Teaching Artist

Description

About Us: Laguna Playhouse, a nationally acclaimed, non-profit, professional theatre located steps away from the Pacific Ocean in the charming arts colony of Laguna Beach, CA seeks part-time Teaching Artists for their Theatre Training program Education and for Community Outreach Programs. Reporting to the Director of Education and Outreach, the Teaching Artist will be responsible for teaching classes, workshops and residencies.

About the Position: The Teaching Artist will support the agency’s education and community engagement programs.

Laguna Playhouse Education (LPE) employs skilled, experienced Theatre Teaching Artists from diverse backgrounds, who work in a variety of disciplines (acting, improvisation, spoken word, movement/dance, voice, musical theatre, playwriting, technical theatre/design, etc.) to create theatre. They rely on their own artistic process and dedicated teaching practice to provide engaging, rich, and unique creative experiences for students 4 – 19 years old. LPE Teaching Artists lead formal acting and technical theatre classes in our Theatre Conservatory and also offers theatre-making workshops through local organizations as a way of exploring theatre and creative place-making within our community. LPE teaching artists create and deliver high-quality curriculum, expose the community to theatre from a range of cultures, introduce arts/theatre vocabulary, and demonstrate arts/theatre concepts. LP Teaching Artists build an inclusive and creative experience for community organizations and the students/participants we serve.

About the Culture: The person most successful in this position will be a well-organized, detail-oriented individual dedicated to helping take the facilities function of a vibrant and growing non-profit theater to the next level. The right candidate will thrive in this warm, welcoming and creative atmosphere that embraces individuality and is artistically fulfilling, forward-thinking and dog friendly! The Laguna Playhouse is dedicated to building an equitable environment that is mixed across lines of difference and strongly encourages applications from Black, Indigenous, People of Color, women, transgender and non-binary candidates. Applicants from populations underrepresented in the theater field are strongly encouraged to apply.

Requirements

• Experience in teaching theatre (especially to children and/or children with special needs) with expertise in acting, storytelling, improvisation, technical, and/or playwriting.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills; ability to work collaboratively in a school or community organization environment with various community members, and with Laguna Playhouse staff.
• Work well with public and staff - have a commitment to diversity and proven ability to work effectively with persons of diverse backgrounds.
• Able to interact positively across departments.
• Ability to work independently and complete assigned tasks within identified timeframes.
• Availability to work a flexible schedule that may include afternoons, evenings and some weekends.
• Dependability.
• Bilingual (including ASL) is a plus.

Responsibilities:

• Develop lesson plans for classes and/or workshops based on the objectives of the Laguna Playhouse Acting Conservatory Curriculum or other outreach programs.
• Submit documentation of teaching practice (including lesson plans).
• Teach acting/theatre making/writing across multiple age groups as assigned.
• Address the learning needs of diverse student populations.
• Work with Laguna Playhouse staff and community partners and to fulfill project objectives: exploration of storytelling, improvisation, creating theatre scenes & monologues exploring personal experiences.
• Collaborate with other Teaching Artists in co-teaching and collaboration as well as attending professional development opportunities, team meetings and planning sessions for classes & workshops.

Physical Requirements of the Position:

• Employees will be required to provide proof of vaccination as a condition of employment. When providing such documentation, applicants are instructed to omit any additional medical information other than proof of FDA-approved vaccination against COVID-19 infection. Please note any record of applicant vaccination will be maintained as a confidential medical record.