The idea for supporting these projects came from Margery Pabst-Steinmetz and Chuck Steinmetz. Pabst-Steinmetz is a long-time supporter and advocate for caregivers, having organized programs to help individuals use art as a way to express themselves and promote self-care. This is the couple鈥檚 first gift from the newly-merged Pabst Steinmetz Foundation.

Fourteen teams from across the university submitted proposals for the award and the winners were selected by a panel consisting of members from the College of Arts and Humanities, the College of Nursing, the College of Medicine, and several community members.

Read on to learn more about the award-winning ideas.

Bringing the arts to the elderly

As Central Florida鈥檚 population ages, new initiatives are needed to make sure elderly residents are happy and healthy. 鈥�The Arts and Aging: An Interdisciplinary and Intergenerational Initiative鈥� brings together the College of Arts and Humanities, College of Medicine, and the Atlantic Center for the Arts to show how the literary and performing arts can be used to improve elderly well-being.

Elements of the ACA鈥檚 Creative Caregiving program, which brings arts and wellness practices to Volusia County鈥檚 elderly residents, will be integrated into the Big Read. A nationwide program sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Big Read encourages reading for pleasure through the sharing of a good book. Research shows that reading reduces stress and slows the onset of dementia, so the team behind 鈥淭he Arts and Aging鈥� will be coordinating its own Big Reads at area nursing homes and wellness facilities.

Additionally, theatre students taking the course THE 5677/4674 鈥淗ealth & Wellness for the Performing Arts鈥� will partner with medical students to visit these facilities and see the ACA鈥檚 Creative Caregiving program in action.

The faculty members, students and ACA members working on this project are:

Helping new mothers through animation

The postpartum recovery period can be a stressful and confusing time for new mothers. The Modern Languages and Literatures department, the College of Sciences, and the School of Visual Arts and Design鈥檚 animation department plan to help by creating 鈥�Positive Parenting鈥� videos. These videos will outline the Center for Disease Control and Prevention鈥檚 nine tips for parenting of infants from birth to year one. However, instead of just stating these points, the videos will present them as memorable fictions or fables. They will be offered in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole.

The faculty members working on this project are:

Based on the 1974 film of the same name featuring the late Gene Wilder, Young Frankenstein tells the story of Frederick Frankenstein, grandson of the infamous monster-creator Victor Frankenstein, who travels to Transylvania upon inheriting his family estate.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a raucous good time in rehearsals,鈥� says director Christopher Niess. 鈥淭he type of humor in the show has a very specific timing and physicality to it. That鈥檚 why this production is a great learning experience for the students involved; they鈥檙e learning how to really make these jokes land. The whole show is just a big box of fun.鈥�

But it鈥檚 not just student actors who are hard at work on this production. In Theatre 麻豆原创鈥檚 makeup studio, advanced makeup students are hard at work creating the face of Frankenstein鈥檚 newest monster. Perfecting professional techniques like creating prosthetics will prepare these students for jobs in the entertainment industry, especially in the theme parks.

Joey Herr, a sophomore BFA musical theatre major, plays the role of The Monster. In order to create the prosthetics that will transform into his character, Herr sat for three hours while two students and a faculty member completely covered the actor鈥檚 head in liquid silicone.

鈥淚 had no idea what to expect going into it. Overall it was an interesting experience but in the moment it was extremely claustrophobic,鈥� he said. 鈥淥nce I get to wear the prosthetics, I think it will help me get into character. I鈥檒l feel more like a monster with a full-face mask. I鈥檓 so excited to get this production started!鈥�

With the recent passing of Gene Wilder, who played Frederick in the original film, this production has become even more meaningful to those involved. The stage version of the musical stays true to the movie, says Niess.

