During 麻豆原创 Celebrates the Arts 2026, Legally Blonde took the stage with a twist audiences didn鈥檛 see coming 鈥� one that blurred the line between performance and possibility.

The story still delivered the heart: College student Elle Woods chases love, faces doubt and ultimately discovers her own strength along the way. But this production layered something new into that journey: state-of-the-art robotics. At 麻豆原创, Florida鈥檚 Technological University, innovation shows up in unexpected places 鈥� even onstage.

The result is a show that felt both nostalgic and forward-looking, where dynamic musical theater met emerging tech.

Musical theatre major Lyric Stratton played the perfect protagonist, Elle Woods, whose dreams of settling down after college graduation are cut short when her boyfriend, Warner, breaks up with her to attend Harvard Law. Devastated and determined to get him back, Woods pulls together an unconventional application and charms her way into Harvard Law.

High-energy dance numbers powered the production from start to finish. In one standout scene titled 鈥淲hat You Want,鈥� Woods turns her Harvard application into a full-scale performance, trading a traditional essay for a show-stopping number alongside the UCLA cheer team.

The number featured 25 students on stage and took 13 hours to stage.

Three characters led a Harvard admissions conference room scene, delivering sharp dialogue as they debated Woods鈥� fate.

From left: Joey Fields as Winthrop, Tristan Haberland as Lowell and Jasper Allen as Pforzheimer.

Just as the audience settled into the story, two robot dogs stepped into the spotlight. During the nine-minute number 鈥淲hat You Want,鈥� they appeared in a Harvard campus scene where engineering students 鈥� played by theatre majors Mia Freeman and Isabel Ramos 鈥� walked them around as UCLA cheerleaders looked on in awe. In a brief but striking moment, technology wasn鈥檛 just a prop 鈥� it became part of the story.

Operated live on stage, the robots transformed the moment into a seamless blend of performance and engineering. Freeman and Ramos were trained by Mohsen Rakhshan, assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, and his graduate teaching assistant, Chinmay Dhanraj Nehate.

鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing the incorporation of robotics into different things at an accelerated rate, including art. It’s exciting,鈥� says Rakhshan, who closely collaborated with the production鈥檚 director to bring the robots into the show.

The electrical and computer engineering department houses 15 state-of-the-art robot dogs, nine of which are in Rakhshan鈥檚 Laboratory for Interaction of Machine and Brain. There, he and his graduate teaching assistant use them for both instruction and research 鈥� teaching an Introduction to Robotics course and training the robots to navigate the uncertainties of real-world environments.

During last year鈥檚 annual 麻豆原创 football Space Game, Michael Jablonski, assistant professor of musical theatre in the College of Arts and Humanities, watched the ECE department鈥檚 robot dogs in motion across the field. At that moment, he saw more than entertainment 鈥� he saw the potential for storytelling. A way to take something typically confined to classrooms and labs and give it emotion and meaning.

When planning听Legally Blonde, a story rooted in breaking expectations, the idea came naturally: why not let innovation share the stage?

Even with its high-tech twist, the show stayed true to its roots 鈥� including Bruiser, Woods鈥� loyal (and stylish) Chihuahua, brought to life by a real dog named Marty McFly.

During 鈥淲hipped Into Shape,鈥� fitness guru Brooke Wyndham, played by theatre major Isabel Ramos, led her cellmates through a relentless workout. Accused of murder, Wyndham refused to reveal the truth when Woods visited 鈥� unless she could keep up 鈥� turning the moment into a high-energy number where actors sang while performing intense jump rope choreography.

In the climactic courtroom scene, Woods took the lead, defending Wyndham and using sharp instincts, wit and confidence to expose the real culprit. It was a defining moment where she proved she belongs, blending intelligence, intuition and boldness to win the case.

Front row from left: Lyric Stratton as Elle Woods, Isabel Ramos as Brooke Wyndham and Jaxon Ryan as Emmett Forrest.

Along the way, Woods stops chasing approval and finds her confidence, purpose and voice. This central theme drew Jablonski, Legally Blonde production director, to the female-driven story.

鈥淭his story showcases how a very strong, intelligent woman [Elle Woods] finds her way in a male-dominated world. She initially follows love, but through it, she finds a space where she fits perfectly,鈥� Jablonski says. 鈥淭hrough being misjudged and stereotyped, we come to see that she鈥檚 far above the people around her in her thinking and in the way she brings humanity into her work as a lawyer.鈥�

What audiences saw was only part of the story. Behind every scene change, lighting cue, and musical number is a network of students, faculty, and staff working in sync 鈥� often just out of sight. Behind the curtain, more than 50 people managed lighting, sound and scene transitions in real time.

