"Tenure-Track Assistant Professor, Acting"

Tenure-Track Assistant Professor, Acting

Working Title: Tenure-Track Assistant Professor, Acting

State Role Title: N/A

Position Type: Instructional / Teaching Faculty

Position Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt: Not Eligible for Overtime

College/Division: College of Visual and Performing Arts

Department: 100019 - School Theatre and Dance

Pay Rate: Commensurate with Experience

Beginning Review Date: 11/15/2025

The School of Theatre and Dance at James Madison University invites applications for a full-time, 10-month, tenure-track Assistant Professor of Acting to join our dynamic and collaborative faculty beginning August 2026.

We are seeking a vibrant theatre artist and educator with a strong professional background and a national and/or international portfolio in acting and/or directing, as well as a commitment to student-centered teaching. The successful candidate will demonstrate a pedagogical approach grounded in contemporary, objective-based actor training systems and an interest in evolving industry practices.

Our program integrates a rigorous liberal arts foundation with intensive artistic training, and we are currently engaged in a collaborative redesign of our Theatre major. The incoming faculty member will have a meaningful voice in shaping this future and help lead the development of a performance curriculum alongside a passionate and forward-thinking faculty.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Teaching responsibilities may include:

• Acting (basic, intermediate, advanced)
• Acting for the camera
• Heightened language
• Directing
• Auditioning techniques
• Theatre appreciation for non-majors

In addition to teaching, faculty are expected to:

• Direct mainstage productions.
• Participate in curriculum development and revision.
• Engage in creative and/or scholarly research.
• Actively mentor and advise students.
• Contribute to a supportive and inclusive departmental environment.
• Participate in student recruitment.

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications

• M.F.A. or Ph.D. in Acting, Directing, Interdisciplinary Performance, or related areas.
• Record of professional accomplishment in the disciplines of acting (theatre, television, or film) or directing at the regional, national, and/or international level.
• Demonstrated engagement with, and understanding of, contemporary theatre trends, playwrights, and professional practices.
• Ability to facilitate conversations regarding representation and consent in the acting studio.
• Commitment to liberal arts education and collaborative learning.
• A developing or established record of creative or scholarly work consistent with the expectations of an R2 research institution.

Preferred Qualifications

• Record of accomplished teaching at the undergraduate or professional studio level within a contemporary system of actor training, some of which might include Adler, Meisner, Hagen, Chekhov, Stanislavsky, Soulwork, etc.
• Demonstrated experience with acting for the camera, voiceover, and/or integration of digital media, video, or emerging technologies in performance.
• Record of successful student mentorship.

Additional Posting Information:

• Applicants should complete the application on the JMU career site and submit 1) a cover letter; 2) curriculum vitae; 3) teaching philosophy statement; 4) names and contact information of three professional references.
• Review of applications will begin November 15, 2025.
• At the point of hiring, the successful candidate will be required to send official transcripts.
• Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications to be considered for this position.

School of Theatre and Dance