Alumni in the News

The Fantasticks, co-written by Tom Jones (B.F.A., Theatrical Design, 1959) and Harvey Schmitdt (B.F.A., Art, 1952), returns to Broadway with a reimagined boy love story

Sept. 22, 2026 | New York Times

How two UT Fine Arts alumni created the world's longest-running musical and how a character gender-swap has breathed new life into the script and landed it on Broadway. 
 

Harvey Schmitdt  and Tom Jones

James Welsch (D.M.A., Conducting, 2016) appointed Director of Orchestral Studies at Pacific Lutheran University

Aug. 20, 2026 | Instagram

Welsch was also appointed Music Director of the Kirkland Civic Orchestra this year, while continuing to serve as Associate Conductor of the El Paso Symphony Orchestra.

James Welsch

Off-Broadway shows "Dad Don't Read This" by Eliya Smith (M.F.A., Writing, 2025) and "Calf Scramble" by Libby Carr (B.A., Playwriting, 2021) featured in Playbill

July 27, 2026 | Playbill

With the success of John Proctor is the Villain, written by UT alumna Kimberly Belflower (M.F.A., Playwriting, 2017), stories that center teen girlhood are all the rage. 

Sophie Rossman, Kayta Thomas, Amalia Yoo, Renée-Nicole Powell in Dad Don't Read This Off-Broadway. (Valerie Terranova)