The music didn鈥檛 just support the story 鈥� it drove it. Legally Blonde, presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International, featured music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin, with 23 total musical numbers. The book is by Heather Hach.

Projection-mapped animations and imagery 鈥� created with QLab software and delivered through two high-brightness front projectors 鈥� were precisely timed to the music, blending seamlessly with choreography and lighting to shape the show鈥檚 visual rhythm.

鈥淓ach scene had its own visual identity, with projections adding specific details that help it stand out,鈥� says Tim Brown, associate professor of theatre design and technology. 鈥淭he goal is to support the show鈥檚 fun, colorful world in a clear and energetic way.鈥�

Costuming defined each character with bold color and precise detail. Huaixiang Tan, professor of costume and make-up design in the School of Performing Arts, led the design, with support from assistant costume designers Sabrina Cervilla and Aisha Bader-Ortega. The production featured more than 100 costumes, each the result of hundreds of hours of craftsmanship.

In the Theatre 麻豆原创 scene shop, students began using hands-on technical skills to build and refine set pieces in January.

Built through layers of paint, planning and precision, the set came together as a large-scale collaboration among more than 40 students.

Designed for transport, much like a touring production, the set added an extra layer of complexity and was built to be assembled at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. It was completed and delivered on March 30.

This year, the festival spotlights the powerful connections between two influential art figures 鈥� the artist Marc Chagall and the composer George Gershwin 鈥� and an iconic musical Fiddler on the Roof.

The Connection Between Marc Chagall and Fiddler on the Roof

Chagall, a Russian-Jewish painter known for his dreamlike imagery and use of vibrant colors, drew inspiration from his childhood in a small Jewish village in Eastern Europe. The image of the fiddler repeatedly occurs in his work. Over time, the fiddler began to symbolize Jewish heritage and the preservation of tradition.

Notably, the image of the fiddler on the roof, demonstrated in a series of Chagall鈥檚 paintings, including his 1912 work Le Violoniste (The Fiddler), served as inspiration for the title and imagery of the musical Fiddler on the Roof. This production tells the story of Tevye, a Jewish father struggling with the changing traditions in the fictional Russian town of Anatevka. The production later became an Oscar-winning film in 1971 and has since become a beloved story by many worldwide.

鈥�Fiddler on the Roof demonstrates that culture and family traditions are not fixed in time, but that they evolve, and it鈥檚 important to embrace that fluidity,鈥� says Julia Listengarten, professor and artistic director of Theatre 麻豆原创.

Theater 麻豆原创 chose to showcase Fiddler on the Roof at this year鈥檚 festival for its global appeal and artistic richness. The production鈥檚 themes of family values and tradition explore the challenges that occur when norms change.

George Gershwin: A Product of Cultural Change

George Gershwin, an American composer and pianist, was born in 1898 to Russian-Jewish immigrants in Brooklyn, New York. As part of the 鈥渘ew immigration鈥� to the United States in the late 19th century, his parents were influenced by the changing political life of Eastern Europe. Growing up in a city that became a hub for Jewish immigrants fleeing political upheaval in his family鈥檚 homeland, Gershwin鈥檚 upbringing had an impact on both his identity and music. His work incorporates his Jewish heritage and the American experience, relating to the overall theme of adapting to evolving change. Perhaps his most famous piece, Rhapsody in Blue, combines both elements of the nascent jazz music he heard as a young man with traditional Jewish melodies.

The Benefit to 麻豆原创 Students

麻豆原创 Celebrates the Arts provides students with hands-on experiences while also immersing them in cultural history.

Under the guidance of Debi Starr, associate lecturer of Studio Art, over 300 students from the are bringing Chagall鈥檚 imagery to life through 3D sculptures.

鈥淭his is a subject matter the students would never have researched on their own,鈥� Starr says. 鈥淓ach group of students had to write a research proposal to understand the history behind their work. It’s been a great learning experience for them.鈥�

Through this process, students have expanded their design skills by learning how to replicate Chagall鈥檚 abstract painting style, using tools like laser cutters to develop sculptures that closely mirror his work.

The benefits go beyond the visual arts department. Students involved in the production of Fiddler on the Roof are not just performing an iconic musical; they鈥檙e fully immersed in a narrative about Jewish identity, tradition听and resilience.

