Position Overview

The School of Performing Arts in the College of Fine Arts at Wichita State University invites applications for a full-time, non-tenure-track Assistant Teaching Professor/Educator in Technical Direction and Scenic Design to begin September 2027.

We seek a dynamic educator, mentor, and production leader who will play a central role in shaping the academic future of the school and the Design and Technical Theatre degree area within a highly collaborative interdisciplinary performing arts environment. We are particularly interested in candidates with expertise and extensive experience in technical direction, scenic design, and student mentorship who are committed to undergraduate education and applied learning.

Because production is central to the School of Performing Arts' mission, this position serves in a key production leadership role. The successful candidate will provide significant service through technical direction for school productions, oversee technical operations across three theatrical venues and facilities, and ensure safe and effective production practices. Working closely with faculty, guest artists, directors, choreographers, and students, the successful candidate will help create a vibrant production culture that prioritizes both artistic excellence and student learning.

Department Description

The School of Performing Arts is a comprehensive interdisciplinary school offering BFA and BA degrees in Performing Arts with concentrations in Acting, Dance, Design and Technical Theatre, Musical Theatre, and Theatre. Grounded in a shared core curriculum, the school emphasizes collaboration across disciplines and provides extensive opportunities for students to engage as artists, designers, technicians, administrators, managers, and producers. A hallmark of the school is its commitment to undergraduate leadership through production and applied learning.

The School of Performing Arts produces a diverse season of plays, musicals, dance concerts, films, audio productions, new works, and student-led projects each year. Located in Wichita State University's College of Fine Arts, the School benefits from strong partnerships across campus and throughout Wichita's active arts community, providing rich opportunities for collaboration, professional engagement, and experiential learning.

Core Responsibilities

Teaching: Develop and teach undergraduate courses in scenic design, drafting, technical direction, theatre technology, and related areas. This includes designing curriculum and instructional materials, delivering high-quality instruction in various modalities (in-person, online, or hybrid), and assessing student learning. The position offers the opportunity to develop a strong technical direction mentorship and applied learning model that prepares students for leadership roles through progressive experiences in production management, scenic construction, safety, collaboration, scheduling, and project execution.

Research/Scholarly Activity: No responsibilities in this area

Service: Participate in service activities within the department, college, and university as assigned. Duties may include committee work, curriculum development, program assessment, student recruitment, and community outreach. The faculty member will contribute to the governance and strategic initiatives of the department and engage primarily through service as the technical director for productions along with oversight for three venues (one proscenium stage, one studio theatre, one black box theatre).

Required Qualifications

·      MFA in Theatre or related studies with a focus in scenic design or technical direction OR BA/BFA in Theatre/Design and Technical Theatre with commensurate professional experience in scenic design and technical direction

·      Evidence of achievement in scenic design

·      Evidence of achievement in technical direction

·      Evidence of a commitment to fostering collaborative classroom and production environments

·      Evidence of accommodating a variety of learning styles and strategies in instructional delivery and learning activity

·      Demonstrated ability to mentor students in production environments

·      Demonstrated ability to teach undergraduate courses in scenic design and drafting

·      Demonstrated ability to use and teach industry standard software such as Vectorworks

**Terminal degree is required for Assistant Teaching Professor**

Preferred Qualifications (in addition to required)

·      MFA in Theatre/Design and Technical Theatre with a focus on scenic design or technical direction

·      Professional experience in scenic design

·      Professional experience as a technical director

·      Three years’ teaching experience at full-time or equivalent course load in higher education

·      Ability to teach theatre courses beyond scenic design, drafting, or technical direction

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

·      Cover Letter: A letter of application addressing how the candidate’s qualifications and experience align with the position.

·      Teaching Statement: A statement (1-2 pages) describing teaching approach/philosophy and experience (including course topics the candidate can teach, mentoring experience, and any evidence of teaching effectiveness).

·      Digital Portfolio: File or link to file(s) or website of professional digital work

·      References: Three reference letters are required.

·      Optional Materials: Any additional materials the candidate would like to share such as sample publications, teaching evaluations, reviews, etc.

Review Date

Review of applications will begin on 10/23/26 and continues until the position is filled. The start date for this appointment is August 2027 or as negotiated.

Pay

Commensurate with qualifications and experience

Contact Details

For more information contact: Professor Amy Baker Schwiethale, Chair - Assistant Teaching Professor/Educator of Performing Arts – Technical Direction and Scenic Design Search Committee, Wichita State University Email: amy.baker@wichita.edu

Position Overview

The School of Performing Arts in the College of Fine Arts at Wichita State University invites applications for a full-time, non-tenure-track Assistant Teaching Professor/Educator in Technical Direction and Scenic Design to begin September 2027.

