Dallas, October 17, 2025
News Summary
Southern Methodist University (SMU) has established the Sexton Institute for Musical Theatre, offering a unique conservatory-style training program. This new institute integrates rigorous acting, voice, and dance training with a strong liberal arts foundation, tailored to prepare students for successful careers in the theatre industry. With a focus on mentorship, collaboration, and direct industry connections, the program aims to produce adaptable and employable artists ready to thrive both locally and internationally.
Dallas — The Sexton Institute for Musical Theatre is established at Southern Methodist University (SMU). The new program pairs conservatory-style, acting-forward musical theatre training with a strong liberal arts foundation and direct industry connections designed to prepare students for careers locally, nationally, and internationally.
Key developments and immediate impact
The institute Offers conservatory-style training integrated with a liberal arts education. It emphasizes small class sizes and intensive mentorship, with one-to-one mentorship for students and a tight-knit cohort model, allowing for individualized mentoring. The curriculum focuses on core musical theatre skills—acting, voice, and dance—while also asking students to engage the broader skills that a liberal arts education provides.
Program design stresses practical career preparation with a stated aim to produce adaptable, employable, and collaborative artists. Students will be encouraged to build professional networks and gain workplace-ready skills so they can pursue sustained careers across a range of theatrical and creative contexts.
Program structure and training approach
The Sexton Institute Focuses on acting, voice, and dance, combined with a strong liberal arts foundation. Training is described as acting-forward musical theatre training with a tailored dance curriculum that responds to the changing physical demands of contemporary musical theatre. The program Encourages experimentation and creativity, focusing on new and developing works and places emphasis on collaboration with writers, directors, and casting professionals.
Student access to industry contacts is a key component: the institute provides direct access to connections with casting directors, directors, and writers and seeks to embed students in a professional ecology that includes both campus productions and outside partnerships.
Faculty, leadership and partnerships
Faculty includes renowned figures like Music Director Kimberly Grigsby. Leadership appointments include that Josel Ferrell appointed as Professor of Practice in Theatre and inaugural Director of the Sexton Institute. The program materials also list that Joel Ferrell has extensive experience in directing and choreography across the country.
The institute has established a formal pipeline to professional production through a partnership with a local theatre: it Partners with Tony Award-winning Dallas Theater Center to create a performance pipeline for students. This partnership is intended to increase performance opportunities and professional exposure for students in the Dallas region and beyond.
Student experience and opportunities
The institute emphasizes experiential learning with multiple performance and collaboration points. It Engages students in performance opportunities through campus productions and collaborations with local theaters and is structured so students can pursue both ensemble and leading roles as part of an integrated degree path.
Admissions priorities stress artistic promise: the program Seeks students with passion, creativity, and a willingness to tell impactful stories. Students are encouraged to develop professional networks, and the curriculum is intended to remain relevant to the evolving landscape of musical theatre. The institute anticipates that its graduates will become artistic leaders with strong skills and collaborative abilities.
Outreach and long-term goals
Beyond degree training, the institute plans to connect with high school teachers to guide prospective students and to help clarify pathways into collegiate musical theatre study. The Sexton Institute is described as reflecting modern musical theatre’s energy and range, initiated by Dean Sam Holland and Theatre Chair Blake Hackler.
What this means locally and beyond
Located in Dallas, the institute positions students to pursue professional work both nationally and internationally. The combination of conservatory-style intensity, small cohorts, one-to-one mentoring, and direct industry connections aims to prepare graduates for a competitive, changing field while maintaining a liberal arts perspective.
Summary of core facts
- The Sexton Institute for Musical Theatre is established at Southern Methodist University (SMU).
- Offers conservatory-style training integrated with a liberal arts education.
- Features small class sizes and one-to-one mentorship for students.
- Focuses on acting, voice, and dance, combined with a strong liberal arts foundation.
- Aims to produce adaptable, employable, and collaborative artists.
- Faculty includes renowned figures like Music Director Kimberly Grigsby.
- Students have direct access to connections with casting directors, directors, and writers.