鈥淚鈥檝e gained my historical perspectives through the shows I鈥檝e helped produce and the research they have led me to,鈥� says Michael Wainstein, director of the . 鈥淏eing part of this production will give students a different perspective on how history shapes people today.鈥�

A Celebration of Art and History

The festival will feature a special talk titled The Life and Work of Marc Chagall, presented by art historian and 麻豆原创 School of Visual Arts and Design Assistant Director Keri Watson and theatre professor Listengarten, to discuss the artist鈥檚 impact and legacy. Attendees can look forward to a special lineup, including A Gershwin Celebration, a pre-show talk with Ken Hanson, 麻豆原创 professor of Judaic studies, before the opening performance of Fiddler on the Roof on April 10, with additional performances through April 13. The festival also features Celebrating Chagall 3D sculptures displayed on the grand staircase of the Dr. Philips Center for the Performing Arts and much more.

麻豆原创 Celebrates the Arts 2025 promises to be an enriching experience for the Central Florida community. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the

This year鈥檚 winning projects were centered on a theme of unleashing potential, focusing on amplifying the power of knowledge and discovery through the intersection of arts and wellness. These project teams join ten other Pabst Steinmetz Foundation Arts and Wellness Innovation award recipients since its inception in 2018.

The awards were founded by Central Florida鈥檚 Pabst Steinmetz Foundation to recognize teams building sustainable models for arts and wellness innovation. The teams, composed of 麻豆原创 personnel and community organizations, involve collaboration with the College of Arts and Humanities, at least one partner from the university, and a community organization, to promote cross-disciplinary collaboration and research.

鈥淭his year we were seeking initiatives that are closely aligned with 麻豆原创鈥檚 鈥榰nleashing potential鈥� strategic plan,鈥� says Margery Pabst Steinmetz, who, along with her husband Chuck Steinmetz, co-founded the foundation and initiated these annual awards at 麻豆原创. 鈥淭he selected projects not only met the criteria, but also reflected exciting, sustainable models. In addition to strengthening 麻豆原创鈥檚 research and creative activity, they will bring more access to … community groups that have great potential to shine.鈥�

In Fall 2023, teams from across the university submitted proposals for the two awards. Winners were chosen for being interdisciplinary, sustainable, community focused and demonstrating innovative development in their research.

Pegasus PlayLab: Daring to Dream

麻豆原创鈥檚 Pegasus PlayLab is an annual festival dedicated to developing plays by emerging playwrights for performance at Theatre 麻豆原创. Responding to the theme unleashing potential, 麻豆原创鈥檚 and will partner with Central Florida Community Arts (CFCArts) to make the Pegasus PlayLab process accessible to young adults with and without disabilities.

This collaboration will build on the 2022-23 Pabst-Steinmetz Building a Shared Home project, where students were brought together with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities in partnership with Best Buddies and devised a new play around experiences of home and community in June 2023.

Adapting the model of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Pegasus PlayLab, theater artists with and without disabilities will have the opportunity to submit works in progress with the theme of unleashing potential to be developed during a weeklong series of workshops and performed at 麻豆原创 in early Summer 2024 as part of Pegasus PlayLab. Participants will explore theater, music, writing, visual art and other forms of storytelling to weave their personal experiences into a new play that engages with themes of personal growth, overcoming adversity, forging new paths and embracing change.

The project鈥檚 second phase will connect to inclusive artists on a national scale by partnering with 麻豆原创鈥檚 Office of Student Accessibility Services and CFCArts. Project facilitators will bring the previous processes and discoveries to the New London Barn Playhouse in New Hampshire. The Barn Playhouse has partnered with their local school district鈥檚 student support services to create theatrical experiences for students with disabilities in their community.

鈥淏y partnering with Student Accessibility Services and CFCArts, and engaging diverse communities in Central Florida and New Hampshire, our initiative will further raise national awareness about disabilities, empower participants to build self-esteem and confidence, and offer a model for … creative practices at 麻豆原创 and beyond,鈥� says Pegasus Professor Julia Listengarten.

Researchers from the College of Arts and Humanities, Student Accessibility Services, and CFCArts include:

• Listengarten, artistic director and graduate program director in the School of Performing Arts.
• Vandy Wood, associate professor in the School of Performing Arts
• Sage Tokach 鈥�22MF, guest artist, director of education at New London Barn Playhouse in New Hampshire
• Terrance Hunter, chief executive officer with CFCArts
• Adam Meyer, director of Student Accessibility Services
• Keri Watson, associate professor in the

Limbitless Journey: ALS Games for Health Creative Jam

Limbitless Solutions, a 麻豆原创-based nonprofit, is dedicated to increasing accessibility through creating accessibility devices with training games to empower children and adults in the disability community while also enhancing the workforce through its student scholar internship and research experience program.