鈥淚t certainly makes working on the production poignant. Many people don鈥檛 realize that along with starring in the film, Gene Wilder was co-author of the stage adaptation. You can really see his comedy come through in the writing, and it鈥檚 a nice reminder of the immense talent that he was.鈥�

Tickets for Young Frankenstein are $20 for adults and $10 for students. Tickets can be purchased at www.theatre.ucf.edu or by calling or visiting the box office Monday-Friday, noon-5 .p.m. at 407-823-1500. This production contains some content that may not be suitable for young audience members, including some curse words and moderate sexual innuendo.

For more information about Theatre 麻豆原创 and the 麻豆原创 School of Performing Arts, visit .

Production at a glance

The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein

Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan

Music and lyrics by Mel Brooks

Directed by Christopher Niess

Oct. 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29 at 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, 30 at 2 p.m.

Postshow reception Oct. 20

The top film in its category was created by students in the 2013 and 2015 advanced documentary workshop class of The Burnett Honors College. This was the first time a 麻豆原创 film was nominated for a college Emmy, and it beat out films from Chapman University in Orange, Calif., and Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.

The movie is about Florida lawmakers and religious activists in 1928 who sought to ban classes and books on evolution at the school that later became Florida State University. Professors and college administrators were accused of “corrupting young women’s minds” and critics called the students 鈥渇ilthy dreamers.鈥� Ultimately the college prevailed.

The 麻豆原创 student filmmakers researched, wrote and filmed the documentary. They said they wanted to inform viewers about the history of censorship on campuses because nearly 100 years later, public figures and activists are still trying to control academic curriculums.

Robert Cassanello, an associate professor of history, and Lisa Mills, an associate professor of film in the School of Visual Arts & Design, were faculty advisors for the project. Connie Lester, director of the history department鈥檚 RICHES (Regional Initiative for Collecting the History, Experiences and Stories of Central Florida) was the narrator, and voice-over acting included theatre associate professor Christopher Niess and journalism associate professor Steve Collins.听

Bob Graham, a former Florida governor and U.S. senator whose mother was among the so-called “filthy dreamers,” also was featured in the film.

This was the third documentary produced by honors students after Alvin Wang, dean of The Burnett Honors College, sought a collaborative effort with the College of Arts & Humanities in 2010.

The 2013 students involved were: Will Chorvat, Jason Clarke, Carter Howard, Beverly Nwokoye, Amber Pietrowski, Rachel White听and Orlando Porro. The 2015 students were Ernesto Calderon, Louis-Christophe Fortier, Kristin Keefer, Ramsey Khawaja, Derek Loucks, Carmen Malca, Shannon Specie, Antony Zeng, Nichole Santana, Emma Duncan, Tiffany Campbell, Alex McKeel, Kristina League听and Michael Reed.

Loucks, League and Khawaja traveled to the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles to accept the Emmy. They also participated in a summit and development workshops at the Television Academy with industry professionals.

To see the trailer for 鈥淔ilthy Dreamers,鈥� go to .

The film, Filthy Dreamers, is about state lawmakers and religious activists who tried to ban certain textbooks and the teaching of evolution in 1928 at the school that became Florida State University. The critics accused professors and administrators at the college of “corrupting young women’s minds” and labeled them 鈥渇ilthy dreamers,鈥� but ultimately the college prevailed.

The students from The Burnett Honors College said they made the film to educate and inform viewers about the long history of censorship in classrooms, libraries and campuses because nearly 100 years later, public figures and activists are still trying to control curriculum.

鈥淭his film is about academic freedom and why it was important in 1928 as well as 2016,鈥� said history associate professor Robert Cassanello. 鈥淚t should be a cautionary tale for lawmakers and activists who demand听academic听content conform to a majority or even minority opinion.鈥�

Cassanello and Lisa Mills, an associate professor of film in the School of Visual Arts & Design, were faculty advisors for the film, which is one of three finalists in the Television Academy Foundation鈥檚 documentary category.听This is the first time a 麻豆原创 film has been nominated for a college Emmy.

