Director of Theatre and (Open Rank) Faculty of Theatre

ABOUT BERRY COLLEGE:

Located on more than 27,000 acres in northwest Georgia in a setting of great natural beauty,Berry College has an enrollment of about 2,200 undergraduate and graduate students. The college is located in Rome, Georgia, 75 miles northwest of Atlanta and 75 miles south of Chattanooga, Tennessee. As a comprehensive liberal-arts college with a distinctive mission and purpose, Berry unites a challenging academic program with practical work experience in a context that nurtures spiritual and moral growth, including significant service to others.

We seek faculty who are committed to excellence as teachers-scholars-mentors and staff who are also committed to serving as mentors and supervisors for students who work on campus. Although not required, more than 90 percent of our students participate in our premier student work program. Employee benefits are competitive.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Fine Arts Department at Berry College invites applications for a Director of Theatre and (open rank) tenure-track faculty to join our small, energetic, student-focused, program in theatre. In our new Sisters Theatre, we stage three shows each academic year as majors and non-majors alike explore theatre arts with our faculty and staff of four, including the director.    

The Director of Theatre will demonstrate the vision and energy to grow a vibrant undergraduate theatre program in a college with a liberal arts foundation. This includes recruiting and mentoring students, overseeing the development of three shows in a season, maintaining a professional production environment, and creating a culture of belonging. The Director should possess strong administrative and leadership skills and demonstrate the ability to nurture a collaborative team including paid undergraduate student employees.

As a faculty member, the Director will also provide high quality teaching with a primary emphasis in the areas of acting and/or directing. The teaching load is typically two courses each semester in which a play is directed, and the director is expected to direct at least one student production a year. In addition, the Director will demonstrate an established record of peer-reviewed scholarship and/or professional artistic production.  

The Director reports to the Chair of the Department of Fine Arts and collaborates on all aspects of the theatre program including budget, recruitment, scheduling of classes, the performance season, and curriculum reviews. The Director oversees Theatre Program facilities including the recently-constructed 276-seat Sisters Theatre and the recently-renovated Blackstone Hall. Other duties may include negotiating with production companies, guest artists, and licensing companies, and serving as the program's public advocate. The Director and the Chair report to the Dean of the Evans School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. 

REQUIREMENTS:

Minimum qualifications include an earned terminal degree in a theatre discipline (preferably not overlapping with current faculty-staff in costume and scenic design) from an accredited institution.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Berry is a selective independent college of 2,100 located adjacent to Rome, GA, midway between Atlanta, GA, and Chattanooga, TN. Berry's educational approach deliberately unites challenging academic programs with practical work experience in a residential campus community that encourages faith and emphasizes caring for the needs of others above self. This commitment to an "education of the head, heart and hands" remains as relevant today as when our founder instilled this ethic more than a century ago. 

Nationally recognized for quality of learning and quality of life, Berry offers first-rate undergraduate degree programs in the sciences, humanities, arts and human sciences, as well as undergraduate and master's level opportunities in business and teacher education. The College's stunning 27,000-acre campus affords opportunities that cannot be duplicated elsewhere. Berry's ongoing commitment is to provide exceptional educational experiences to talented students from a wide range of social and economic backgrounds. In addition to their intellectual development, Berry is also committed to the personal and professional development of its students.

The college provides benefit options with no employee costs for medical, dental, disability, and life insurance, including spouse and dependents at a reduced rate. An Equal Opportunity Institution, Berry complies with all applicable laws and provisions prohibiting discrimination in its educational and employment policies. Berry respects the essential dignity of all individuals and accordingly hires and promotes employees without regard to matters of personal identity such as ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and political affiliation. 

Berry College is committed to ensuring facilities, programs, services, and activities are accessible to everyone, including those seeking employment at Berry College. Inquiries about interview or workplace accommodations are welcomed and can be directed to Wayne Phipps, Director of Human Resources, at 706.290.2698.  

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Review of applications will begin on January 15, 2021.

Applicants should visit our employment website https://berry.interviewexchange.com/static/clients/563BCM1/index.jsp and submit a curriculum vitae, and a cover letter containing a summary of creative or scholarly work and teaching interests. The cover letter should also discuss the candidate's vision for creating a vibrant theatre program, including how to recruit and retain talented theatre students. Applicants should also submit a teaching statement, describing the candidate's teaching approach and experience, as well as a statement regarding how to foster an inclusive and diverse theatre program.

Specific questions may be sent directly to Professor Alice Bristow abristow@berry.edu

Persons applying for employment with Berry College are required to submit a full national background check. Berry College is an Equal Opportunity Employer.