Scenic/Lighting Designer

The Theatre and Dance Department at Appalachian State University invites applications for a tenure-track nine-month faculty position at the rank of Assistant/Associate Professor beginning August 2009.  Qualifications for this position include an MFA/PhD in design; the ability to teach multilevel design and technical production classes; and a willingness to design or mentor student designers in collaboration with other faculty/staff in a liberal arts undergraduate theatre and dance program with a design/tech concentration.  Experience in related areas is preferred, i.e.; scene painting, sound design, or other related areas. Responsibilities also include student advisement, recruitment, curriculum development, and possible on-line instruction and/or instruction at off-campus sites, as well as an active program of scholarship, creative activity, and participation in service activities.

Appalachian State University is located in Boone, a city of approximately 14,000, atop the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina.  Boone is less than 15 miles from some of the most scenic areas along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The cities of Asheville, Winston-Salem, and Charlotte are just over two away by car.  There is an abundance of outdoor activities and the University serves as a cultural center in the area.

The Department of Theatre and Dance is housed in the College of Fine and Applied Arts. 
Department overview:

  • BA degree in Theatre
    • With concentrations in design/technology, general, or performance
  • Number of declared majors is approximately 25 in dance and 80 in theatre.
  • There is an active USITT student chapter.
  • There are 15 full-time faculty, 17 part-time faculty, and 3 staff
  • Currently within the design/tech cohort there are
    • Two full time faculty that specialize in costume design
    • One part-time faculty that serves as costume studio supervisor
    • One full-time staff that serves as technical director
    • One full-time faculty generalist that regularly assists with scenic design
    • One part-time faculty that regularly teaches and designs lighting
    • Typically one or two students are assigned design or assistant design responsibilities each semester.
  • BA degree in Dance Studies
  • BS in Theatre Education

 

The person filling this position would be expected to take a leadership role coordinating design assignments for scenery and lights for three productions each semester, (2 theatre and 1 dance) typically undertaking one major scenic design and one lighting design each semester as well as mentoring any student designers.  The department is committed to maintaining a balance of scholarship, creative activity, and teaching in both the discipline and in the liberal arts core.

The majority of our productions are staged in the Valborg Theatre, an intimate space with 330+ seats in a steeply raked house.  The scenic studio is located upstage of the performance area and all events in the space are scheduled through the department. The stage has a large, trapped apron and an adjustable proscenium width, with no fly loft.  Lighting positions, onstage and FOH, are accessed via catwalks.

Appalachian State University is a member institution of the sixteen-campus University of North Carolina. Located in Boone, North Carolina, the university has approximately 15,000 students, primarily in bachelors and masters programs in both liberal arts and applied fields.  Appalachian has both a traditional residential campus and a variety of distance education programs.   Additional information about Theatre and Dance, the university and the surrounding area is located at http://www.theatre.appstate.edu.

Applicants must send a complete application consisting of a letter of application, a vita, and contact information for three references.  Applications should be sent to - Attn: Mr. Joel Williams, Design Search Chair, ASU Department of Theatre and Dance, P.O. Box 32123, Boone, NC 28608–2123.  The initial review of complete applications will begin December 8, 2008, and will continue until the position is filled.  Any inquiries regarding the position should be addressed to the committee via the chair, Joel Williams.

Appalachian State University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. The university has a strong commitment to the principles of diversity and inclusion, and to maintaining working and learning environments that are free of all forms of discrimination.

Individuals with disabilities may request accommodations in the application process by contacting committee chair, Joel Williams.  Documentation of identity and employability of the applicant will be required before the hiring process can be finalized.