Artistic Director - Actors Theatre of Louisville Position Description

Transcription

1 Artistic Director - Actors Theatre of Louisville Position Description Actors Theatre of Louisville, the State Theatre of Kentucky and home of the Humana Festival of New American Plays, invites applications and nominations for the position of Artistic Director. The new Artistic Director will have the opportunity to make a lasting impact, leading Actors Theatre as it builds on its 55-year record of service to the people of Louisville and the American theatre community. The Artistic Director will serve as the leader of a remarkable ensemble of theater artists, the steward of a tradition of creating and staging new plays, and the visionary of a new era of theater. The ideal candidate will be innovative and inspiring, a creative and skilled theater artist, a selfless colleague, a bold but judicious manager, and an effective agent for community engagement. Actors Theatre seeks to create a truly brave space where diverse identities, ideas, cultures, and opinions are cultivated and compassion is a core value. Because of its conviction that the diversity of a community is its defining strength, Actors Theatre is committed to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in all areas of its work, including its community engagement efforts, productions, casting, education programs, recruitment of staff, students, apprentices, and volunteers, and the composition of the Board of Directors. We strongly encourage applications from women, persons of color, LGBTQ individuals, and others who demonstrate a commitment to equity and social justice and will model these values as an artistic leader. Recognizing that there are many paths that might prepare a person for this opportunity, we also welcome applications from theater professionals who may have followed nontraditional career tracks. Actors Theatre s mission is to unlock human potential, build community and enrich quality of life by engaging people in theater that reflects the wonder and complexity of our time. Actors vision is to be a leading arts organization locally and nationally, serving as a catalyst for creativity, innovation, inspiration and education in our community and field. Actors Theatre sees itself at a pivotal moment, proud of, but unconstrained by its history, asking fundamental questions: Looking ahead, who do we want to be? Who do we need to be? Actors Theatre is dedicated to reimagining the way it does its work in the context of a rapidly evolving culture and seeks an Artistic Director eager to help shape the answers. Position Summary The Artistic Director (AD) will lead the development and evolution of the artistic vision for Actors Theatre. In co-equal partnership with Managing Director, Kevin E. Moore, the AD will also lead the organization to ensure the theatre company s success - as measured by its artistic excellence, its engagement and impact in the community, its fiscal and institutional health, and the creation of an environment in which the entire company can do its best work and achieve both personal and professional satisfaction. The AD will steer the creation and production of work that embodies broadly diverse voices, styles, and subjects, and that will continue to advance Actors Theatre s reputation as the cradle of new American plays and one of the most admired theaters in the nation. The Artistic Director will take the lead in season planning, engaging in a broadly shared dialogue and a process that ensures transparency and collaboration in artistic choices. In collaboration with other Actors Theatre leaders, the AD will provide artistic oversight of all theater programs and activities, but should also be concerned with the health of the entire organization - not only what s on stage - and therefore committed to fiscal responsibility, work/life balance, EDI, and community engagement. The AD will work closely with the Managing Director, Board, and staff to develop creative strategies to address the changing subscriber model and other structural challenges faced by the regional theater community. The AD will work with the Managing Director, artistic and production staff, and Director of Finance to develop the annual budget for approval by the Board of Directors. The AD will act as an eloquent ambassador for Actors Theatre locally, regionally, and nationally; and will participate in the fundraising and promotional events required to ensure a world-class level of production. Actors Theatre of Louisville Artistic Director Page 1 of 5