“What is so gratifying is the way students worked together to visualize a very complicated part of Florida’s history, and make it relevant to what is still happening today,鈥� Mills said. 鈥淭he film’s strength lies in showing audiences what can happen when higher education becomes politicized. These two documentary classes wanted to show us when students, faculty, and administrators stand together, they can bring important changes and make the system better for all.”

This was the third documentary produced by honors students after honors college Dean Alvin Wang sought a collaborative effort with the College of Arts & Humanities in 2010. The film was started by the honors advanced documentary workshop class in Fall 2013 and then the Fall 2015 class finished it in December.听The film will also receive an honorable mention at the Broadcast Educators Association Festival of Media Arts in April.

The 2013 students involved were Will Chorvat, Jason Clarke, Carter Howard, Beverly Nwokoye, Amber Pietrowski, Rachel White听and Orlando Porro. The 2015 students were Ernesto Calderon, Louis-Christophe Fortier, Kristin Keefer, League, Ramsey Khawaja, Derek Loucks, Carmen Malca, Shannon Specie, Antony Zeng, Nichole Santana, Emma Duncan, Tiffany Campbell, Alex McKeel, Kristina League听and Michael Reed. Loucks and League are scheduled to travel to Los Angeles in May, when the winners will be announced.

The film was narrated by history associate professor Connie Lester, and voice-over acting included theatre associated professor Christopher Niess and journalism associate professor Steve Collins.听

The film also featured retired Sen. Bob Graham, whose mother was among the so-called “filthy dreamers” in the 1920s.

鈥淚 think one of the things we tried to do with the film is give the student perspective because we often have discussions of academic freedom in regards to the teacher, the professors and the administrators. But what about the students? Students themselves have a stake in academic freedom as well,鈥� Cassanello said. 鈥淭he classroom should be and students should expect it to be an environment for the free exchange of ideas.鈥�

Student Emmy winners are invited to participate in a summit at the Television Academy, where they are exposed to industry professionals and participate in development workshops. Students also become part of the Television Academy Foundation alumni network, which provides access to year-round networking opportunities and events.

“Dr. Cassanello and I congratulate all of the students who worked on Filthy Dreamers. Producing a good historical documentary is not an easy task,鈥� Mills said. 鈥淛ust getting a nomination for this award is a huge honor.”

To see the trailer for Filthy Dreamers, go to .

“The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Parts I and II,” adapted from the novel by Charles Dickens,听is being presented by Theatre 麻豆原创 and the Orlando Shakespeare Theater听through March 9听at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center in Orlando’s Loch Haven Park.

The epic, two-part听production,听featuring a cast of 27 actors playing more than 150 characters, was written by David Edgar and is co-directed by Jim Helsinger and Christopher Niess.

The story tells of听 Nicholas Nickleby, whose father died and left his family听penniless.听Nicholas embarks on听a series of adventurous encounters with humanity’s worst and best鈥攇reedy fools, corrupt lechers, cheery innocents, and selfless benefactors.

鈥�’The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby’ is a living example of how great the power of theater can be,鈥� Helsinger said. 鈥淭his show is one of the most incredible theatrical events I have ever seen, and I鈥檓 excited to bring that magic 鈥� that majesty鈥� to Florida.”

The play features John P. Keller in the title role. Starring in this season鈥檚 “Dracula: The Journal of Jonathan Harker,” Keller first appeared at Orlando Shakes in the theater鈥檚 2012 repertory productions of “Othello” (Roderigo) and “Sense and Sensibility” (Edward). Alison McLemore makes her Orlando Shakes鈥� debut as Kate Nickleby.

For dates, times and tickets ($17-$40): call听407-447-1700, click on or go to 812 E. Rollins St., Orlando.

Ambitious theatergoers are invited to see both “Nicholas Nickleby, Parts I & II” on the same day. Select marathon dates include February 1, 15,听and 听22 and March 1, 8,听and 听9 (Part I at 2 p.m. and Part II at 7:30 p.m.). Dinner packages are available for either a Victorian dinner at White Wolf Cafe or a Panera Bread boxed meal at the theater between shows.

