encouraged to apply. Early application is strongly encouraged.
The Design Innovation Summer Institute – Lighting and Sound is a residential program.
All residential precollege program tracks also feature scheduled non-curricular evening and weekend activities that all residential students are expected to participate in. The nature of these scheduled activities is at the sole discretion of the individual academic department offering the program, and are not operated by UCLA Summer Sessions. To learn more about when your selected program will host such activities, please consult the schedules for each program, or contact the department in question directly: dadams@tft.ucla.edu
Most of our residential precollege programs will hold check-in on the Sunday before the start of the program between 4-6pm, and hold check-out the Saturday after the final day of class at 11am. Please contact the department in question directly to confirm check-in and check-out times: dadams@tft.ucla.edu
For more information on UCLA housing precollege programs, please see the Housing for Minors page.
Coursework
Theater 72; 3 units
Grading
Students will receive a letter grade upon completion. See University Credit, Grades and Transcripts for more information about academic credit.
In order to successfully complete the program, students must not have more than 1 excused or unexcused absences.
UCLA Summer Sessions Summer Scholars Support
Qualified students attending grades 9th – 11th in Spring 2025 in the state of California may be eligible for Summer Scholars Support, a need- and merit-based scholarship offered by the UCLA Summer Sessions Office. Students must be 15 years old by the first day of Summer Sessions 2025 on June 23rd in order to participate in a Precollege Summer Institute and/or apply for Summer Scholars Support. A limited number of full and partial scholarships are available to support enrollment in SCIP/eSCIP, one Summer Course, or a Precollege Summer Institute.
Summer 2025 deadline to apply: March 15.
Program Dates: June 22, 2025 – July 5, 2025
Program Type: Residential
Program Eligibility: 9th-12th grade in Spring 2025*
Application deadline: June 6, 2025
Enrollment deadline: June 13, 2025
*All participants must be at least 15 years of age by the first day of Summer Sessions 2025 on June 23rd, no exceptions allowed.
The schedule and syllabus are subject to change. Enrolled students will be given updated materials closer to the program start date.
Fees and Payment Info
The program fee includes the unit fees for the UCLA coursework offered as part of the program and thus varies by UC student status. The program fee also includes the cost of UCLA Housing (for residential programs). In addition to the program fee, students are assessed other campus and administrative fees during the summer. This is a summary of fees that commonly apply to the selected student type.
Actual tuition and fees are subject to change by the University of California. Visit the fees, payment, and financial aid section for important disclaimer, as well as more details on fees, payment instructions, and information on delinquency, refunds, and financial aid.
Meet your instructors
Gabriel Rodriguez
InstructorGabriel Rodriguez works as a Lighting Designer, Moving Light Programmer, Educator, and Mentor for both educational and regional theatre. He is currently working towards an MFA in Design for Theater and Entertainment at UCLA.
Previous credits include The Box at the Fox Riverside, Center Theatre Group, Williamstown Theatre Festival, The Lewis Family Playhouse, Ruskin Group Theatre, The Pasadena Playhouse, Disney Cruise Line, Atlantic Theater Company, IRT Theater, Hudson Guild Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, The Public Theater / New York Shakespeare Festival, Ma-Yi Theater Company, 59E59 Theaters, The Geffen Playhouse, Shotgun Players, UC Riverside Theatre, Film, & Digital Production, Azuza Pacific University of Theater Arts, Pepperdine University of Theatre Arts, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, and UCLA Theater, Film, and Television. www.designbygabe.com/
Rebecca Kessin
InstructorRebecca Kessin is a Los Angeles based Sound Designer and Educator. Theatre is her life’s great passion!
Favorite recent productions include Ride the Cyclone at Chance Theater, American Mariachi at South Coast Repertory, Die Mommie, Die! for Celebration Theatre Company and CTG’s KDT Block Party, Priscilla! Queen of the Desert at Celebration Theatre Company (Ovation Winner – Best Production, 2019), This Land for Company of Angels, Peter Pan – The Boy Who Hated Mothers at The Blank, and Niagara Falls (World Premiere) at Theatre of NOTE.
Other recent credits include designs at Fayetteville’s Theatre Squared, Santa Barbara’s Ensemble Theatre Company, Coachella Valley Rep, Celebration Theatre Company, The LA LGBT Center, The Apricity Project at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2018, The Gary Marshall Theatre, Red Compass Productions at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2016.
Rebecca is a faculty member at Los Angeles City College, where she teaches and mentors student designers. She has previously taught at CSU Fullerton, Cal Poly Pomona, and Santa Monica College. Seeing former students working in the field brings her great joy.
Learn more at www.rebeccakessin.com.
Design Innovation Summer Institute – Lighting and Sound FAQ
We welcome students of all levels; however, students should have a strong interest and a desire to learn lighting and sound design for theater.
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Still have questions? Check out the general Summer Institutes FAQ.