Broadway music director Kimberly Grigsby has been appointed the inaugural music director of SMU Meadows School of the Arts' newly formed Sexton Institute for Musical Theatre in Dallas, Texas. Her tenure begins August 1, when the school will begin recruiting its first class of students for fall 2026.

Grigsby, herself an SMU alum, will use her extensive career as a conductor, arranger, and music director on the Main Stem to teach students about how scores, orchestrations, and arrangements function within musical storytelling, along with opening them up to her vast network of industry professional artists. Her many Broadway credits include Days of Wine and Roses, Camelot, Head Over Heels, Amélie, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Spring Awakening, The Light in the Piazza, The Full Monty, and Caroline, or Change. Grigsby is also attached to several new works still in development, including Dolly: A True Original Musical, Millions, and Thelma and Louise.

“As an undergraduate student, SMU Meadows School of the Arts prepared me for a career in musical theatre, and I find it very special to be returning to my alma mater to share my experience in developing new works with the next generation of students who will create the theatre of tomorrow,” says Grigsby in a statement. “I look forward to beginning this new endeavor at SMU as I continue my work as a music director and conductor for works in development across the country, providing Sexton Institute students with unique opportunities to participate in the creation of new work.”

SMU's new program, to be led by Director Joel Ferrell, was made possible via a $15 million gift from Broadway producer and philanthropist G. Marlyne Sexton. The gift will cover the program's endowment and starter operating costs.

“Kimberly Grigsby is one of the finest music directors I have had the privilege of working with; her leadership and unparalleled commitment to every project she joins has helped to actualize phenomenal works of art and launch countless careers,” adds Ferrell. “On behalf of the Meadows School of the Arts and the Sexton Institute for Musical Theatre, I am thrilled to welcome Kimberly back to SMU as our inaugural music director and look forward to the expertise she brings to our program, helping students form their own point of view, a unique perspective as they ultimately enter the profession and navigate the challenges of a difficult but rewarding vocation.”