Job Opening

Assistant Professor of Theatre Studies

Search # 2021-0030

The Department of Theatre and Dance at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio, invites applications for a tenure-track position in Theatre Studies/Performance at the rank of Assistant Professor, beginning fall semester 2021.

The ideal candidate is a committed educator and team player who can combine scholarly/creative research interests with strong acting/directing experience to explore with students the intersections among theory and artistic practice. The candidate’s teaching, creative work, and/or scholarship experience should reach beyond the traditional western canon, such as: Latinx Theatre, African-American Theatre, Theatre of the African Diaspora, Asian Theatre, LGBTQ+ Theatre, Feminist Theatre, and/or additional areas of contemporary theatre. We are looking for an innovative and interdisciplinary teacher/artist who will diversify our course offerings, has an inclusive and global perspective, is excited to work on curriculum design and innovation, and offer effective mentorship for our students. Experience in stage, lighting, and/or costume design desired, but not required. Both M.F.A.s and Ph.D.s with the appropriate background and experience are encouraged to apply.

At Ohio Wesleyan, student mentorship and experiential learning are central to our mission and aims. Our students’ academic pathway and career development are enhanced through The OWU Connection, which offers them travel, research, creative projects, and internship opportunities. We are particularly interested in candidates who can contribute to the Connection and are excited to foster interdisciplinary collaborations with programs such as Music, Social Justice, or the Ross Art Museum, all of which have a strong record of community engagement through the arts.

Responsibilities

Faculty responsibilities will include:

• Teaching classes at all levels in: Performance and history/literature/theory. The typical load is 6 (3/3) courses per year.
• Directing at least one production a year.
• Curriculum design and implementation.
• Supervising and directing senior capstones, advising students, conducting auditions.
• Actively recruiting a diverse cohort of majors.
• Enhancing inclusivity pedagogies in the classroom and program generally.
• Maintaining a productive, ongoing research/performance program, and contributing actively to the continued growth of the department and the university.
• Engaging with theatre scholars and professionals, organizing workshops and invited lectures.
• Collaborating with other departments and programs.

Qualifications

• A Ph.D. in Theatre with strong practical background or an M.F.A. in Theatre with strong scholarly background. 
• Successful teaching experience. 
• Demonstrated success working with a diverse student body, including first-gen, low-income, and/or students of color, and students with disabilities.   
• Professional and academic acting and directing experience.
• Interest in developing and implementing curricula related to culturally diverse populations.

This job is part of a cluster of positions with which Ohio Wesleyan seeks to further diversify its curriculum and faculty. This faculty cohort will join an educational community that values equity and interdisciplinarity and fosters close working relationships with students through our signature program in experiential learning, the OWU Connection. Incoming faculty will be provided with mentoring, professional development funds, and opportunities to connect with faculty across the Ohio 5 and GLCA consortia.  For more information about the cluster, please visit owu.edu/joinOWUfaculty. For more information about Academic Affairs and its commitment to antiracism, please visit owu.edu/AcademicAffairsDEI.

Located in the Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area, Ohio Wesleyan is a selective residential liberal arts college enrolling approximately 1,500 students from across the nation and around the world.  The college’s signature program, The OWU Connection, is designed to integrate student knowledge across disciplines, consider diverse and global perspectives, and teach students to apply their knowledge in real-world settings. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book Colleges That Change Lives and was recently listed as the No. 1 liberal arts college in Ohio for social mobility by U.S. News & World Report. OWU is located in Delaware, Ohio, a lively college town just 30 minutes from Columbus, the 14th most populous city in the United States and part of the fastest-growing, most economically vibrant areas of the Midwest.  Columbus was named by LinkedIn as one of the top 10 U.S. cities in which to launch your career.

To achieve our mission, we continually strive to foster a diverse, inclusive, and anti-racist campus community, which celebrates the value of all persons regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, color, gender identity and or expression, sexual orientation, family configuration, disability, socioeconomic status, religion, national origin, age or military status. OWU is an equal opportunity institution and seeks applications from individuals who will help us honor and strengthen our commitments to diversity, inclusion, and antiracism.

Required Application Materials

• Curriculum Vitae.
• Teaching statement: a statement articulating your teaching philosophy. Please address your ability to teach a wide range of courses and employ a variety of pedagogical techniques to reach students from different backgrounds.
• Diversity statement: a 1-page statement that describes your experience and/or approach to supporting students from underrepresented groups, including examples of ways you have intentionally addressed diversity, equity, and inclusion in your classroom.
• Official Transcripts.
• Three confidential letters of recommendation.
• Electronic portfolio that includes: sample of artistic work, sample syllabi, publications and/or creative work.

Instructions for How to Apply

To apply, please send materials to facultyjobs@owu.edu and put the search number (2021-0030) in the subject line.

Review of applications will begin February 3, 2021, and continue until the position is filled. Questions about the position should be directed to Dr. Glenda Nieto-Cuebas, Search Committee Chair.