Associate Professor of Visual and Performing Arts and Resident Director in the Theatre Program

Fairfield University is a co-educational, comprehensive Jesuit university with a 200-acre campus located along the scenic shoreline community of Fairfield, CT. The University is comprised of approximately 3,500 undergraduate and 1,200 graduate students pursuing degrees within 5 schools: The College of Arts and Sciences, The Charles F. Dolan School of Business, The School of Engineering, The Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies, and School of Education and Human Development. As an expression of our Jesuit, Catholic mission and identity, Fairfield embraces a liberal humanistic approach to education, encouraging critical thinking, cultivating free and open inquiry, and fostering ethical and religious values.

Job Description:

Fairfield University is a comprehensive Jesuit institution that prepares students for leadership and service in a constantly changing world. The Jesuit tradition is committed to developing students’ intellectual potential and fostering ethical and religious values, which includes an explicit commitment to religious and cultural pluralism. Founded in 1942 on North Benson Road in Fairfield, Connecticut, the University has grown from an initial class of 303 undergraduate male students admitted to the College of Arts and Sciences in 1947 into a coeducational university of more than 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Along the way, the University has awarded more than 45,000 degrees since 1951, has developed a reputation for educational excellence both regionally and nationally, and is consistently ranked as a top comprehensive university in New England.

Job Description:

Fairfield University seeks a tenure track Associate Professor of Visual and Performing Arts in the Theatre program, with a specialty in directing and acting. This person will direct plays, teach acting and directing classes, mentor student interns, and be an active participant in the ongoing administration of both the Theatre Program and Theatre Fairfield productions. The ideal candidate will also have a secondary emphasis in one of the following: theatre history, drama literature, dramaturgy, and playwrighting. A commitment to advancing social justice is required.

The normal teaching load at Fairfield is three courses per semester, with adjustments made for student mentoring, directing, and administrative work on theatrical productions. An active research/creative agenda and university service are also required. The appointment will have a starting date of September 2023.

Candidate Requirements:

• MFA preferred; PhD considered
• 3-5 years full-time teaching at the undergraduate level
• record of directing both university and professional theatre productions
• experience teaching acting and directing courses
• preferred secondary emphasis in one of the following areas: theatre history, dramatic literature, dramaturgy, playwrighting
• experience in theatre administration and/or producing
• committed to advancing social justice
• women, LGBTQ+ and members of the global majority encouraged to apply

Additional Information:

The Theatre Program in the Department of Visual and Performing Arts provides a strong foundation in theatre, with a BA liberal arts major/minor. The Theatre Program runs Theatre Fairfield, the resident production company on campus. Theatre Fairfield's mission is to educate students and audiences in all aspects of the art form, as we produce high-quality productions relevant to our times, utilizing professional standards and compelling plays from all eras. Our aim is to harness the profound empathy-building power of theatre to celebrate human dignity and explore our common humanity.

Theatre Fairfield performs in the Wien Black Box Theatre in the Quick Center for the Arts, which also houses the Costume Shop and Scene Shop.

The successful candidate will be joining a tenured Professor of Theatre who designs and administers, a full-time Costume Director and a full-time Technical Director, both of whom teach a variety of courses, and a group of part-time guest artists and instructors. All full-time faculty members work on all Theatre Fairfield productions, with producing responsibilities shared by the tenure-track faculty. Graduates of the Theatre Program go on to professional theatre careers, as well as a wide-ranging array of non-theatre fields, including education, business, law, and medicine. More information about the Program is at theatre-fairfield.org.

Application Instructions:

Review of applications begins immediately. For full consideration, all materials must be submitted by November 1, 2022.

For full consideration, please click “Apply Now” and upload the following materials:

• a curriculum vitae
• a letter of application which includes:
  • statement of teaching philosophy
  • statement explaining your commitment to liberal arts education
  • explanation of how you have applied principles of social justice in the classroom and/or rehearsal room

Semi-finalists will be asked to supply:

• three confidential letters of reference
• official graduate transcript

When requested, please submit letters of recommendation to VPAsearch@fairfield.edu

Category:

Academic - Faculty Tenure/Tenure Track

Performs such other duties, responsibilities, and activities as required by supervisor and as departmental/University needs indicate.

*Disclaimer

The above information indicates the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain and should not be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, activities, and/or qualifications required or expected of employees assigned to this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change and new ones may be assigned at any time, with or without notice.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a satisfactory background check.

Fairfield University provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Load a resume or CV first, then upload supporting documents including a cover letter at the bottom of the third page under the "My Experience" section where it says to upload a Resume/CV. You will be able to upload up to 5 other documents in this section. You will be unable to edit your application, so please have all documents available before applying. Faculty Positions : If you need to upload more than 5 documents, please either combine them to upload or email the additional documents to the applicable contact in the job description. Staff positions : If you need to upload more than 5 documents, please either combine them to upload or email them to hr@fairfield.edu