THE SUFFRAGIST at Margo Jones Performance Hall

The nation’s largest woman-focused university commemorates its 125th anniversary with:

THE SUFFRAGIST, a new musical by Nancy Hill Cobb and Cavan Hallman

(Denton, TX – January 28, 2026) Aligning with the values that have made Texas Woman’s University a leader in education and innovation for the past 125 years, the Bachelor of Music in Musical Theatre program will be spearheading the university premiere of THE SUFFRAGIST, a new musical by celebrated composer Nancy Hill Cobb and writer-lyricist Cavan Hallman. Consistent with the Division of Music’s foundational values of “supporting the creation of musicals about American women heroes,” THE SUFFRAGIST will participate as part of the closing ceremonies of the institution’s Dream Big Campaign.

Best known internationally for her choral and orchestral compositions, American composer Nancy Hill Cobb will be recognized by the local Dallas/Fort Worth community for her prior work as an educator and administrator at Dallas Baptist University. Her inspiration for THE SUFFRAGIST stems from a curiosity of the violence inflicted upon the American women who protested peacefully as they pursued the right to vote.

The Suffragist centers on the woman who changed the tactics of the Suffrage movement, Alice Paul, and her work with Carrie Chapman Catt, the President of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, and Ida B. Wells who championed African American women’s place in the fight. After the successful passage of the 19th Amendment, Alice Paul kept fighting for women by introducing the Equal Rights Amendment in 1923 -- this has yet to be ratified.

The production of THE SUFFRAGIST will be overseen by Broadway veteran and artistic manager of TWU’s Musical Theatre program, Julio Agustin, and will feature university, community, and professional talent in all aspects of the production. A search for the stage director is currently underway.