2 Traits and Characteristics The new Actors Theatre Artistic Director will be a leader with an exceptional ability to articulate a compelling theatrical vision, both internally and externally, possessed of a nimble and inquiring mind that sparks creative, passionate, and imaginative work from colleagues. The AD will be a keen listener and an unselfish leader, adept at synthesizing the ideas of others to create transformative strategies for meaningful, collaborative action. The AD will galvanize motivated and inspired artistic teams to realize their ideas, modeling transparency, inclusion, and respect as indispensable characteristics of effective leadership. The AD will build on a personal record of effective community engagement to lead Actors Theatre toward stronger connections with the community it serves, and will become one of Louisville s most prominent cultural leaders. The AD will embrace the virtues of EDI (Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion) in every aspect of our work and manifest them personally. The AD will be attuned to the evolving communities served by the Theatre, both locally and nationally, with a unique ability to see over the horizon and anticipate the important roles that Actors Theatre will need to play as a civic and cultural resource. The successful candidate will be a theater artist with broad experience across a wide range of work, equally comfortable with the classical canon and daring new plays, and will have meaningful experience with new play development, which is the core element of Actors' national identity. Our new AD will also articulate a shared artistic vision that extends to the entire season and will lead in the creation of a more coherent artistic identity. Actors Theatre champions young playwrights, supports a Professional Training Company, and offers an extensive array of education programs. The new AD, likewise, must be a generous mentor of young talent and take an active part in these initiatives. Above all else, the successful candidate will be an extraordinary leader whose authenticity, courage, and imagination will inspire colleagues, audiences, and the larger community to see our work as indispensable by engaging people in theatre that reflects the wonder and complexity of our time. About Actors Theatre of Louisville Actors Theatre is the flagship theatre of the Louisville region. It presents more than 350 performances annually on its three stages and delivers a broad range of bold, thought-provoking programming, including the classical repertory and contemporary work presented in the Brown-Forman Series; holiday favorites cherished as annual traditions; extensive education programs where students of diverse backgrounds and ages see plays and make plays; the widely-respected Professional Training Company, which welcomes forty or more apprentices every season into acting, artistic, production, and administrative departments; and the Humana Festival of New American Plays, celebrating its 43rd year as the premier event of its kind in the nation. Three artistic directors have helped forge Actors Theatre s reputation as one of America s most consequential theaters. Beginning in its modest home in the old Illinois Central Railway Station, with a budget of less than $250,000 and a few hundred subscribers, Producing Director Jon Jory was instrumental in the growth of Actors Theatre. For thirty years, and in over 1300 productions, Mr. Jory built the artistic foundation on which the Theatre still rests. During his tenure Actors Theatre was awarded the three most prestigious awards given to regional theaters: the Margo Jones Award, presented for the encouragement of new playwrights, the Shubert Foundation s James N. Vaughan Memorial Award for Exceptional Achievement and Contribution to the Development of Professional Theatre, and the Special Tony Award as outstanding non-profit resident Theatre. Mr. Jory was followed in 2000 by Artistic Director Marc Masterson, whose many contributions included the establishment of the Theatre s Education Department and expansion of its student and community programs. Following his eleventh vibrant season, Masterson transitioned to South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, California. He was followed by Obie Award-winning director Les Waters, who had most recently served as the Associate Artistic Director at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Waters rich directorial history and fruitful artistic partnerships nationally and internationally have enriched the work of Actors Theatre over the past six years, during which time he oversaw a doubling of Actors Theatre s commissioning program. Mr. Waters announced last fall that he would depart following the close of the season. Actors Theatre of Louisville Artistic Director Page 2 of 5

3 Actors Theatre s global reputation as a crucible of new play development rests on more than four decades of achievements. The Humana Festival of New American Plays was created by Jon Jory in 1976 and has since contributed more than 450 new works to the American and International repertoire. Humana Festival plays have garnered awards from the beginning, including three Pulitzer Prizes, seven Obie Awards, and four Kesselring Prizes. Past Humana Festival playwrights have included Jeff Augustin, Jorge Ignacio Cortiñas, Idris Goodwin, Lucas Hnath, Naomi Iizuka, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Basil Kreimendahl, Lisa Kron, Charles Mee, Molly Smith Metzler, A. Rey Pamatmat, Sarah Ruhl, Jen Silverman, Naomi Wallace, and Leah Nanako Winkler. More than 400 Humana Festival plays have been published in anthologies and individual acting editions, making Actors Theatre a vital force in the support of playwrights and the propagation of new work. The festival has a history of championing female playwrights. The 2018 festival featured plays by nine playwrights, six of whom identify as female, four female directors, and a majority of female-led stories. The Professional Training Company is one of the cornerstones of Actors Theatre s commitment to education. A diverse company of 40 young theater professionals participate in a full-immersion program focused on practical, experiential training designed to ease the transition into a professional career. The PTC functions as a theater company with its own season, focusing entirely on new works, and is widely-admired as a national leader in alternative theater training. Its alumni are working on staff and onstage in leading theaters across the country and are often invited back home to Actors Theatre. Actors Theatre s Education Programs reach more than 15,000 students annually, through student matinees, in-school playwriting residencies, and the Teen Council. Inspired by the Humana Festival, the New Voices Contest and Festival invites students to submit original ten-minute plays. Every play submitted receives feedback and is considered for production in the New Voices Young Playwrights Festival. Eight plays are fully produced each year in the festival by Actors Theatre s Education and the Professional Training Company. The theater complex stands proudly at the heart of Louisville s urban cultural district, in easy walking distance to most of the city s major arts, entertainment, and convention venues. Since 1972 Actors has occupied the old Bank of Louisville building, the third oldest building in downtown Louisville, constructed in 1837 and listed as a National Historic Landmark. The Theatre owns an extended network of buildings that house its administrative & production offices, and its three theaters: the Pamela Brown Auditorium (633-seat, modified thrust stage); the Bingham Theatre (318-seat, arena stage); and the Victor Jory Theatre (159-seat, thrust stage.) Actors Theatre is governed by a 34-member Board of Directors. Managing Director, Kevin E. Moore, in a coequal partnership with the new Artistic Director, will lead a staff of more than 125 full- and part-time employees. The Theatre currently operates with a $10 million budget. Total current assets exceed $25 million. Actors Theatre operates under LORT B and D contracts, and agreements with Actors Equity Association, United Scenic Artists, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, the American Federation of Musicians, and is an active member of TCG. The Theatre has had an organized EDI program for several years and attaches a high priority to enhancing its work of community engagement. Like most American cities, Louisville is home to people who have not enjoyed the same access to the cultural benefits that come readily to their more privileged neighbors. Actors Theatre is acutely aware that much work remains before its commitment to the principles of EDI becomes a more widespread community reality. We expect the new Artistic Director to be a prominent and effective community presence, with the goal of making the Theatre and its principles relevant in the lives of every person within its reach. The Community Louisville, Kentucky Louisville today is one of the most intriguing of American cities. It is manifestly a City of the Arts, a vibrant community that puts a premium on creativity, offers countless cultural opportunities, and a welcoming home for creative professionals. In addition to Actors Theatre, the city s businesses and residents proudly support the Louisville Orchestra, Kentucky Shakespeare, Stage One Family Theatre, Louisville Ballet, Kentucky Opera, Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, and the recently reopened and expanded Speed Art Museum, among others. According to Louisville s Fund for the Arts, at least one million people attend arts and culture events in the region every year. The arts create more than $250 million of economic activity annually and employ 8,000 people, a community impact double that of any similarly sized city. It is also an exceptionally livable city of unique neighborhoods, diverse communities, and beautiful parks. Those who live here know Louisville as a city that offers a uniquely satisfying quality of life and access to the kind of cultural life that characterizes a great community. Actors Theatre of Louisville Artistic Director Page 3 of 5

