Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Assistant Professor of Theatre for Youth, School of Theatre and Film Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University

The School of Theatre and Film in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University seeks an Assistant Professor in Theatre for Youth (TFY) for a tenure track position in one of the leading TFY programs in the United States.

Arizona State University is a new model for American higher education, an unprecedented combination of academic excellence, entrepreneurial energy and broad access. This New American University is a single, unified institution comprising four differentiated campuses positively impacting the economic, social, cultural and environmental health of the communities it serves. Its research is inspired by real world application, blurring the boundaries that traditionally separate academic disciplines. ASU serves more than 70,000 students in metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona, the nation's fifth largest city. ASU champions intellectual and cultural diversity, and welcomes students from all fifty states and more than one hundred nations across the globe.

The Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, of which the School of Theatre and Film is a constituent member, is built on a combination of disciplines unlike any other program in the nation, comprising the School of Art; the School of Arts, Media and Engineering; the School of Dance; The Design School; the School of Music; and the School of Theatre and Film as well as the ASU Art Museum. At a time when many universities are choosing to reduce or eliminate studies in design and arts disciplines, ASU has elevated creative practice to one of the core values of the nation’s largest research institution. We believe that designers, artists, architects, performers, and creative scholars are essential to our world today. We know that creativity not only enhances our culture, it broadens our vision, deepens our understanding, and enables us to innovate, grow and change.

Situated on the Tempe campus, the School of Theatre and Film includes 30 full-time faculty members serving more than 510 film majors and 280 theatre majors, and 55 MA, MFA, and PhD students. Faculty members in the School of Theatre and Film produce creative and scholarly work internationally and attract renowned artists and scholars as visitors to our programs. Our undergraduates may pursue BA degrees in theatre or film, with concentrations in acting, design and production, filmmaking practices, or film and media production. Our graduate students pursue MAs or MFAs in theatre with concentrations in theatre for youth, directing, performance design, performance, dramatic writing, and interdisciplinary digital media; or PhDs in theatre with concentrations in theatre for youth or theatre and performance of the
Americas. All of our programs encourage the integration of practice and theory, with an emphasis on the responsibilities of the artist in society.

The internationally renowned Theatre for Youth Program at Arizona State University offers comprehensive course work in all areas of theatre for youth. With distinguished faculty, excellent facilities, and practical experiences working in drama and theatre with and for young people, the TFY program offers a challenging and supportive atmosphere ideal for educating future MFA and PhD leaders in the field. Accepting a maximum of 4 new MFA students and two new PhD students each year, faculty provide students individualized attention and focused mentorship. A flagship program in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, the TFY program is a collaborative and vital element of a large, comprehensive theatre site including a PhD program in theatre and performance of the Americas, and MFA degrees in new works, performance, directing, design, and integrated digital media. ASU awarded its first TFY MFA in
1981 and its first PhD in 1995 and continues to promote the following core values.

The Theatre for Youth Program at ASU:
• Builds a firm foundation in the histories and traditions of the field while simultaneously embracing the challenges of the future
• Mentors thoughtful, socially-aware students prepared to be active and entrepreneurial leaders in the future of the TFY field
• Provides balanced practical, research and studio learning experiences
• Nurtures passion and leadership
• Fosters excellence and professionalism

The successful candidate will be expected to collaborate with current area faculty and to teach undergraduate and graduate level coursework as dictated by school and program needs in: theatre by/with/for youth; research methodologies; theory, history and literature; and specialized courses in the candidate’s specific research area. Additional job duties include: maintaining an active research profile through scholarly publication and conference participation; directing and serving on graduate committees including MA theses, MFA applied projects, and PhD dissertations; supervising student field experiences and professional internships.

Required Qualifications: Candidates must have a doctoral degree in theatre or a related field and at least one year’s experience as a lead instructor at a college or university. Candidates will also have a research record in theatre by/with/for youth and one or more of the following: community engagement, applied theatre, activist performance, educational theatre.

Desired Qualifications: An MFA in theatre or an equivalent record of creative practices focused on children and youth with experience in producing/creating works of performance in non- tertiary contexts is highly desired. Bilingual candidates are also highly desired.

Start date for this position is August 16, 2012.

The search committee will accept applications until the position is filled. Screening of candidates will begin immediately; however, for best consideration, application materials should be provided by December 2, 2011; if not filled, the deadline is biweekly thereafter until the search is closed. Electronic submissions are preferred. Please submit a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and the contact information of three references to Megan.Packard@asu.edu, or mail to:
School of Theatre and Film
Chair, Theatre for Youth Search Committee
c/o Megan Packard
PO Box 872002
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ 85287-2002

To learn more about the school and the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, please visit theatrefilm.asu.edu and herbergerinstitute.asu.edu.

ASU conducts pre-employment screening for all positions, which includes a criminal background check, verification of work history, academic credentials, licenses and certifications.

Arizona State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. See ASU's complete non-discrimination statement at www.asu.edu/titleIX/.