The Department of Theatre & Dance at West Virginia Wesleyan College seeks a full-time Director of Technical Theatre beginning July 1, 2023. The successful candidate will demonstrate a record of diverse theatrical designs, technical direction, and management of student crews and facilities. An M.F.A. in technical direction or design is preferred; candidates with commensurate experience will also be given serious consideration.

The 12-month staff position includes a 2-1 teaching load of stagecraft and rotating design courses, per the candidate’s expertise. No faculty governance or advising responsibilities are required, but regular attendance at department meetings is expected as well as possible committee meetings related to use of the theater facilities. The position reports to the Chair of the Department of Theatre & Dance as well as the Dean of the Faculty. Salary is commensurate with education and experience.

The Director of Technical Theater will be responsible for scenic and lighting design and construction for 3-4 mainstage theatrical and 1-2 dance productions within the Department of Theatre & Dance, annually. The position serves as technical liaison and support for an annual Arts Alive! season of touring arts presenters, as well as other year-round audio-visual support for significant campus and community events. The Director will also manage production budgets and supervise departmental work-studies and student crews, and liaison with guest designers, who are routinely invited for departmental productions.

Opened in April of 2009, The Virginia Thomas Law Center for the Performing Arts is a 375-seat proscenium space which also houses the scenic and costumes shops and office of the Technical Theatre Director. The Department also makes use of Atkinson Auditorium, a 50-seat black box space in another building for student-directed productions and classes.

With approximately 20 majors, WV Wesleyan’s Theatre & Dance Department offers a B.A. in Theatre Arts with concentrations in Acting/Directing or Technical Theatre, a B.A. in Musical Theatre; a B.A. in Arts Administration with a Theatre concentration, a B.A. in Pre-Drama Therapy and a minor in Dance. The department employs two full-time professors in performance, one adjunct instructor in dance, and coordinates with the music department for voice instruction and musical direction for productions.

Founded in 1890, West Virginia Wesleyan is a private residential liberal arts college located in the foothills of the Appalachians in Buckhannon, WV, named one of the “100 Best Small Towns in America.” Buckhannon is a town of roughly 5,200 persons in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains, approximately 2 hours north of Charleston, WV, and 2 1/2 hours south of Pittsburgh, PA. The College is related to the United Methodist Church, with a curriculum committed to intellectual rigor, self-discovery, human dignity, mutual support, social justice, self-discipline, mental and physical wellness, the appreciation of diversity and the natural world, and the judicious use of resources. The College has over 40 undergraduate academic majors, six graduate programs, 22 NCAA Division II sports, comprehensive student life, community engagement, and outdoor recreational programs.

A review of applications will begin on February 15 and will continue until the position is filled. To apply, email a single PDF containing a letter of interest, professional resume or curriculum vitae, copies of undergraduate and graduate transcripts (may be “unofficial”) and contact information for three professional references. Candidates invited to the next round will be asked to submit electronic or digital copies of their portfolios before telephone/Zoom interviews.

Application materials should be sent to Dr. Lynn M. Linder, Dean of the Faculty and Chief Academic Officer at academicaffairs@wvwc.edu. Prior to a final offer of employment, the selected candidate will be required to pass a background check.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY POLICY

West Virginia Wesleyan College is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the College to create a favorable work environment in which all employees, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, or religious affiliation, can enjoy equal opportunities in their employment relationship with the College.