4 Among the many colleges and universities located in the Louisville area, The University of Louisville is the largest. More than 22,000 students pursue their degrees at this public university and its medical school, one of the oldest in the country, is known for groundbreaking research and innovation. Louisville is also a center of business and manufacturing. The headquarters of health care giant, Humana, is located a scant two blocks from the Theatre. Its support of the Humana Festival of New American Plays represents the longest continuous partnership between a theater and a corporation in the country. UPS Worldport, the global hub of UPS, employs more than 22,000 people in its massive air cargo facility. Other major employers include Yum Brands (Pizza Hut, KFC, and Taco Bell), Brown-Forman (a leading supporter of Actors Theatre), Ford Motor Company, and Amazon. Qualifications expected in a successful candidate The search committee realizes that no candidate is likely to possess all of the following qualifications, but taken as a whole they present a picture of the committee s expectations, and candidates will be assessed according to how closely they embody these expectations. The committee has established no specific standard for career track, formal education, or length of professional experience, believing that arbitrarily imposed requirements do not advance the Theatre s commitment to an inclusive process. Essential Requirements Consequential experience as a professional theater artist. A demonstrable talent for community engagement. A leadership style that is open and collaborative. Artistic Qualifications A commitment to producing bold, thought-provoking, relevant new work. Significant experience with the development and production of new plays. A flair for recognizing diamonds in the rough, for seeing the potential of new scripts in early drafts. The skill to lead the planning, development, and production of seasons that include classical and contemporary works, seasonal favorites, and numerous fully-staged Humana Festival premieres every year. A record of building and sustaining strong relationships with playwrights, directors, designers, ensembles, and other developers of new works. The ability to balance the expectations of the theatre s many constituents. The skill and commitment to help expand the scope and diversity of the audience. Institutional creativity - a capacity to reimagine the traditional subscription model in ways that will strengthen the theatre s identity, build its audience, and serve its artistry. Experience in the development of and/or support for arts education initiatives. Leadership Qualifications Demonstrated success in the cultivation of a diverse, respectful, and inclusive working environment, where ideas are welcome and decision-making is a transparent and collaborative process. The ability both to create effective teams and to act as a member of a team, coupled with a facility for acting decisively at the right time. Foresight: the ability to understand where the theatre needs to go well before it actually needs to be there, and to articulate a vision to board, staff, and community. The ability to support development and fundraising activities as an eloquent advocate for the theatre and its programs. Personal Qualifications Excellent communication skills; the ability to speak and write persuasively; mature interpersonal skills; a talent for nuance and diplomacy. A deep, personal dedication to the value of the arts in individual lives and to the art of theater as an essential element of any enlightened, diverse, compassionate community. Integrity a commitment to honesty, transparency, and personal accountability. A friendly, warm demeanor and a good sense of humor. Actors Theatre of Louisville Artistic Director Page 4 of 5

5 Applications and Inquiries Interested and qualified applicants are encouraged to submit a resume, accompanied by a cover letter describing why this position and this theatre are of particular interest, the personal and professional experience that has prepared them to be successful as its artistic director, and at least three professional references (name, work relationship, ). All applications will be held in confidence. Initial review of applications will begin on or about July 1, 2018 and continue until a diverse pool of exceptional candidates has been identified. Interested applicants should submit materials as soon as possible. All applications and/or inquiries should be sent via only to the consultant retained for this search by Actors Theatre of Louisville: John Haynes - Bard Arts Consulting info@bardartsconsulting.com MS Word or PDF attachments only, please Subject Line: ATL Artistic Director Search File names of all attachments should include applicant s last name Please do not include lengthy attachments at this time. No phone calls please. Actors Theatre of Louisville is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to the goal of creating a diverse and inclusive working environment. We strongly encourage applications from women, persons of color, and LGBTQ individuals. All qualified applications will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by law. This position will remain open until a diverse pool of candidates has been identified. Actors Theatre of Louisville Artistic Director Page 5 of 5