Pacific University students with a passion for musicals can now study the art form in one of the only academic programs for musical theatre in Oregon.
Introduced in Fall 2026, Pacific’s musical theatre minor provides focused study in a genre that is hard to find in the Pacific Northwest. Only two other universities in the state offer a major or minor in musical theatre, with a third offering a certificate program.
Distinguished University Professor of Theatre Ellen Margolis and Assistant Professor of Voice Anne McKee Reed, who developed the program together, said that the minor meets increased demands expressed by current and prospective students to study and perform in musicals.
“For as long as I’ve been here, people have been asking about musicals,” Margolis said. “Students we meet at recruiting events all want to know how many musicals we do. And it just became clear that it didn’t make sense to not have a musical theatre program.”
The musical theatre minor encompasses 22 credits of courses in music, dance and theatre, the majority of which already existed as part of Pacific’s undergraduate curriculum. New courses include a 300-level class on the history of musical theatre and a pair of 200-level dance classes specific to the genre.
The minor complements Pacific’s robust majors in music, music education, theatre and dance, providing further specialization for students desiring to act, direct or teach after graduation.
The creation of the minor comes on the heels of the success of the university’s production of Cabaret in October 2026. The first collaboration on a production between the Music and Theatre departments in recent years, Cabaret sold out its full four-show run.
While Cabaret brought renewed visibility to musicals at Pacific, Margolis and Reed said that plans for the musical theatre minor were being scored before the show took the stage.
“We went into Cabaret knowing that we were committed to the program. So it was more like, ‘Let’s do Cabaret and start this off with a smash,” Margolis said.
“I would say that the show’s success helped cement support from other areas,” Reed said. “It was exciting to see our colleagues and administration excited about it. We knew it was going to be exciting and successful, and the minor was definitely boosted by the success of the production.”
Pacific’s musical theatre talent will be on display during the university’s production of Alice by Heart, which runs Oct. 22-25 in the Tom Miles Theatre on Pacific’s Forest Grove Campus.
Set during the London Blitz in World War II, Alice by Heart follows Alice Spencer and her friend, Alfred, who turn to imagination and their favorite book to cope with the challenges of the unknown.
Margolis describes Alice by Heart as a musical drama as opposed to the musical comedies that many audiences are used to seeing. Reed adds that the production shows off the storytelling power of musical theatre and the talent of Pacific students.
“There are moments where you would expect to see a musical dance number, and then there are moments where you see this incredible group movement creating a story on stage,” Reed said. “It’s a huge skill for our students to develop, and it is really unique to be able to see from an audience perspective.”
Curtain for Alice by Heart is at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 22, 23 and 24, and at 2 p.m. on Oct. 25. Tickets can be purchased online at pacificu.edu/theatretickets.