Job Description

OPPORTUNITY
Winner of the 2022 Regional Theatre Tony Award, Court Theatre reimagines classic theatre to illuminate our current times. In residence at the University of Chicago and on Chicago’s historic South Side, Court engages audiences with intimate and provocative experiences that inspire deeper exploration of the enduring questions that confront humanity and connect us as people. Court Theatre defines classic theatre as texts from any culture, tradition, or era that resonate throughout time and speak to our present moment.

Court Theatre is currently seeking its next Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director.

POSITION AND RESPONSIBILITIES
These are the primary roles and responsibilities of the Artistic Director:

1. Foster an exciting, intellectually rigorous, and innovative artistic and strategic vision, one that serves the Court Theatre mission, vision, and values while contributing to a robust discourse about the past, present, and future of the artistic canon.
2. Oversee season planning, hiring of all artists, and producing of all artistic productions, ensuring that the level of artistry remains stellar.
3. Alongside the Executive Director, continue to build a collaborative, generative relationship with the University of Chicago, including the Faculty Advisory Council and UChicago’s departments, initiatives, faculty, students, and leadership.
4. Co-lead the Court Theatre staff, helping to create and model a working culture centered on collaboration, sustainability, and transparency.
5. Work with the Executive Director and Court team to ensure that the theatre is vigorously embedded in the fabric of the community.
6. Serve as a primary public face and ambassador of Court with civic organizations and public officials, institutional and corporate funders, patrons, partners, volunteers, audience members, and the wider community.
7. Develop a productive partnership with the Executive Director; lead jointly and by example.
8. Ideally serve as a director or in another core artistic role on one or multiple productions per season, delivering extraordinary artistry. Please note: being a stage director is not a prerequisite for the position.

QUALIFICATIONS AND SPECIAL TRAITS
While no single individual will likely possess all of these qualifications, the Search Advisory Committee will make their evaluation based upon the following criteria:

1. Demonstrated experience as a highly creative theatre artist, someone with vision and rigor who can lead and oversee the organization’s artistic programming. A practicing artist is preferred but not required.
2. The ability to serve as a deft collaborator and thought leader at the University of Chicago. Someone who can navigate the breadth of opportunities, partners, and systems within a major research institution and deliver inspiring vision and partnership. Previous university experience is desirable but not required. Note: this is not a faculty or tenure-track position.
3. Strong producing skills and a strength in nurturing the work of other artists.
4. A track record of leading teams with integrity and a commitment to collaboration, sustainability, listening, innovation, and excellence.
5. A commitment to fostering a positive role for the theatre within Court’s various communities.
6. Prior leadership experience within nonprofit theatres is not required but preferred.
7. A dynamic public presence that will inspire the Board, staff, and public to support the theatre’s artistic work and organizational vision.
8. Strategic thinking and the ability to build alignment around major organizational initiatives and priorities, in collaboration with the Executive Director.
9. A wide knowledge of the theatre canon, as well as curiosity and insight about where the theatre field is headed.
10. Demonstrated personal characteristics of integrity, honesty, accountability, and ethics.

COMPENSATION AND START DATE
The annual salary range for the Artistic Director is $170,000-$205,000 and includes an exceptional benefits package. The included pay range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting. The Artistic Director is a full-time, benefits eligible position. The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off.

Interested and qualified candidates should submit the following items for consideration:

1. Cover letter (no more than 1 ½ pages)
2. Four professional references
3. Salary expectation

All documents should have the candidate’s name as part of the file name.

The cover letter should describe your background and your approach to leadership and should also address:

1. What is it about this role and Court Theatre that excites you?
2. What in your background makes you a compelling candidate for Court Theatre?
3. When you think about success in leading the Court, what comes to mind?

Please send nominations, applications, and queries in confidence and electronically to Emily Knapp (eknapp@mcaonline.com). Applicants can submit through the Management Consultants for the Arts website application portal.

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

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