Audience members are invited to celebrate with the cast, crew, designers, and Orlando Shakes staff at the opening night party, which听begins after the show (about 10:30 p.m.) Jan. 24 (Part I) and Jan. 31 (Part II).

“The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Parts I & II” is sponsored by 麻豆原创 Office of the President, College of Arts & Humanities, and Orlando Shakespeare Theater鈥檚 special 25th anniversary donors.听听

Students from Valencia College鈥檚 pre-major AA in Sign Language Interpretation will join the 麻豆原创 cast on stage Aug. 29. The ASL students are mentored by Valencia faculty member Debbie Drobney and are in the first two years of their training to become professional ASL interpreters.

Drobney said the opportunities and training the students receive in theatrical interpreting have segued into Universal Studios hiring several Valencia students to interpret the talent that Universal brings in, including artists such as Pitbull, Ne-Yo, LL Cool J, Akon, Adam Lambert, and B.o.B.

鈥淲e are thrilled to welcome the Sign Language Interpretation students into our theater,鈥� said Theatre 麻豆原创 chair and artistic director Christopher Niess. 鈥淲e feel this is a tremendous benefit for them, for our 麻豆原创 students, and especially for the Central Florida deaf community. We hope that this is the beginning of a long-lasting partnership between Theatre 麻豆原创 and the Valencia program.鈥�

To purchase tickets near the interpreters for the Aug. 29 performance, contact the box office at 407-823-1500 or email donna.rahman@ucf.edu.

The Fantasticks is the longest running production in the history of American theatre and appropriate for families to enjoy together. It is an intimate show with an ensemble cast. Director Be Boyd is staging the production as if a troupe of traveling actors, 鈥淭he Vagabond Players,鈥� is presenting the play to the 麻豆原创 audience.

The musical tells the tale of two young neighbors, Matt and Luisa, and their meddlesome parents, Hucklebee and Bellomy. The parents devise a complicated plan for their children to fall in love, which involves a professional kidnapper and a troupe of actors, but the plans go awry, leaving the young lovers to clean up the mess.

The Fantasticks will run Aug. 22-Sept. 1 on the Theatre 麻豆原创 Main Stage. It is recommended to arrive early for this production, as there will be pre-show entertainment. Also, for the first time, patrons are welcome to enjoy a beverage while in the theatres.

Due to a home football game, parking for the Aug. 29 performance will be in Lot B4 or B6. For all other performances, parking will be in the regular theater parking lot, Lot C1.
Production at a glance:

The Fantasticks

Book and lyrics by Tom Jones

Music by Harvey Schmidt

Directed by Be Boyd

8 p.m.: Aug. 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 31

2 p.m.: Aug. 25, Sept. 1

Theatre 麻豆原创 Main Stage

Price: Standard $20, Senior $18, Student $10; group discounts available

Address: 4000 Central Florida Boulevard, Orlando FL 32816

Box Office Phone: 407-823-1500

Box Office Hours: Monday through Friday:听noon to 5 p.m. and two hours before performances听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

Members of the 麻豆原创 Theatre faculty and staff consider many productions each year in order to put together a coherent season that meets the needs of the department.

鈥淪electing a performance season is a complex process of meeting the needs of theatre students, the 麻豆原创, and Central Florida audiences,鈥� said Theatre Department chair Christopher Niess.

鈥淲e are pleased to have met current budgetary challenges felt in all areas of higher education, and emerged with a season that includes new, relevant and challenging material, collaborative work that will enhance production, imaginative work in a variety of genre, and well-loved classics of the theatre as well.鈥�

The productions in fall 2013 focus on fun and fantasy. In order to have a production ready at the beginning of the fall semester, one of the summer shows is selected to return. This year the reprised production will be the beloved musical The Fantasticks, directed by Be Boyd. In the past several years, the department has presented a play rather than a musical for the reprise, but the simplicity and small cast of The Fantasticks makes it a show that can be performed during the summer, when fewer students attend classes.

