Theater and New Dance, Assistant Professor

About the role

The Department of Theatre & New Dance invites applications of a full-time, tenure track Assistant Professor of Production and Stage Management for an appointment beginning the 2027-2028 academic year. The position’s primary responsibilities are to serve as Production Manager for the Department’s production season; mentor and supervise student stage managers; teach stage management courses, production practicum courses and other courses based on department need and the faculty’s area/s of expertise.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with faculty, staff and guest artists;
• Propose and re-line annual production budget allocations;
• Obtain show rights and distribute scripts;
• Oversee production spending and petty cash distribution;
• Schedule all production dates and deadlines in keeping with instructional needs;
• Maintain all production calendars;
• Schedule spaces involved in production and instruction;
• Lead all production meetings and technical rehearsals for theatre and dance productions;
• Supervise and mentor student stage managers, designers and technicians;
• Enforce deadlines and facilitate communication between production teams and staff;
• Make, track and grade production crew assignments for shop crews and show crews;
• Honor and enforce safe practices in rehearsals and performances including facilitating the hiring of intimacy directors and fight choreographers as needed and actively modeling community guidelines;
• Support creative problem solving around budget and resources including non-traditional materials, rentals and community resources;
• and Initiate and implement improvements to production systems as needed.

Requirements

• Minimum Requirements: M.F.A. in Production Management, Stage Management or a closely related field; or other equivalent terminal degree conferred by the start date of the position
• Previous professional production management experience
• Demonstrated potential for excellence in university-level teaching in stage management and other areas depending on department need and candidate expertise
• Demonstrated potential to proactively mentor students with a broad range of experience, theatre knowledge, backgrounds and socio-economic status in an undergraduate B.A. theatre program setting
• Demonstrated experience coordinating with permanent professional theatrical production staff
• An active and ongoing professional practice
• Capacity to connect students to an expansive network of job opportunities
• Strength in proactive team leadership
• Adaptability to evolving timelines and resource availability
• Familiarity with one or more adjacent fields, such as dance, opera, circus, themed entertainment, film, TV, event management, etc. and demonstrated potential to mentor students interested in one or more of these areas
• Collegiality and amiability among a diverse range of students and colleagues
• Ability to lead in a variety of production models (e.g. Devised theatre, LORT model)

Qualifications

• Two or more years of university-level teaching experience
• Active participation in national professional organizations, such as USITT and/or PMF, and/or Union membership such as AEA
• Secondary area of expertise and ability to mentor in additional areas such as sound or video design
• Experience supervising student shop crews and run crews

Application Process

• A completed application will consist of:
• A cover letter in which you describe your interest in the position, relevant experience, and how you meet the minimum and preferred qualifications, item-by-item
• Curriculum vitae
• Teaching Philosophy statement (2-3 pages) that includes your teaching philosophy and explains how your skills and experience demonstrate your potential to support students and fulfill Cal Poly Pomona’s commitment to excellence in education (see above).
• At least three letters of reference dated within the last two years, at least one of which must specifically address teaching
• The names and contact information for at least two additional individuals that can serve as references
• Unofficial transcripts (undergraduate and graduate, official transcripts will be required of finalists)