Students of DU’s theatre department will assist in the process of recruiting and hiring a sixth faculty member throughout May in the hopes of appointing a new acting-directing teacher.
Currently, there are four final candidates for the position who must remain nameless as per university policy.
“Due to the nature of our major, we interact with our professors as teachers, mentors and working professionals,” senior theatre and anthropology major Gwen Adams said.
“Not only do we have classes with them, but we also work on shows with them for about 30 hours per week. Because of this, the theatre department has stated that they wish to hear our opinions of each of the possible candidates for a new acting and directing teacher.”
Chair of the department, Rick Barbour, added his intention to make students comfortable with the candidates.
“The faculty works alongside students and so we really value student perspective here,” he said. “It’s second nature.”
The first individual applicant visited campus Friday and will engage in acting and directing workshops and one-on-one question-response sessions with students and potential fellow faculty members.
Adams explained that following sample classes and Q&A sessions with potential professors, faculty members accept forms filled out by students to help in their decision-making process.
“Ultimately, we consider how finalists struck us and go on student recommendations. It’s sort of like an audition.” Barbour said.
Currently, he stated that even given recent growth, with 52 students in the theatre department, the student-to-teacher ratio is “healthy.”
He added that from World War II through the 1980s, DU maintained an acclaimed theatre school, with a large staff and ambitious production season.
However, when the economy stalled in the 1980s, several programs at DU, including theatre, were cut. Some acting classes were still made available, instructed by a select number of graduate students from the former program.
“Within seven or eight years, they reconstituted the theatre department as a standalone BA track, rather than the masters and PhD programs that were once available. It was modest and small, a learn-by-doing approach that is still employed today.”
With the development of the Newman Center of the Performing Arts, the theatre school has been given great opportunity to expand and re-establish its once prestigious reputation.
Additional resources have provided for the hiring of an experienced and skilled staff.
“There’s a lot going on and enrollment is spiking,” Barbour said.
Presently, the faculty consists of five individuals, four of whom are relatively new, in the last eight years.
Individuals that compose the theater team possess strong central specializations, while maintaining all-encompassing experience to varying degrees.
Barbour said the new addition to the department’s staff is required to have a masters degree in acting, professional acting experience and teaching experience.
“We had 135 applications and we must narrow down the ‘yes’ pile. We want someone who can walk the talk as a professional, who serves as a valuable role model and brings a real clarity about what works in the world, not just in theory.”
Though Barbour currently serves as an acting and directing instructor, he expressed the need for assistance in that particular sphere of the department.
“A lot of our students at least begin in acting classes. They are our most overall highly attended and often times get our students’ feet in the door. There’s a great need there. I’m hopeful that we will be able to find the right person and get a commitment by the end of the year,” Barbour said.