Steve Martin鈥檚 comedy The Underpants will follow in September. Based on a 1910 play about a man whose wife can鈥檛 keep her underwear from falling down, the play is fast-paced, funny, and full of energy. It will be directed by Kate Ingram.

The fall musical is The Drowsy Chaperone, which provides great singing and dancing opportunities for the theatre students, as well as a fun evening for the audience. The songs are styled after 1920s tunes and include the show-stopping number 鈥淪how Off,鈥� where a young starlet sings about being ready to leave the spotlight of show business for marriage, while doing every possible physical stunt to get attention. Director Earl D. Weaver has created a walk-on guest role for each performance that will be filled by a 麻豆原创 or Orlando community member.

In Shipwrecked! An Entertainment. The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (as Told by Himself), which will run for the two weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, audience members will relive the fantastical autobiographical tales of Louis de Rougemont, a real-life would-be adventurer, who frequently blurred the line between reality and fiction. Director Mark Brotherton will expand the usual three-person cast to include more actors, providing more performance opportunities for the theatre students.

In the spring semester, the theatre department is focused on collaborations and partnerships. Leveling Up was read in the 2012 Playfest! The Harriett Lake Festival of New Plays. The contemporary play centers around four video gamers, who are recruited by the government to launch remote missiles. This will be the first 麻豆原创 play directed by Mark Routhier, who is the director of new play development at the Orlando Shakes, as well as a faculty member at Theatre 麻豆原创.

鈥淭he Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby is one of those projects whose challenges make it a rare treat when performed,鈥� says Niess of the next production.

鈥淭he play embraces Dickens鈥� ability to give us characters with innocent optimism, through circumstance take us to the brink of despair, and through humor, hope and faith to wind up showing us some of the best sides of humanity.

鈥淲e are excited to participate with the Shakes, not just in bringing this production to a Central Florida audience, but we also embrace the educational value this project has for Theatre 麻豆原创 and its young actors, assistant designers, and stage managers. Jim Helsinger and I are also investigating opportunity for cross-discipline work with other departments at 麻豆原创 as well 鈥� a project such as this one has immense value not only for the 麻豆原创, but for other regional colleges and universities. Nicholas Nickleby is a ripe subject for scholarly scrutiny on a national level as well.鈥�

The collaborations continue as the Theatre and Music Departments join forces for the spring musical, Meredith Willson鈥檚 classic The Music Man. 鈥淭his integrated and cooperative approach to performing affords students the opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary environment, an environment that more closely reflects the world in which they will work as trained professionals,鈥� said Jeffrey Moore, chair of the 麻豆原创 Music Department.听听

鈥淛oint projects like this help provide the students and audience with an outstanding evening of musical theater, while also underscoring the enhanced value that听the new performance spaces will bring to the shared experience.鈥�

The academic season comes to an end with the Annual Dance Concert, which will retain its format of short dance pieces choreographed and danced by students. This event is a showcase for the dance minor program, and includes many students who are majoring in fields outside of theatre. The event is also a showcase for the department鈥檚 design students, with a heavy emphasis on lighting and costumes.

There will be two additional shows in Summer 2014, which are yet to be announced. It is expected that one will be a musical and the other a comedy.

听

The Fantasticks

Book and lyrics by Tom Jones

Music by Harvey Schmidt

Directed by Be Boyd

Remember the days of sweet young love in this romantic charmer of a musical. The Fantasticks is the longest running production in American theatre history for good reason: the intimate and funny poetry of the script, the catchy songs, the nostalgic story鈥veryone in the family will be enchanted.

