What I learned my first year adjuncting an acting class.
Part 1 of 5
Preface: Act like you know what you are doing!
Last year, in June of 2023, I naively applied to East Los Angeles College Theatre Arts Department’s Community Theatre Professorship position. I thought I was perfect for the position. I just graduated with my MFA in playwriting from the University of California, Riverside, I love Community Theatre, and ELAC was my alma mater.
Little did I know just how competitive academia is.
Sure I’ve been a T.A. and guest lectured before, but that’s not what hiring committees or chairs of departments are looking for.
Weeks went by without a response, and as the fall quarter quickly neared, I reached out to the previous professor of the community theatre program at ELAC for an informational interview to learn more about the position.
We talked on the phone for nearly an hour and he told me countless stories of writing, producing, and directing short plays for elementary schools and senior centers. It sounded like a sweet gig, so I reached out to the chair of the Theatre Arts Department at ELAC, and mentioned that I spoke with the previous professor, and how excited I was for the opportunity to teach this class if the position was still available.
Unfortunately the position had been filled, she wrote in an email, but there was an opportunity to adjunct an “Intro To Theatre” course for ELAC’s Early College Program in the spring if I was interested.
I was definitely interested. Not only would I be in the Los Angeles Community College District “system” and gain real experience teaching a college level course, but I also needed a job. So I printed out the pile of papers of the new employee packet, completed my background check, got a TB test, and filled out every page of the paperwork to the best of my ability for the district. And after all of that, I came to find out in early February, that the “Intro To Theatre” class couldn’t generate enough enrollment for face to face classes, and it had been canceled.
I expressed my disappointment, gratitude for the opportunity, and understanding that these things happen to the chair. I also expressed how I felt overjoyed by the support other ELAC professors in the Theatre Arts department showed me, from taking the time to speak with me about their experience, to letting me borrow their textbooks and syllabus, Professors like Vanessa Mizzone Pellegrini, Cristina Frias, Mark Anthony Vallejo, and Rodney Lloyd Scott.
Then three hours after I sent my email, the chair of the department asked if I was available to teach an Acting Fundamental class at an East Los Angeles Magnet High School. I enthusiastically said “Yes,I’ll give it a shot!”
Part 2 - Unit 1: It’s all Greek to me will be posted tomorrow morning at 10:22 am. Stay tuned, and consider giving a gift subscription to a recent MFA playwriting graduate in your life.
Wishing you all the best, and thank you again for taking the time to read this and for your continued support.