We seek a dynamic educator, mentor, and production leader who will play a central role in shaping the academic future of the school and the Design and Technical Theatre degree area within a highly collaborative interdisciplinary performing arts environment. We are particularly interested in candidates with expertise and extensive experience in technical direction, scenic design, and student mentorship who are committed to undergraduate education and applied learning.

Because production is central to the School of Performing Arts' mission, this position serves in a key production leadership role. The successful candidate will provide significant service through technical direction for school productions, oversee technical operations across three theatrical venues and facilities, and ensure safe and effective production practices. Working closely with faculty, guest artists, directors, choreographers, and students, the successful candidate will help create a vibrant production culture that prioritizes both artistic excellence and student learning.

Department Description

The School of Performing Arts is a comprehensive interdisciplinary school offering BFA and BA degrees in Performing Arts with concentrations in Acting, Dance, Design and Technical Theatre, Musical Theatre, and Theatre. Grounded in a shared core curriculum, the school emphasizes collaboration across disciplines and provides extensive opportunities for students to engage as artists, designers, technicians, administrators, managers, and producers. A hallmark of the school is its commitment to undergraduate leadership through production and applied learning.

The School of Performing Arts produces a diverse season of plays, musicals, dance concerts, films, audio productions, new works, and student-led projects each year. Located in Wichita State University's College of Fine Arts, the School benefits from strong partnerships across campus and throughout Wichita's active arts community, providing rich opportunities for collaboration, professional engagement, and experiential learning.

Core Responsibilities

Teaching: Develop and teach undergraduate courses in scenic design, drafting, technical direction, theatre technology, and related areas. This includes designing curriculum and instructional materials, delivering high-quality instruction in various modalities (in-person, online, or hybrid), and assessing student learning. The position offers the opportunity to develop a strong technical direction mentorship and applied learning model that prepares students for leadership roles through progressive experiences in production management, scenic construction, safety, collaboration, scheduling, and project execution.

Research/Scholarly Activity: No responsibilities in this area

Service: Participate in service activities within the department, college, and university as assigned. Duties may include committee work, curriculum development, program assessment, student recruitment, and community outreach. The faculty member will contribute to the governance and strategic initiatives of the department and engage primarily through service as the technical director for productions along with oversight for three venues (one proscenium stage, one studio theatre, one black box theatre).

Required Qualifications

·      MFA in Theatre or related studies with a focus in scenic design or technical direction OR BA/BFA in Theatre/Design and Technical Theatre with commensurate professional experience in scenic design and technical direction

·      Evidence of achievement in scenic design

·      Evidence of achievement in technical direction

·      Evidence of a commitment to fostering collaborative classroom and production environments

·      Evidence of accommodating a variety of learning styles and strategies in instructional delivery and learning activity

·      Demonstrated ability to mentor students in production environments

·      Demonstrated ability to teach undergraduate courses in scenic design and drafting

·      Demonstrated ability to use and teach industry standard software such as Vectorworks

**Terminal degree is required for Assistant Teaching Professor**

Preferred Qualifications (in addition to required)

·      MFA in Theatre/Design and Technical Theatre with a focus on scenic design or technical direction

·      Professional experience in scenic design

·      Professional experience as a technical director

·      Three years’ teaching experience at full-time or equivalent course load in higher education

·      Ability to teach theatre courses beyond scenic design, drafting, or technical direction

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

·      Cover Letter: A letter of application addressing how the candidate’s qualifications and experience align with the position.

·      Teaching Statement: A statement (1-2 pages) describing teaching approach/philosophy and experience (including course topics the candidate can teach, mentoring experience, and any evidence of teaching effectiveness).

·      Digital Portfolio: File or link to file(s) or website of professional digital work

·      References: Three reference letters are required.

·      Optional Materials: Any additional materials the candidate would like to share such as sample publications, teaching evaluations, reviews, etc.

Review Date

Review of applications will begin on 10/23/26 and continues until the position is filled. The start date for this appointment is August 2027 or as negotiated.

Pay

Commensurate with qualifications and experience

Contact Details

For more information contact: Professor Amy Baker Schwiethale, Chair - Assistant Teaching Professor/Educator of Performing Arts – Technical Direction and Scenic Design Search Committee, Wichita State University Email: amy.baker@wichita.edu