Aug. 22-Sept. 1

The Underpants

By Steve Martin

Adapted from Carl Sternheim

Directed by Kate Ingram

Much to the dismay of boorish Theo Maske, his wife became a public scandal when she accidentally dropped her undergarments in public. Theo decides to keep her out of public view to avoid future incidents, but chaos ensues when some witnesses to the incident decide they鈥檇 like to see a little more. Steve Martin鈥檚 laugh-out-loud comedy is a retelling of Carl Sternheim鈥檚 1910 play Die Hose.听

鈥淎n ambitious amalgam of comic book and social commentary, made out of sex jokes, slamming doors and sophisticated repartee.鈥� 鈥� New York Times

Sept. 19-Oct. 5

The Drowsy Chaperone

Music & Lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison

Book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar

Directed by Earl D. Weaver

When a die-hard musical-theater fan plays his favorite cast album on his turntable, the 1920s musical literally bursts to life in his living room, telling the rambunctious tale of a brazen Broadway starlet, her boozy chaperone, and a rambunctious crew of wedding guests.听

鈥淗ere is a musical that frankly sets itself up as a short [1 hour 40 minutes], happy exercise in escapism, adorned with just enough postmodern footnotes to make you feel all insiderly. It’s sort of like being able to eat your cake and diet too.鈥� 鈥揘ew York Times

Oct. 17-Nov. 2

Shipwrecked! An Entertainment鈥擳he Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (As Told by Himself)

Written by Donald Margulies

Directed by Mark Brotherton

An adaptation of the Victorian memoirs of would-be adventurer Louis de Rougemont, Shipwrecked! spins together anecdotes of a man-eating octopus, flying turtles, and pearl-fishing expedition gone mightily awry. Suitable for ages 10 and up.

Nov. 14-24

Nicholas Nickleby

Written by David Edgar

Adapted from Charles Dickens鈥� novel

In collaboration with Orlando Shakespeare Theater

Directed by Jim Helsinger and Christopher Niess

A cast of 30 plays more than 150 characters in this exhilarating two-part play following a virtuous young Nicholas as he meets and masters the challenges of poverty and corruption in Victorian England. Winner of both the Tony Award for Best Play and The Olivier Award for Play of the Year, this epic event has never been produced in Central Florida. The cast is pulling out all the stops to capture Dickens’ genius for combining exuberant characters, theatrical spectacle, and genuine emotion.

Jan. 22-March 9 (Tickets to be sold through the Orlando Shakespeare Theatre box office.)

Leveling Up

Written by Deborah Zoe Laufer

Directed by Mark Routhier

Ian, Zan, and Chuck are two years out of college and playing video games 20 hours a day when the government comes looking for expert gamers to launch remote missiles. And the bombs, the guns, the screams, the victories are eerily similar to the ones on their Xbox.

鈥淟eveling Up couldn鈥檛 be more topical.鈥� 鈥揅incinnati.com 鈥淎rts in Focus鈥�

Jan. 16-26

Meredith Willson鈥檚 The Music Man

Book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson

Story by Meredith Willson and Franklin Lacey

Directed by Lani Harris

Dust off those trombones, we鈥檙e heading to River City, Iowa, where fast-talking salesman Harold Hill is about to have all of his schemes foiled by Marian, that lovely librarian. This long-beloved musical will be a joint production between the Theatre and Music Departments.

Feb. 20-March 2

听听

8th Annual Dance Concert

Directed by Earl Weaver

A perennial favorite! 麻豆原创 dancers, choreographers, and designers showcase their talents.

April 17-19

Subscription pricing is available at theatre.ucf.edu. Single tickets will be available mid-summer.

Box Office Phone: 407-823-1500

Box Office Hours: Monday through Friday:听noon to 6 p.m. and 2 hours before performances

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For more information about Theatre 麻豆原创, visit .

No Sex Please, We鈥檙e British is directed by Theatre 麻豆原创 department chair Christopher Niess. The show runs June 7-17 in the Black Box Theatre.

