Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre

Status: Benefits Eligible FLSA: Exempt Hiring Range: $60,000-$70,000 per year + benefits package. Location: Tacoma, WA 98447 Department: Theatre & Dance Posting Date: 09/25/2026 Closing Date: Review of applications will begin November 1, 2026, and continue until the position is filled. Work Schedule: Full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor position available September 1, 2027. The academic year is from September to May. Classes begin on September 7, 2027. New Faculty Orientation will take place in late August. General Description: The School of Music, Theatre & Dance (SMTD) at Pacific Lutheran University invites applications for a tenure-track position, Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre, beginning September 1, 2027. The ideal candidate is an exceptional director, music director, and/or choreographer committed to musical theatre practice and pedagogy, who demonstrates artistic and educational leadership across the broader theatre discipline, will contribute to the cultural richness of the greater Seattle-Tacoma area, and foster an inclusive learning environment that attracts and sustains a diverse population of students. A commitment to excellence while working collaboratively with faculty colleagues and students across the university is expected. The PLU SMTD is a nationally recognized center for performance, education, and community. The Karen Hille Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, a state of the art facility that opened in 2013, provides a venue for most Opera, Theatre, and Dance productions, and a secondary space for some music performances. Essential Functions and Responsibilities: Provide leadership, coordination, and development for the Musical Theatre program. PLU currently offers the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) with concentrations in Musical Theatre, Acting/Directing, and Design/Technical. We also offer the Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre, and a Minor in Dance. Direct and/or music direct one mainstage musical production annually. Teach coursework assigned in accordance with the qualifications of the applicant and the instructional needs of the SMTD. Load assignments may include: (1) Musical Theatre performance/scene study; (2) Musical Theatre history; (3) Musical Theatre audition techniques; (4) potentially private studio voice for musical theatre students; (5) other courses for the major (e.g., Acting or Directing) or pan-university courses based on expertise. Assume a position of leadership and high visibility in the musical theatre community in the state and region. Actively recruit top high school students for the musical theatre program and participate in SMTD recruiting activities (e.g., SMTD scholarship auditions). Advise and mentor students in the theatre program. Hold regular student hours. Participate in College of Professional Studies and SMTD faculty activities, as well as relevant service to the university. Other duties as assigned based upon the appointee’s strengths and department needs. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Demonstrated ability to work effectively with, teach, and mentor diverse groups and/or diverse students. Knowledge of and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the arts and in higher education. Knowledge of a diverse, broad musical theatre repertoire (both historical and contemporary) and current, equitable pedagogical and rehearsal techniques. Demonstrated ability in stage direction, music direction, acting/directing, and/or choreography for musical theatre. Required Qualifications: Terminal degree (MFA, PhD, or DMA) in Musical Theatre, Theatre, Music, or appropriate related area. ABD will be considered, but the degree must be completed by September 1, 2027. Significant professional experience (e.g., Broadway, national tours, LORT/major regional theatre) may be considered as a substitute for a terminal degree. Demonstrated experience directing or music directing musical theatre productions. Applicant must be legally eligible to work in the United States on hire date AND legally authorized to work in the United States for Pacific Lutheran University without sponsorship. Preferred Qualifications: Leadership experience in a professional or university theatre program. Demonstrated experience in teaching musical theatre at the university level. Ability to teach in a secondary area, such as acting (non-musical), directing, dance (jazz, tap), or specific vocal techniques (e.g., mix/belt). Piano/keyboard proficiency sufficient for teaching musical theatre performance courses, coaching, and rehearsals. Special Instructions to Applicants: Applicants should submit: Letter of application that specifically addresses your interest in, and qualifications for, the job responsibilities listed above. Curriculum vitae. Statement of teaching philosophy in which you describe your goals for student learning, the methods that you use to help students achieve them, and how you assess student learning. This statement should also explicitly address how you create an inclusive learning environment that is attuned to diversity and equity. A link to a digital portfolio demonstrating your creative work. This may include video clips of productions you have directed, music directed, or choreographed; and/or video of your own performance work. A link to a 15-20 minute video sample of your teaching (e.g., a class, workshop, or coaching) or a rehearsal you are leading. A sample syllabus for a course you envision teaching, such as “Musical Theatre Performance” or “Musical Theatre History”. The sample syllabus may be from a course previously taught or one proposed for a future offering. Full contact information for three references. For questions or more information, please contact Jeff Clapp (clappja@plu.edu) and/or James Brown (brownja@plu.edu), Search Committee co-chairs. Other Information: Pacific Lutheran University purposefully integrates the liberal arts, professional studies and civic engagement in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Our faculty lead with a bold commitment to expanding well-being, opportunity, and justice and instill this commitment in their students. PLU educators work to create an environment where students feel heard and valued, nurturing lifelong learners who aren’t afraid to do things differently to make the world better for everyone. PLU supports faculty as they help students turn ambition into purpose, skills into tools, and their caring into a transformative force. Because PLU is a community committed to the creation and advancement of knowledge through diversity and inclusion, the university actively recruits a faculty, staff, and student body from all religions, races, socioeconomic groups, sexual orientations, and gender expressions and from all over the world. For the 2025-26 academic year, 45 percent of PLU undergraduate students are from the first generation in their families to attend college; 51.4 percent self-identify as students of color; and 34.2 percent are Pell Grant–eligible. Offering distinctive opportunities for global engagement, collaborative student-faculty research, and purposeful learning, our faculty guide 2,800 students from all faiths and backgrounds to discern their purpose through relevant coursework, inclusive mentoring, and internships at world-class Puget Sound-area businesses and institutions. PLU is located on a 156-acre woodland campus in the Parkland neighborhood of Tacoma, Washington and about 40 minutes south of downtown Seattle. The campus reflects consciously green practices and is in proximity to the natural beauty of Mount Rainier, the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges, and the Puget Sound. PLU administration supports and respects the strong culture of faculty-shared governance by working closely and collaboratively with faculty leadership to sustain and strengthen existing structures and procedures while working together on key institutional, academic and curricular decisions. PLU is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from members of historically underrepresented and marginalized groups, women, veterans, persons with disabilities, and others who would bring broadly diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds in educational, research, or other work activities. For general application questions or if you need accommodations at any point in the application and/or interview process, please contact the Human Resources Office at 253-535-7185 or humr@plu.edu. Click here for detailed benefits information.