- Partners with Tony Award-winning Dallas Theater Center to create a performance pipeline for students.
- Emphasizes acting-forward musical theatre training and a tailored dance curriculum.
- Encourages experimentation and creativity, focusing on new and developing works.
- Josel Ferrell appointed as Professor of Practice in Theatre and inaugural Director of the Sexton Institute.
- Joel Ferrell has extensive experience in directing and choreography across the country.
- The program has a tight-knit cohort model, allowing for individualized mentoring.
- Engages students in performance opportunities through campus productions and collaborations with local theaters.
- Seeks students with passion, creativity, and a willingness to tell impactful stories.
- Curriculum is designed to remain relevant to the evolving landscape of musical theatre.
- Students are encouraged to build networks for career sustainability.
- Anticipates graduates to become artistic leaders with strong skills and collaborative abilities.
- The program aims to connect with high school teachers to guide prospective students.
- The Sexton Institute reflects modern musical theatre’s energy and range, initiated by Dean Sam Holland and Theatre Chair Blake Hackler.
- Located in Dallas, the Institute prepares students for careers both nationally and internationally.
FAQ
What is established at Southern Methodist University (SMU)?
The Sexton Institute for Musical Theatre is established at Southern Methodist University (SMU).
What kind of training does the Sexton Institute offer?
Offers conservatory-style training integrated with a liberal arts education.
How large are classes and what mentoring is available?
The program features small class sizes and one-to-one mentorship for students.
What disciplines does the program focus on?
Focuses on acting, voice, and dance, combined with a strong liberal arts foundation.
What outcomes does the institute aim for?
Aims to produce adaptable, employable, and collaborative artists.
Who is included on the faculty?
Faculty includes renowned figures like Music Director Kimberly Grigsby.
What industry access do students have?
Students have direct access to connections with casting directors, directors, and writers.
Does the institute partner with professional theatres?
Partners with Tony Award-winning Dallas Theater Center to create a performance pipeline for students.
What is the program’s approach to choreography and movement?
Emphasizes acting-forward musical theatre training and a tailored dance curriculum.
Does the program support new work and experimentation?
Encourages experimentation and creativity, focusing on new and developing works.
Who leads the institute?
Josel Ferrell appointed as Professor of Practice in Theatre and inaugural Director of the Sexton Institute.
Is there related leadership or experience listed?
Joel Ferrell has extensive experience in directing and choreography across the country.
How is the student community structured?
The program has a tight-knit cohort model, allowing for individualized mentoring.
Where will students perform?
Engages students in performance opportunities through campus productions and collaborations with local theaters.
What kinds of students is the institute seeking?
Seeks students with passion, creativity, and a willingness to tell impactful stories.
How will the curriculum stay current?
Curriculum is designed to remain relevant to the evolving landscape of musical theatre.
What professional habits does the program encourage?
Students are encouraged to build networks for career sustainability.
What are the long-term expectations for graduates?
Anticipates graduates to become artistic leaders with strong skills and collaborative abilities.
Will the program engage with schools?
The program aims to connect with high school teachers to guide prospective students.
Who initiated the Sexton Institute?
The Sexton Institute reflects modern musical theatre’s energy and range, initiated by Dean Sam Holland and Theatre Chair Blake Hackler.
Where is the institute located and what is its reach?
Located in Dallas, the Institute prepares students for careers both nationally and internationally.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Training model | Conservatory-style training integrated with a liberal arts education. |
| Class structure | Small class sizes, one-to-one mentorship, and a tight-knit cohort model. |
| Core focus areas | Acting, voice, and dance with an acting-forward approach and tailored dance curriculum. |
| Industry access | Direct access to connections with casting directors, directors, and writers, plus a partnership with Dallas Theater Center. |
| Leadership | Josel Ferrell appointed as Professor of Practice in Theatre and inaugural Director of the Sexton Institute; Joel Ferrell has extensive experience in directing and choreography across the country. |
| Artistic emphasis | Encourages experimentation and creativity, focusing on new and developing works and preparing students to become artistic leaders. |
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