Musicals with a Meaning
Lifelong Learning | Registration opens 8/7/2025 9:00 AM EDT
This course will examine how musical theatre has served as a powerful platform for addressing issues of social justice, equality and human dignity. Through the live performances filmed on stage of Allegiance, Newsies, Billy Elliott, Memphis and Shrek, participants will explore how this medium of storytelling through song can inspire us and inform us. Students will engage these musicals as both entertaining and challenging, as meaningful expressions of resilience and hope.
Fr. Peter Horton
Father Peter is a priest in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, currently serving as director of the Office of Mission and Ministry at La Roche University. Ordained in 1979, he holds a master of divinity from Mount Saint Mary Seminary and a Master of Arts in pastoral ministry from Duquesne University.
Previously he served as director of Campus Ministry at La Roche (1994-2013) and as an adjunct professor in the Religious Studies Department. Most recently he was the administrator of Saint Thomas More and Saint John Capistran parishes in the South Hills.
Father Peter has served in hospital ministry, retreat ministry and was the National Team Priest for Catholic Engaged Encounter. He also was general manager of the Pittsburgh Catholic Newspaper and served the papers as their entertainment and culture writer for over 20 years.
He is an avid reader, movie buff, theatre lover and a collector of Snoopy memorabilia.