Visiting Assistant Professor of Theater

The Department of Theatre and Dance at Bates College invites applications for a one-year visiting position in Performance Studies to begin August 2021.

We seek a scholar-artist with primary expertise in performance studies and familiarity with underrepresented areas of performance. The successful candidate will also have broad knowledge of theater and dance practice, history, and theory and will demonstrate significant achievement in an area of practice (e.g., devised performance, documentary theater, multi-disciplinary performance making, and/or performance training). Candidates with a demonstrated success working with historically underrepresented, first-generation and marginalized students are encouraged to apply. We seek someone who is passionate about fostering critical dialogue in the classroom and making vital links between the theory and practice of performance and other disciplines.

Responsibilities include teaching five courses. Two of these are: Introduction Performance Studies as a foundational course in performance theories, histories, and literatures; and Devising Performance. Additional courses should include the candidate’s specific areas of expertise within the histories, literatures, and performance/practices in non-eurocentric forms such as Latinx, Asian/Asian American, LGBTQIA2S+, Gender, or BIPOC theatre/performance and Dramaturgy. We are interested in a candidate able to teach courses that overlap and expand our current curriculum, with a focus on intersectional categories of analysis, racial equity, social justice, and community engaged learning. Student advising and committee work are not expected.

The Department of Theater and Dance is currently in the midst of a Mellon Foundation supported Curricular Transformation process to develop a culture of racial equity and inclusive pedagogies at practices on all levels of engagement. These five courses are a key part of that transformative progression and active participation in this process will be welcome.

Candidate Qualifications:
Candidates must have earned a terminal degree by August 1, 2021. PhD is preferred, but MFA will be considered with evidence of scholarly as well as creative research. Professional experience as a director, performer, or performance-maker is desirable.

Application Instructions
Applicants should submit the following materials: a letter of application (cover letter), curriculum vitae, statements on teaching, inclusive pedagogies, and research (scholarly and creative), three letters of recommendation, and two sample syllabi of relevant courses, and brief descriptions of courses you might offer as the three courses in your expertise, and links to high quality video documents of performance work. Review of applications begins April 1st, 2021 and will continue until the position has been filled. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check.