Assistant Professor of Performance (tenure-track)

Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theatre, University of Oklahoma

 The A. Max Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theatre at the University of Oklahoma invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor of Performance. Appointment will begin in Fall 2022. This candidate will be a collaborative theatre practitioner/educator who embraces and reflects a broad, multi-cultural point- of-view. We are seeking an acting teacher/stage director in musical theatre who, through their work and mentorship, can equip our majors with the skills to develop their unique artistic voice, explore and expose oppressive structures and power dynamics within our culture and artform, and increase the incorporation of inclusive pedagogies in our classrooms. This artist should be an inventive storyteller, innovative teacher, and joyful colleague prepared to inspire our majors to become leaders in a more equitable theatre industry for the 21st century.

This position contributes to the research and creative activity for Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theatre and the Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts at OU. As a director, this future colleague will lead University Theatre musical productions annually and will work collaboratively with student, faculty, and guest designers from the design and production area in the Helmerich School of Drama, and possibly on creative teams with colleagues from the OU School of Music and/or the OU School of Dance.

Responsibilities will include teaching acting and performance style to musical theatre majors and directing musicals for the Main Stage season. The candidate should be an experienced stage director with an expertise in Musical Theatre whose work reflects a love for research, exploration, and collaboration. This future colleague should also possess special skills in teaching/coaching students to act through song, and in all areas, providing the tools to create rich, transformative characterizations. Every student in the Musical Theatre Performance program will study with this instructor. The ideal candidate will have an active professional career with a wealth of experience and valuable connections that would benefit the students and the school.

Along with teaching within the candidate’s specialization, this role may also serve to guide the School of Musical Theatre’s commitment to new works and serve as a mentor to student composers and lyricists. Additional areas of expertise may include non-Western performance techniques, especially from the African diaspora, Latinx, Asian, or Indigenous cultures, or specializations in works from a Feminist or Queer theatre perspective. A passion for Musical Theatre History and/or vocal styles is also welcome.

As a tenure-track faculty member, excellence in teaching will be expected, and an impactful record of research and creative activities must be achieved. Additional duties will include active contributions to a rigorous recruitment process for the program, student advising and mentorship, committee leadership and service on the School, College, and University levels, curriculum development, and support of the mission of the Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theatre.

Uniquely structured as the only school of musical theatre in the nation, we provide comprehensive pre- professional training, education, and varied production experiences to selected students to assure them the opportunity to be artistically competitive on a national level upon graduation from the University of Oklahoma. We are proud to have a strong record of alumni success on Broadway, National and International tours, Regional theatre, and Film/TV. We value inclusion, diversity, and belonging as foundational to our teaching and daily practice and commit to that work through mindful programming and intentional recruitment. We are a small program within a large, flagship state University of approximately 28,000 students. The School offers one degree: the BFA in Musical Theatre Performance. We have a self-imposed student cap of fifty and nine full-time faculty, theatre professionals who do what they teach and enjoy active careers, often working within the industry alongside our current students and alumni. We are fortunate to be located within the metropolitan area of Oklahoma City and benefit from the robust array of arts organizations in this region like Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, City Rep., the OKC Philharmonic, and Oklahoma City Ballet, as well as those in nearby Wichita, KS, and the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, that provide professional opportunities for students and faculty alike. The School is committed to the development of new musical properties, cooperating with professional producers, companies, and creative leaders in the field, in addition to regularly presenting works from the musical theatre repertoire. It is a comprehensive and balanced interdisciplinary BFA degree-granting   program that collaborates with other units in the Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts.

The University of Oklahoma is a Carnegie-RU/VH public research university known for excellence in teaching, research, and community engagement. As the flagship educational institution for the state, we embrace and encourage creativity and innovation in Oklahoma and beyond. We serve educational, cultural, economic, and healthcare needs of the state, region, and nation from three campuses: Norman, Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City, and Tulsa Schusterman Center.

Long before the University of Oklahoma was established, the land on which the University now resides was the traditional home of the “Hasinais” Caddo Nation and “Kirikir?i:s” Wichita & Affiliated Tribes. We acknowledge this territory once also served as a hunting ground, trade exchange point, and migration route for the Apache, Comanche, Kiowa, and Osage nations.

Today, 39 tribal nations dwell in the state of Oklahoma as a result of settler and colonial policies that were designed to assimilate Native people. The University of Oklahoma recognizes the historical connection our university has with its indigenous community. We acknowledge, honor, and respect the diverse Indigenous peoples connected to this land. We fully recognize, support, and advocate for the sovereign rights of all of Oklahoma’s 39 tribal nations. This acknowledgement is aligned with our university’s core value of creating a diverse and inclusive community. It is an institutional responsibility to recognize and acknowledge the people, culture, and history that make up our entire OU Community.

Please submit a cover letter, theatrical resume, and/or academic resume/CV, and a list of three references. Links to your website or social media are welcome.   

Review of applications will begin January 24, 2022 and will continue until the position is filled.

Required Qualifications:

• A skilled acting teacher with demonstrated success working with Musical Theatre
• A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Theatre/Musical Theatre - with professional theatre and teaching experience

Desired/Preferred Qualifications:

• MFA in Directing, Musical Theatre, or Acting; BFA in Musical Theatre or similar performance degree with considerable professional and/or academic experience
• Professional experience in the candidate’s discipline
• An active professional career with industry connections
• Union affiliation
• Evidence of successful teaching on the university, conservatory or pre-professional level in musical theatre, performance, or theatre making and the application of current pedagogical trends in musical theatre
• Knowledge of musical theatre repertoire
• The ability to mentor and collaborate with a diverse range of students and to contribute to their training and development as professional artists and citizens of the world