INTRODUCTION
The Department of Dramatic Arts at the University of Connecticut invites applications for the position of Department Head and Artistic Director of the Connecticut Repertory Theatre. The successful candidate will be appointed at the rank of Professor or Associate Professor and the anticipated start date is August 23, 2021. This person will act as the Department's artistic, administrative, and academic leader, with oversight of faculty, staff, curriculum, budget, recruitment, and strategic direction, as well as the artistic direction of the Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT). UConn's Department of Dramatic Arts offers degrees in five (5) areas, at the undergraduate and graduate levels, notably including the nation's only graduate program in puppet arts. CRT is a primarily student-staffed theatre operating on a URTA-AEA contract, with AEA stage management and guest artists. The successful candidate will bring bold and innovative artistic leadership, paired with a passionate commitment to the training and development of theatre professionals.
Department Head and Artistic Director is a five-year, renewable appointment. Beyond that term, as a member of the faculty, the successful candidate will be expected to contribute to research and scholarship through extramural funding, high quality publications, impact as measured through citations, performances and exhibits, and national recognition as through honorific awards. In the area of teaching, the successful candidate will share a deep commitment to effective instruction at the undergraduate and graduate levels, development of innovative courses and mentoring of students in research, outreach and professional development. Members of the faculty are also expected to broaden participation among members of under-represented groups; demonstrate through their research, teaching, and/or public engagement the richness of diversity in the learning experience; integrate multicultural experiences into instructional methods and research tools; and provide leadership in developing pedagogical techniques designed to meet the needs of diverse learning styles and intellectual interests.
The new Head will be expected to have a strong commitment to academic excellence in a major research institution, and to fostering diversity and inclusiveness at all levels of the academic enterprise, including faculty and staff hiring and student recruitment. They will work collaboratively with the Dean and other leaders within the School of Fine Arts, particularly the Heads of the other academic departments (Art & Art History, Digital Media and Design, and Music) to implement the strategic goals of the School and of the University.
The Department Head will oversee budget, personnel (including faculty promotion and tenure procedures), curriculum, and facilities, and work closely with faculty, staff, students, alumni, donors, and outside constituencies to support and promote the vision and mission of the department.
The University of Connecticut's Department of Dramatic Arts offers BFA degrees in Design/Technical Theatre, Acting, and Puppet Arts, and a BA degree in Theatre Studies. The Department offers an MFA in Theatre with concentrations in Scenic Design, Costume Design, Lighting Design, Technical Direction, Acting, Puppet Arts, and Arts Leadership and Cultural Management. Its MFA programs in performance and design/tech are rated among the top six by the University/Resident Theatre Association. The unique, internationally acclaimed MFA Program in Puppet Arts offers training and experience for students across the department in innovative puppet and object performance. There are twenty-five members of the full-time faculty and an additional 7 staff members.
The Department of Dramatic Arts is resolutely committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible, and equitable environment for all members of our community. With that affirmation in mind, historically underrepresented and/or marginalized groups of all held identities, including but not limited to, individuals with disabilities, women, candidates of color, are actively encouraged to apply, and your offerings of continued accountability are welcomed.
The Connecticut Repertory Theatre prepares students by blending education and industry. Created as a training ground, and modeled on a stand-alone LORT/regional theatre, CRT produces four Main Stage productions per academic year (two in the 486-seat, proscenium-stage Harriet Jorgensen Theatre and two in the 241-seat, thrust-stage Nafe Katter Theatre) and two Studio productions in the 116-seat Studio Theatre. The CRT has a professional staff of ten, several of whom also teach periodically.
Also housed within the School of Fine Arts are the Department of Art & Art History, the Department of Music, the Department of Digital Media and Design, the William Benton Museum of Art, the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts, and the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry.
Founded in 1881, the UConn is a Land Grant and Sea Grant institution and member of the Space Grant Consortium. It is the state's flagship institution of higher education and includes a main campus in Storrs, CT, four regional campuses throughout the state, and 13 Schools and Colleges, including a Law School in Hartford, and Medical and Dental Schools at the UConn Health campus in Farmington. The University has approximately 10,000 faculty and staff and 32,000 students, including nearly 24,000 undergraduates and over 8,000 graduate and professional students. UConn is a Carnegie Foundation R1 (highest research activity) institution, among the top 25 public universities in the nation. Through research, teaching, service, and outreach, UConn embraces diversity and cultivates leadership, integrity, and engaged citizenship in its students, faculty, staff, and alumni. UConn promotes the health and well-being of citizens by enhancing the social, economic, cultural, and natural environments of the state and beyond. The University serves as a beacon of academic and research excellence as well as a center for innovation and social service to communities. UConn is a leader in many scholarly, research, and innovation areas. Today, the path forward includes exciting opportunities and notable challenges. Record numbers of undergraduate applications and support for student success have enabled the University to become extraordinarily selective.
The UConn Storrs campus is in a beautiful area of New England, with a moderate cost of living and proximity to major cultural, recreational, and urban centers of the Northeast. The University community provides residents with a rich diversity of cultural, artistic, athletic, and historic experiences. UConn is ranked as the top public university in New England, and among the top 25 public universities nationwide.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
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