CHAIR SPOTLIGHT
JACOB ALLEN
The innovator behind the UofM’s award-winning music theatre program brings his unique skill set to the position of department chair WITH A TENURE THAT STARTED IN FALL 2020, DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE & DANCE CHAIR JACOB ALLEN was tasked with guiding his department through what may have been its most tumultuous year to date.
the University of Memphis' highest honor for excellence in the classroom. In addition, he is a former CCFA Dean’s Fellow for Research. Allen joined the UofM in 2010 as assistant professor and head of music theatre in 2010. When he first arrived in Memphis, there was no BFA music theatre program in Tennessee or any state touching it.
“It’s a challenging and yet very gratifying time to step into this position, due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Allen. “I’ve learned quickly that it’s necessary to be flexible, “I’ve been given and our students and faculty feel the same way. the opportunity I’m very proud of the to become planning and the work that our department has chair and done to ensure that we utilize my skills are still able to provide for the entire an effective, safe and fulfilling education department and to our students, even sort of look at throughout the crisis.”
“When that initial job description came across my desk 10 years ago, it was like it was written just for me,” he said. “The opportunity to found, build and grow a new music theatre program within a very established existing department was just too good to miss.”
Now in its ninth year, the musical theatre ways to nurture concentration spearheaded As a director and and develop all by Allen has grown, performer, Allen has reaching an enrollment of worked extensively of the programs 48 students in the program throughout the Midwest offered by the since it officially launched and New England in a in 2011 with a production Department range of productions of Phantom of the Opera that includes My Fair of Theatre & that sold out in mere hours. Lady, Guys and Dolls, Dance.” More recently, music theatre The King and I, Fiddler achievements include the on the Roof, Little Shop 2019 production of Be of Horrors and Anything Goes. More Chill, a show that opened before “I have been involved in musical the Broadway production and had to theatre from a young age,” he said. be created with special permission “I started taking piano lessons at from its original producers. age 5. My mother was a classically For Allen, the new concentration trained soprano, while my father proved to be a great success and had a background in choral a hopeful sign of things to come directing. Together, they founded for the department at large. a community National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company.” “It’s been a great joy to see that Allen’s academic accolades include the 2014 Thomas W. Briggs Foundation Award for excellence in teaching,
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challenge fulfilled,” he said. “But now, I’ve been given the opportunity to become chair and utilize my skills for