As in most farces, the plot is simple: a straight-laced newlywed couple orders Scandinavian glassware and but instead receives an unwelcomed delivery of pornography. Farcical antics ensue as they try to ditch the scandalous contents from friends, parents, bosses and the law, and try to stop the persistent proprietor.

No Sex Please, We鈥檙e British is an active play, with doors slamming, characters falling down, and high-stake action. The cast has just three weeks of rehearsal to pull together all of the blocking and timing, but also has another skill to master in that time: Because the characters are British, the cast members have to perfect their dialects.

鈥淚t would be such a different play if it weren鈥檛 in dialect,鈥� said Maggie Langlais, who is playing Frances Hunter, one of the lead roles. 鈥淎 lot of the comedy stems from the accents, because the British accent is interpreted as being more reserved. It wouldn鈥檛 be as funny if it were 鈥楴o Sex Please, We鈥檙e Italian.鈥欌��

鈥淭eaching young American students a new dialect is almost trickier than teaching a new language,鈥� said dialect coach Kate Ingram. 鈥淭hey are reading scripted words on the page, trying to act believably, but they are also being asked to speak differently鈥攖his can throw an actor鈥斺�業 don鈥檛 sound like myself, I鈥檓 not sure I鈥檓 believable.鈥欌��.

鈥淚 always remind the actor that the character needs to speak this way!听That鈥檚 the fun part of working on dialect. We try to find some time away from the on-your-feet-rehearsal business, so that the actors can slow down and live inside the words and remember why they are saying those words.鈥�

Whit Emerson plays the role of Leslie Bromhead, the district manager of a bank. He has one of the few upper-class roles in the show. 鈥淲orking with Kate not only helped my dialect, but it helped me develop the character. Everyone else in the play is working class, but maybe Leslie went to a private school or talked like Winston Churchill.鈥�

鈥淚 can鈥檛 read the script without an accent anymore,鈥� said Kristin Shoffner. 鈥淭he dialect provides a rhythm for the words. It becomes like a song that we are dancing to on stage.鈥� Kristin is cast in the role of Eleanor Hunter.听

Theatre 麻豆原创 is on the 麻豆原创 campus near the intersection of University Boulevard and Alafaya Trail in east Orlando. Performances begin at 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays.

To purchase tickets or for ticket information call the box office at 407-823-1500. Standard tickets are $17 ($15 for seniors; $10 for students) and group rates are available. It is recommended to purchase tickets in advance, available through the Theatre 麻豆原创 box office. 麻豆原创 offers accommodations to make the theatre more accessible to patrons with disabilities鈥攆or assistance, please call the box office in advance.

Summer at a glance:

No Sex Please, We鈥檙e British

By Anthony Marriott and Alistair Foot

Directed by Christopher Niess

June 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16 at 8 p.m.

June 10, 17 at 2 p.m.

Black Box Theatre

Price: Standard $17, Senior $15, Student $10; Group discounts available

Subscriptions: $40 standard, $36 senior, $20 student

Address: 4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando

Box Office Phone: 407-823-1500

Box Office Hours: Tuesday through Friday: noon to 5 p.m. and 2 hours before performances

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

For more information about Theatre 麻豆原创, visit .

Contact: Heather Gibson, Theatre 麻豆原创; heather.gibson@ucf.edu; 407-823-1732

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Theatre 麻豆原创 is a program in the School of Performing Arts at the 麻豆原创. The department鈥檚 graduate and undergraduate programs focus on providing a competitive edge to theatre artists seeking professional theatre careers, as well as to future creative intellectual leaders. The program offers theatrical presentations year-round to the public at the east Orlando campus. For more information about attending performances call 407-823-1500 or visit .

Kevia Goins, a junior, was awarded 鈥淒istinguished Performance by an Actress鈥� for her role as Black Mary in Gem of the Ocean, and Be Boyd was awarded 鈥淒istinguished Performance by a Faculty Guest Artist鈥� in the same play. Boyd is an associate professor and played the role of Aunt Ester.

