Clinical Assistant Professor of Stage and Production Management - School of Music, Dance and Theatre

The School of Music, Dance and Theatre at Arizona State University seeks an exceptional artist-teacher in Stage and Production Management to join our faculty. This is a full-time clinical assistant professor appointment, beginning fall 2022.  We seek organized and engaged candidates to shape the experiences of stage management, production and design students, in addition to educating future arts leaders. The ideal candidate is committed to advancing inclusive, equitable, diverse and humane practices in the classroom, rehearsal room and performance venue, as well as their profession. They will have notable experience working on a range of projects as a stage manager and/ or production manager for theatre at a national level. 

About ASU

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 80,000 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.

About the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts

Arizona State University’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts is the largest comprehensive design and arts school in the country, located within a dynamic research university focused on transformative change. Built on a unique combination of disciplines, the Herberger Institute comprises the Schools of Art; Arts, Media and Engineering; Music, Dance and Theatre; The Design School; The Sidney Poitier New American Film School, and the ASU Art Museum. The Herberger Institute is committed to redefining the 21st-century design and arts school through developing and scaling ideas that strengthen the role of designers and artists across all areas of society and culture, increasing the capacity of artists to make a difference in their communities. For more information on the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, visit herbergerinstitute.asu.edu.

About the School of Music, Dance and Theatre

The School of Music, Dance and Theatre in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University is widely recognized for preparing artists, scholars, visionaries and entrepreneurs to become creative leaders who transform society through their art. Our internationally recognized faculty artists, scholars and guest artists are motivating and compassionate mentors who work with students to cultivate excellence and personal growth. Our nationally recognized programs feature a comprehensive range of degrees plus minors and certificates and more than 600 concerts, events, performances, productions and recitals each year. Located in the culturally rich Southwest in one of the most vibrant, expanding urban centers, our programs afford students access to a diverse environment and engagement in Phoenix’s flourishing arts community. Above all, we value the creativity, personal experience and voice each student brings to the school. For more information on the School of Music, Dance and Theatre, visit musicdancetheatre.asu.edu. 

ASU’s School of Music, Dance and Theatre is a comprehensive performing arts school providing our students with experiences in multiple disciplines. Every year MDT presents an extensive season of productions supported with engagement initiatives that connect us to stakeholders within the ASU and metro Phoenix community. Our programming features hundreds of live events and presentations of student work, engaging over 10,000 community members in the metro Phoenix area. The theatre program, with its emphasis on new work and socially engaged practice, is a collaborative community of artists, scholars, students, faculty, and staff who are shaping the future of theatre through inventive curricula and innovative programming. We foster creativity, community, collaboration, and collegiality in our classrooms and studios while supporting faculty research endeavors, public programming and community engagement. With over 250 undergraduate theatre majors and over 35 MA, MFA and PhD students, the theatre program fosters a dynamic environment in which creative practice, scholarly research and pedagogy are mutually supportive. The Design & Production concentration is a cutting-edge program with over 60 students that is expanding to support the growing production needs of the MDT programs. Productions are student-driven, focusing on collaborative work across disciplines to establish a broad foundation of skills. We emphasize the process over product to create the best learning outcomes, motivated by creating shows of high production value. 

The Clinical Assistant Professor of Stage and Production Management will join a community that is identified "not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed" as framed in ASU’s charter. The successful candidate will utilize their knowledge and experience of current stage management practices to mentor individual student growth across theatre, dance and music disciplines. Responsibilities include teaching three to four courses per semester; developing new course offerings for major and non-major students for both in-person and online learning environments; and mentoring and supervising students involved in school productions and events, internships, and individualized projects. As production manager for theatre, the candidate will assist in production-season planning and execution with department leadership, faculty and staff; build production calendars; oversee budgets; and ensure clear communication between production areas.

Required Qualifications:

• MFA or MA in Stage Management or related field of study with a minimum of three years of professional experience working at a national level in stage or production management; OR, a BA, BS, or BFA in Stage Management or related field of study with a minimum of eight years of professional experience working at a national level in stage management. A graduate degree is required for international applicants.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience with current stage management and production practices and technology.
• Evidence of a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in creative activity and research, teaching and service.
• Demonstrated teaching excellence and professional mentorship in the field of stage management and/or at the university level.

Desired Qualifications:

• Record of professional and relevant industry experience working across a variety of mediums (e.g., theatre, dance, opera, corporate, etc.) in a variety of venues (e.g., proscenium work, non-proscenium-based work, devised work, socially-engaged performances).
• Demonstrated knowledge of Actor’s Equity Association working policies and practices.
• Demonstrated excellence in higher education stage and production management.
• Demonstrated excellence in innovative teaching practices at the university level.
• Ability to design and implement curriculum and programs in theatre, dance, and music for both online and in-person courses, and to collaborate in working across the disciplines that comprise the five schools in the Herberger Institute.
• Demonstrated commitment to physically and emotionally safe working practices in the industry and a university setting.
• Demonstrated ability to provide pedagogical and artistic leadership in arts management and leadership, intimacy coordination and anti-racism practices.
• Demonstrated ability to innovate using existing resources to solve common production issues.
• Demonstrated ability to embrace new technologies.
• Demonstrated organizational ability including managing paperwork, calendars, and budgets.
• Demonstrated experience in managing interdepartmental communication through digital platforms including Google, Slack, Asana, etc.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills. 

Instructions to Apply:

Please submit:

• Letter of interest addressing how the candidate uniquely meets the qualifications for the position, in particular: work experience, creative activity and/or research, collaboration, innovative teaching, and service.
• A current curriculum vitae.
• A 1-2-page statement addressing the candidate’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
• A 1-2 page statement of approach to education and mentorship and how it will serve the ASU student population.
• Contact information for three references (email, phone number).
• A PDF portfolio of paperwork examples from three to five recent productions or projects, including: rehearsal and performance reports, contact sheets, production calendars, and a call script/score.

 All applications must be submitted electronically via http://apply.interfolio.com/95588. 

Application Deadline:

The application deadline is February 16, 2022. Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis for a reserve pool.  Applications in the reserve pool may then be reviewed in the order in which they were received until the position is filled.

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 a VEVRAA Federal Contractor and an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law.

(See https://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd401.html and https://www.asu.edu/titleIX/.)

In compliance with federal law, ASU prepares an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and resources. ASU’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available online at https://www.asu.edu/police/PDFs/ASU-Clery-Report.pdf. You may request a hard copy of the report by contacting the ASU Police Department at 480-965-3456.

COVID-19 Vaccination - Arizona State University is a federal contractor and subject to federal regulations which may require you to produce a record of a COVID-19 vaccination.  For questions about medical or religious accommodations, please visit the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion’s webpage. 

We acknowledge the 22 tribes who are native to Arizona, and more specifically the Akimel O’odham (Pima) and Piipaash or Pee Posh (Maricopa) tribes on whose ancestral homelands ASU’s Tempe campus resides.