A Shared Stage: SMU Meadows and Dallas Theater Center Unite for “Ragtime”
A landmark collaboration between the Division of Theatre and DTC brings students, alumni, and professionals together in a sweeping musical that signals a bold future for theatre in North Texas.
A new partnership between SMU Meadows and Dallas Theater Center (DTC) is taking center stage this spring, bringing with it an ambitious production of Ragtime and a vision for the future of musical theatre in North Texas.
Running March 27 through April 19 at the Dee & Charles Wyly Theatre, Ragtime is more than just the fourth production in DTC’s 2025–2026 season. It marks a significant collaboration between two major arts institutions, uniting professional actors, Meadows faculty, current students, and alumni in a sweeping musical that reflects both American history and the evolving landscape of live performance.
For Joel Ferrell, inaugural director of the Sexton Institute for Musical Theatre at SMU Meadows and the director of this production of Ragtime, the idea began as a bold way to introduce the musical theatre program which will welcome its first cohort this fall.
“Two years ago I started to think about a joyous and expansive theatrical event that would announce the launch of the Sexton Institute,” said Joel Ferrell, inaugural director of the Sexton Institute for Musical Theatre at SMU Meadows and the director of this production of Ragtime. “We brought the idea of a large-scale musical to [Dallas Theater Center’s] Jonathan Norton and Kevin Moriarty, and they welcomed it with open arms.”
What followed was an intensive period of planning between Meadows and DTC that ultimately resulted in a production designed to showcase the strengths of both organizations. The cast itself reflects that shared vision, blending members of DTC’s Brierley Resident Acting Company with SMU students and alumni, creating a dynamic, intergenerational ensemble for the production.
Blake Hackler (left) as Tateh and Bri Woods (right) as Sarah in "Ragtime"
Notably, Meadows’ Division of Theatre chair Blake Hackler and recent M.F.A. graduate Bri Woods will be two of the actors at the helm of the production. They will be joined by current Division of Theatre students Andrew Briseno, J’Von Brown, Makena Brown, Chyna Dillard, Sidney Floyd, Imani Jones, Emmet Overcarsh, Irene Rising, Criston Starks, and Pierre Tannous, among many other talented cast members.
Based on E.L. Doctorow’s novel, Ragtime intertwines the stories of three families in early 20th-century America, set against a backdrop of social change, innovation, and cultural tension. With its Tony Award–winning score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, the musical has long been celebrated for its emotional depth and historical resonance. For audiences, the production offers not only a chance to experience a beloved American musical, but also to witness a new model of collaboration in action.
“I hope audiences fall in love with this masterpiece of American musical theater, but I also hope all of DFW witnesses what heights we can achieve when institutions collaborate, support, and celebrate one another,” explains Ferrell, who views the performing arts as a deeply connected ecosystem. “Live performance is about to have a renaissance, but it will require us to think in some radical new ways.”
With Ragtime, Meadows and DTC are doing just that: creating not only a powerful theatrical experience, but also a blueprint for collaboration that could shape the next generation of artists and audiences alike.
For more information and tickets for Ragtime, please click here.