Professor of Musical Theater and inaugural Whitney Family Gary Gardner Chair in Musical Theater

UCLA seeks applicants for a full time position for a tenure-track Assistant Professor or tenured Associate or Full Professor of Theater in the area of Musical Theater, who will serve as the inaugural Whitney Family Gary Gardner Chair in Musical Theater, beginning July 1, 2026.

Responsibilities:
• Contribute significantly to leadership of the rigorous and flourishing Ray Bolger Musical Theater program in the BA of the Theater Department at UCLA, a Research I University.
• Teach a combination of practice and scholarly courses in the Department, primarily related to Musical Theater.
• Serve as a director, musical director, and/or choreographer for Department productions.
• Supervise undergraduate and graduate projects in relevant areas across the Theater Department, including thesis and capstone work.
• Maintain and grow a national and international professional career.
• Recruit promising students to the Musical Theater program; mentor current students in academic and career planning.
• Participate in department, school, and university committees, as well as other service opportunities.
• Work with unit leadership and Development to identify and cultivate new sources of funding.
• Contribute to department, school, and university inclusive excellence initiatives.

Qualifications:
A minimum of eight years professional experience in musical theater and three years of related teaching experience is required. An MFA, other terminal degree, and/or professional equivalency is preferred. Additional experience in film, television, and/or streaming media of interest but not required.

The ideal candidate will have experience that demonstrates:
• Ability to collaboratively lead, supervise, develop and administer a university musical theater program.
• Cooperative approach to theater education that involves colleagues with different expertise as well as ongoing collaborative relationships in the field.
• Welcoming approach to students with a broad range of knowledge and skills in theater performance, production, and scholarship.
• Ability to teach traditional and current practices at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
• Additional research and teaching interests connecting musical theater with film, television, streaming, and/or emerging practices, platforms and technologies.
• Ability to nurture and work with a wide range of diverse students from different backgrounds.

Open date: November 3, 2025

Next review date: Monday, Jan 5, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Saturday, Feb 28, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.