Gem of the Ocean, directed by faculty member Julia Listengarten, was presented at Theatre 麻豆原创 for two weeks last year. The play was invited to be performed at the festival, where it was well received. Eight regional festivals showcase the top productions and students from universities and colleges around the country, and national awards are selected from this pool.

The theatre department was pleased to have a faculty and student awarded for working so closely together.

鈥淲hen a faculty member works a role alongside students, it is an opportunity for students to observe and learn by direct example, which transcends the level of classroom coaching and provides the apprentice-ship type environment that is essential to the development of an actor,鈥� said Christopher Niess, chair and artistic director of the Theatre Department.

鈥淭he faculty-student working relationship in production, just as in the laboratory, often yields new creative angles that may not be realized across the distance in the typical professor-student relationship in the classroom. This benefits the entire creative team and the audience, and more directly mirrors the professional theatre, where there may exist a variety of skill levels.鈥�

鈥淚t was tight,鈥� said Paul Lartonoix, assistant dean of 麻豆原创鈥檚 College of Arts and Humanities.

In fact, the building still smells new 鈥� and some rooms are awaiting finishing touches.

But the offices and classrooms are complete, and on a recent weekday students were tap dancing to 鈥淎ll That Jazz鈥� in a new studio, while down the hall a professor lectured a costume-design class on Elizabethan-era menswear.

The 75,000-square-foot building has a working theater-lighting lab so students can gain practical experience. And there鈥檚 a music-instruction lab with music and computer keyboards at each student鈥檚 desk that are all hooked into a sound system controlled by the instructor.

Studio floors are low-impact for dancers鈥� and actors鈥� feet, but sturdy enough to support scenery and props.

The floors and air ducts are constructed so sound cannot vibrate into adjoining spaces. Extra-thick walls and doors complete the soundproofing.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e trying to do a percussion rehearsal in one room and a string quartet in the next room, it will work,鈥� said Christopher Niess, chairman and artistic director of the theater department.

A theatrical design classroom, in which accurately seeing colors is key, received an exemption from 麻豆原创鈥檚 requirement of using energy-efficient, compact fluorescent light bulbs, which distort colors.

As a whole, however, the building was constructed to be eco-conscious and is certified by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, an international evaluator of Earth-friendly buildings.

Just as important as the technical specifications is the sense of purpose and collaboration forged by uniting the performing-arts disciplines in one structure, Niess said.

Previously, classrooms and faculty offices were scattered across 麻豆原创鈥檚 sprawling campus.

鈥淛ust being there in the same location, we already have several projects using people from both music and theater,鈥� Niess said. For example, the upcoming play 鈥淰inegar Tom鈥� will use some musicians as actors.

The next phase of the project calls for adding a 520-seat theater, a smaller theater, a 600-seat concert hall and a smaller recital hall.

Because the emphasis is on performance space instead of academic use, 麻豆原创 is turning to private donations rather than state money. The 麻豆原创 Foundation, which raises funds for the university, has set a target of $65 million.

Though there鈥檚 no firm timetable for construction 鈥� it all depends on when the money is raised 鈥� Lartonoix said three years was 鈥渙ptimistic but not out of the question.鈥�

In the meantime, Niess is focused on future students and what 麻豆原创 can now offer them. The music and theater programs have been attracting more interest each year; about 550 are now in the theater program and 260 are music majors.

In the past, Niess said, students would become interested in 麻豆原创 at recruitment fairs and conferences, but then lose their interest when they saw the school鈥檚 scattered, cramped classrooms.

He likes the message he鈥檒l be able to give the potential students at Saturday鈥檚 recruitment event: 鈥淲e have the faculty to make your experience wonderful, but now we have the facilities, too, to give you a competitive edge.鈥�

Source: OrlandoSentinel.com, Orlando Arts Blog, Nov. 19, 2010, Matt Palm, 麻豆原创’s new recruitment tool: $25 million School of Performing Arts