Richard Rodgers Dean and Director, Drama Division

Description

The Richard Rodgers Dean and Director of the Drama Division is responsible for overseeing all aspects of educating actors and graduate-level playwrights at Juilliard. This includes programming robust and balanced performance seasons that prioritize student learning, recruiting, developing, and managing faculty and staff, determining and enhancing the curriculum in close collaboration with the faculty, working collaboratively with other divisions and departments across the school, and equipping students with the tools they need to transition from an educational setting to the professional world on stage and on screen. The Dean and Director is responsible for developing all of the artistic activities of the Drama Division and sets the vision and values for the Division, identifying needs and realizing initiatives that meet the emerging demands and opportunities of the discipline and the profession.

With groups of 18 per year, Juilliard’s drama program combines both MFA and BFA students for a four-year program that provides intensive training in acting, movement, voice, Alexander Technique, and other core aspects of the craft, allowing students to develop a comprehensive, embodied understanding of the actor’s work and apply that understanding to a diverse dramatic repertoire in rehearsal and production. The fourth year culminates in performance opportunities that include a four-play Drama Theater season, short film production and screenings, and actor presentations for industry professionals in New York and Los Angeles. The MFA in Acting program is tuition-free for all four years of study, and the final year of the program also includes a living stipend.

The Dean and Director also oversees the Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program, under the direction of Tanya Barfield and David Lindsay‑Abaire, which offers tuition-free, graduate-level fellowships for a two-year program.

The Dean and Director will demonstrate a deep commitment to creating an environment of rigor and aspiration to excellence in all work, from the acquisition of foundational craft, to the exploration of centuries-old as well as contemporary texts, to the creation of new work. The Dean and Director will continually assess, enhance, and refine the curriculum to educate and prepare students for numerous possible career paths.

The Dean and Director will recognize the unique opportunity of operating in a multidisciplinary school, with a particular emphasis on supporting collaborative work with other divisions, and the unique opportunities associated with being a part of Lincoln Center, located in the heart of New York City.

The Dean and Director will be committed to creating, overseeing, and championing a community that honors different perspectives and seeks to broaden opportunities for all to grow, contribute, and take part in the dynamic culture of the school.

The Dean and Director must be a strong advocate for the needs of the division within the school and outside. This includes fundraising efforts in support of Juilliard’s tuition‑free goals (specifically supporting the goal to make the BFA acting program tuition free, joining the MFA acting and playwrights programs), as well as building and sustaining partnerships for the benefit of the program.

The Dean and Director reports directly to the President and Provost of The Juilliard School. The salary range for this role is $275,000 - $325,000 per year, commensurate with experience, qualifications, and other relevant considerations.

Role Responsibilities

• Maintain exceptional knowledge of and relationships in the drama community, staying informed about and connected to relevant changes in drama education and the professional world
• Exhibit a deep commitment to artistic excellence, creative enterprise, and community and culture in educating and training actors and playwrights
• Prioritize the recruitment and cultivation of dynamic, high-level faculty, staff, and students who reflect a wide range of voices and experiences
• Select repertoire for robust season programming that balances tradition with innovation while meeting the unique needs of the students and their development. Calibrate pedagogical and artistic decisions with budgetary needs, and guide artistic teams, including guest directors and creative team members, to successfully produce high-level programs within the resources allocated
• Oversee curriculum development, ensuring that the curricular programs and activities evolve to meet the shifting demands of the profession
• Determine and uphold the standards and methods by which students are selected for admission to the division, as well as lead audition and admissions decision-making process in collaboration with faculty and staff
• Assess student growth and needs on a consistent basis by teaching, visiting classes, attending performances, meeting with individual students and groups of students, and engaging in ongoing faculty meetings and discussions about the students’ progress
• Understand and promote the overall health and well‑being of students, and address the needs of developing young artists with empathy
• Develop and support cross-divisional and interdisciplinary artistic and educational opportunities
• Report to the President and the Provost, and work closely with other departments including Academic Affairs, Marketing and Communications, Finance, Production, Development, Special Events, Admissions, Financial Aid, Office of Community and Culture, Creative Enterprise, and Office of Community Engagement
• Oversee Division staff of 8, more than 40 full and part-time faculty and guest artists, and 80 students
• Determine and implement the policies for evaluating the work of students, faculty, and staff, and take appropriate corrective action as necessary

Qualifications, Skills, And Attributes

• Respected member of the drama community with a high level of professional performance, directing, producing, and/or leadership experience
• Experience as a drama educator with pre‑professional age students, with preference of 5+ years in higher education
• Individual who will uphold the rigor and legacy of foundational skill-building while championing innovation in programming and pedagogy
• Understanding of and direct experience with curation and administration in a performance or educational institution
• Demonstrated commitment to developing a community and culture based on openness, care, and collaboration
• A citizen‑artist who will cultivate a thoughtful, open‑minded and engaged community of well‑rounded, innovative artists
• An effective and inspiring leader with a proven track record of advocacy who will champion the division within Juilliard and beyond
• An individual who understands effective pedagogical practices and demonstrates and promotes the values of excellence, artistry, access, and service in the development of young artists
• Excellent communication skills with faculty, students, and administration, with the ability to speak and advocate for the division in public settings
• Knowledge and experience in budgeting
• Track record of successful fundraising and donor engagement
• Ability to develop short, medium, and long‑term planning for the Division
• Generosity of spirit

EEO Policy

The Juilliard School is committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its relations with its faculty, staff, students, and other members of the Juilliard community, and does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, creed, age, sex, national origin, alienage, ancestry, citizenship, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity, physical or mental disability, medical condition, predisposing genetic characteristics, marital status, partnership status, or any other basis prohibited by applicable local, state, or federal law. This nondiscrimination policy covers, but is not limited to, recruitment, hiring, training, benefits, rates of pay and other forms of compensation as well as student admission, access, and treatment in school programs and activities.