Associate Professor of Theatre & Performance (Performance Practice)

Job description

Associate Professor of Theatre & Performance (Performance Practice)

The Department of Theatre & Performance at William & Mary, a public university of the Commonwealth of Virginia, seeks applications for a tenured position at the Associate Professor level in performance practice and directing. Appointment will begin August 10, 2027. We are interested in individuals with research and teaching expertise in innovative reinterpretations of traditional practices. Preferred research areas include nonwestern or global majority theatre and performance (Asian, African, Black, Latine, Indigenous), and/or LGBTQ and feminist theatre. Candidate must have academic leadership experience. Duties include research, teaching, and service to the University. The applicant is expected to establish and maintain a vibrant research program that inspires a highly motivated undergraduate student body. Teaching expectation is 2 courses per semester. Successful applicants must possess the skills to teach compelling courses in performance practice and directing (including directing departmental productions) and other lecture and seminar-style courses related to their specific research area. Candidates who can contribute to musical/dance theatre genres, acting, stage combat or other performance technique classes will be given high consideration.

Required Qualifications:

Applicants must hold a Ph.D. or MFA at the time appointment begins (August 10, 2027).

Applicants must have completed 18 graduate credit hours in the discipline in which they will teach.

Experience with research in performance practice and directing with a focus on innovative reinterpretations of traditional practices.

Evidence of the ability to establish and/or maintain a vibrant research program, which may include their own practice and/or scholarly publications.

Experience teaching courses in performance practice and directing and other lecture and seminar-style courses.

Demonstrated ability to contribute to academic leadership.

Preferred Qualifications:

Previous experience in teaching and mentoring successful undergraduate research.

Evidence of scholarly achievement or demonstrated potential as a scholar/practitioner.

Preferred research areas include nonwestern or global majority theatre and performance (Asian, African, Black, Latine, Indigenous), and/or LGBTQ and feminist theatre.

Demonstrated ability to contribute to teaching musical/dance theatre genres, acting, stage combat or other performance technique classes.

Conditions of Employment:

This position may require additional hours beyond the typical work week, including occasional overnight and weekend work as needed to meet the business needs of the operation.

Applicants must apply online at All applications must consist of the following materials for full consideration. Please note: No more than 5 individual documents may be uploaded into the upload field provided ("i.e. Resume/Cover letter" upload field). Each individual file must not exceed a size limit of 5MB. If necessary, candidates can compress multiple files into a single zip file for upload:

Curriculum vitae;

Cover letter;

A statement of teaching interests that describes your approach to teaching and mentoring and that may also incorporate a discussion of how your past scholarly work informs your approach;

A statement of research interests;

Unofficial graduate transcripts outlining proof of 18 graduate credit hours in the curricular area specified in the position description above. For international hires, a letter of graduate credit hour completion from your graduate school may be submitted if unofficial transcripts are not provided by your university;

A sample syllabus.

Applicants are encouraged to reflect on teaching and mentoring practices that advance academic excellence and success of all learners/scholars in Theatre in any of the aforementioned required documents.

Candidates who reach the first-round virtual interview stage will be prompted to submit online the names and email addresses of three references who will be contacted by the system with instructions for how to submit a letter of reference.

For full consideration, submit application materials no later than October 16, 2026. Applications received after the initial application deadline will be considered if needed. All required supplemental application materials mentioned above must be clearly identified and included with your application for full consideration.

Information on the degree programs in the Department of Theatre & Performance may be found at

William & Mary offers our full-time employees a full array of benefits including retirement, health insurance with options for expanded dental and vision along with group and optional life insurance with coverage for spouse and children, flexible spending accounts, and an EAP (Employee Assistance Program).

Our employees enjoy additional university benefits such as educational assistance, professional development, wellness benefits, and a robust holiday schedule. Housing Relocation Resources are also available to help new employees transition successfully to the area. All employees have access to fitness facilities on campus, to the university libraries, and much more. To learn more, go to:

Applicant Notice: By applying for this position, you consent to William & Mary's use, review, and retention of your application materials for recruitment and employment purposes. Materials may be shared with authorized individuals participating in the hiring process and will be managed in accordance with applicable laws and university policies.

Probationary Period Notice: Individuals selected for full-time staff positions will be required to complete a twelve (12) month probationary period in accordance with university policy.

Remote Work Disclaimer: Remote work eligibility is not guaranteed and is subject to approval. Employee eligibility depends on the likelihood of the employee succeeding in a remote work arrangement and the supervisor's ability to manage remote workers. Departments and/or Human Resources may amend, alter, change, delete, or modify eligibility.

Worksite address

williamsburg, VA, 23187, US

Who can apply

Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.