The Upright Citizens Brigade is home for all things comedy. Whether you’re interested in writing, performing, becoming a stronger public speaker, or just love seeing comedy, UCB has you covered! Our highly trained faculty represents the best writers and performers working in comedy today. The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre was founded by Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts, and Matt Walsh in 1999 and operates Theaters and Training Centers in New York & Los Angeles with Austin and Pittsburgh on its way.

The New York Artistic Director is responsible for guiding and overseeing UCB House Teams and recurring shows, ensuring a dynamic and diverse mix of comedy programming on stage. This role works in close collaboration with both the artistic and venue teams to deliver an exceptional experience for audiences and performers alike. This role must balance decisive artistic direction along with clear communication and organization. The Artistic Director reports directly to the NY Executive Director.

Core Responsibilities

• Show Programming

  • Solicit pitches from performers and writers

  • Develop and refine concepts with talent; encourage experimentation

  • Schedule new, recurring, and one-off shows; decide on renewals

• Feedback and Guidance

  • Attend performances, synthesize feedback, and deliver clear, unified notes to showrunners and house teams

• House Team Casting & Support

  • Plan and run annual/bi-annual auditions for Harold, Maude, Betty, and Lloyd in support of the Artistic Team/ Director of Harold/Lloyd and the Director of Maude/ Betty

  • Convene a diverse audition panel

  • Match newly formed teams with qualified coaches and monitor their progress

  • Stay up to date with the training center, helping to bridge the gap between the students and the performers

  • Oversee communication of timely, relevant updates to house teams, ensuring alignment across programming and operations.

  • Manage and maintain contact databases, show schedules, and administrative systems supporting house teams.

• Supporting the Executive Director to Cultivate Industry Relationships & Insights

  • Track emerging comedy trends, talent, and formats to keep programming fresh and relevant

  • Build and maintain relationships with agents, festivals, and other industry partners to create growth and showcase opportunities for UCB performers

  • Support marketing efforts to promote the theatre

  • Draft and send regular industry and talent newsletters. 

To apply, please upload a resume and a brief cover letter detailing why you want to be Artistic Director and what your vision is for the theatre.

The application will close on May 1st, 2026.

- UCB is an equal opportunity employer.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.