About Dr. Jacob Allen

Jacob joined the BFA Performance faculty in 2010 with an emphasis in Musical Theatre. As a director and performer Jacob has worked extensively throughout the Midwest and New England.  Productions include My Fair Lady, Guys and Dolls, The King and I, Fiddler on the Roof, Les Mamelles de Tiresias, El Capitan, Helen of Troy, Little Shop of Horrors, The Last Five Years, You're A Good Man Charlie Brown, La Traviata, The Consul, Ruddigore, Naughty Marietta, Merrily We Roll Along, Anything Goes, Jekyll and Hyde, Kiss Me, Kate, Children of Eden, and The Winter's Tale.  As an artist Jacob is an advocate for American Lyric Theatre and Art Song. He has recently performed in the premiere of Lee Hoiby's This is the Rill Speaking and directed the first staged production of Jake Heggie's For a Look or a Touch.  In 2003 he premiered David Thurmaier's cycle of songs for Baritone, Three American Songs based on texts by Walt Whitman, Robert Frost, and Edward Arlington Robinson. He has also been featured in many recordings of early American musical theatre and operetta in English translation on the Albany Records label, and DVD's of his work as both performer and director are available through the American Operetta Foundation.  As a teacher Jacob is fascinated by the challenges faced by young singers in their development as theatrical performers and is dedicated to the integration of acting and singing. He was the 2014 recipient of the Thomas W. Briggs Foundation award for excellence in teaching, the University of Memphis' highest honor for excellence in the classroom.

Education

DMA in Voice Performance, The Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music, The University of Memphis, 2023; M.Mus. in Stage Direction, The Eastman School of Music, 2008; BA Cum Laude in Theatre, Lawrence University, 2004; B.Mus. Cum Laude in Voice Performance, Lawrence University, 2004.

Research Interests

Teaching interests: Acting, Voice, Musical Theatre Performance, Musical Theatre History, Vocal Pedagogy

Creative Research

Current

• Role of Joe Snedicker – Ohio Light Opera. Dream City and the Magic Knight. Albany Records, 2015.
• Role of Hubert von Muzelburg – Ohio Light Opera. The Carnival Fairy. Albany Records, 2012.
• Role of Karl Binder – Ohio Light Opera. Blossomtime. Albany Records, 2012
• Role of Matosin – Ohio Light Opera. The Fortuneteller. Albany Records, 2011.
• Role of Gaston – Ohio Light Opera. Mademoiselle Modiste [DVD]. American Operetta Foundation, 2010.
• Ohio Light Opera. Ruddigore. Albany Records, 2010.
• Role of Gaston – Ohio Light Opera. Mademoiselle Modiste. Albany Records, 2009.
• Role of Horace Gripps - Ohio Light Opera. The Cabaret Girl. Albany Records, 2009.
• Ohio Light Opera. The Mikado. Albany Records, 2008
• Ohio Light Opera. The Birdseller. Albany Records, 2008
• Role of Populani - Ohio Light Opera. Bluebeard. Albany Records, 2007.
• Role of Antonio - Ohio Light Opera. The Gondoliers. Albany Records, 2007.
• Role of Jenkins - Ohio Light Opera. The Firefly. Albany Records, 2006.

Upcoming

• Role of Hubert von Muzelburg – Ohio Light Opera. The Carnival Fairy [DVD]. American Operetta Foundation.
• Role of Merlin/Judge Thurston – Ohio Light Opera. A Connecticut Yankee. Rogers and Hammerstein Library.
• Role of the Dance Master - Ohio Light Opera. The Queen's Lace Handkerchief. American Operetta Foundation.
• Role of Jimmy Jack Bondy - Ohio Light Opera. Duchess from Chicago [DVD]. American Operetta Foundation.
• Role of Horace Gripps - Ohio Light Opera. The Cabaret Girl [DVD]. American Operetta Foundation.
• Role of Jenkins - Ohio Light Opera. The Firefly [DVD]. American Operetta Foundation.