The CalArts School of Theater provides students with an ever-expanding set of opportunities in new and future pathways for performance and design. Among the most exciting of these is the world of immersive environments and themed entertainment: experience design.
Experience design involves immersive place-making, experience design and the creation of story-based entertainment projects for theme parks, exhibitions, museums, theatrical presentations and other environments. Theater makers are uniquely equipped for this arena, as “story” and “concept” are the driving forces. Participants transcend any single métier, encouraging collaborations among the worlds of design, performance, visual art and management.
Professional partnerships are central to this area of study. CalArts School of Theater has relationships with a number of themed entertainment companies including Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI), BRC Imagination Arts, Paramount, Universal, On Track Themes, Thinkwell and RGH Entertainment. These have yielded numerous internships and job opportunities for current students and alumni.
CalArts has an invaluable partnership with Walt Disney Imagineering, nurtured by Michael Jung, Creative Executive of Theatrical Development for Walt Disney Imagineering Live Entertainment, as well as a CalArts alumnus. The yearly WDI CalArts Educational Initiative invites select students from all métiers to work under the mentorship of Disney Imagineers, creating and presenting projects to top level members of the WDI community.