Building on the work of the initial phase, the Limbitless Journey: ALS Games for Health Creative Jam initiative aims to harness the power of a custom-designed video game and game controller, which utilizes muscle flex in the temporalis muscles to enhance the lives of individuals living with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The second phase focuses on generalizable functionality and expanding the reach of the original project to improve quality of life outcomes for ALS patients.

In partnership with healthcare professionals from the Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, the overarching goal of the project is to refine the hands-free wheelchair control system for electric wheelchairs and improve the gamified training that is critical to learning to drive/navigate using the custom EMG-powered hands-free interface in a low-stress, safe environment.

The project will also incorporate a game jam event hosted at Limbitless Solutions. Participants in the game jam will be invited to design levels or mini games that align with the training objectives guided by the medical staff. A panel of judges consisting of potential users and Mayo Clinic medical staff will evaluate the creations. The game jam will promote awareness and understanding of an individual鈥檚 challenges with ALS, helping to bridge the gap between accessibility, gaming technology developers and end-users.

Researchers from the College of Arts and Humanities, College of Sciences, , Mayo Clinic Jacksonville and Limbitless Solutions include:

• Matt Dombrowski 鈥�05 鈥�08MFA, associate professor of emerging media
• Peter Smith 鈥�05MS 鈥�12PhD, associate professor of game and interactive media
• Bj枚rn Oskarsson, associate professor of neurology, Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, Jacksonville director of the ALS Center of Excellence
• Albert Manero 鈥�12 鈥�14MS 鈥�16PhD, executive director of Limbitless Solutions
• John Sparkman听鈥�13 鈥�15MS, associate director of Limbitless Solutions

鈥淚 think the play is really special because it shows that any child can find something unique about themselves even if it鈥檚 small, and the show deals with emotional regulation and the power of emotions,鈥� says Tokach, who earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in acting and directing before coming to 麻豆原创. 鈥淚t gives kids a chance to see so many different emotions expressed on stage and know that it鈥檚 OK to express themselves.鈥�

While young audiences and their parents will have a chance to see this for themselves at the April 10 showing of The Grumpiest Boy in the World at 麻豆原创 Celebrates the Arts, these same concepts are constantly considered throughout the world of TYA.

鈥淭here is so much research about why the arts are important in childhood and I know just growing up in a small town it was just really rare to have a chance to express myself in that way or in any activities other than sports,鈥� says Tokach, who is from Abilene, Kansas. 鈥淪o I wanted to be able to provide that for other kids.鈥�

For decades, studies have shown that the arts help boost academic performance, social skills, critical and creative thinking, emotional intelligence, self-esteem, and graduation rates. According to a 2016 survey by the Americans for the Arts organization, about 90% of adults consider the arts as a part of a well-rounded education from elementary through high school, and TYA plays a crucial role in sparking an interest that can benefit children for life.

A Key Partnership

In the United States there are 19 bachelor鈥檚 programs, eight master鈥檚 programs and just six MFA programs in TYA. 麻豆原创鈥檚 MFA program, which takes three years to complete and typically accepts cohorts of about six students every other year, is the only one that has a partnership with a local professional theatre.

麻豆原创’s TYA MFA program is one of six the nation and the only one that has a partnership with a local professional theatre.

鈥淥rlando Rep is Florida鈥檚 premiere professional theatre for young audiences and its history goes back to the 1920s as the Orlando Little Theatre,鈥� says Elizabeth Brendel Horn 鈥�10MFA, an assistant professor and graduate of 麻豆原创鈥檚 TYA program. 鈥淭he organization has been through multiple iterations and names throughout the years and it was through the partnership [with 麻豆原创] that it became the Orlando Repertory Theatre 鈥� and specifically a professional theatre for young audiences. It鈥檚 very formation is a prime example of how the partnership has shaped both institutions and how it鈥檚 mutually beneficial.鈥�

Since 麻豆原创鈥檚 TYA program launched in 2004, the nearly 35 graduates have all played multiple roles at the Orlando Rep, some 鈥� such as senior director of education Jennifer Adams 鈥�11MFA and prop master Tara Kromer 鈥�15MFA听鈥� even landed positions after graduation.

Knights have also left a mark on the Rep through experimental productions of their own creation. In 2020, the Rep premiered its first play for very young audiences, infants to 5-year-olds, with When Pigs Fly created by Maria Katsadouros 鈥�18MFA. It is an interactive multisensory experience that follows a pig named Avery and his friends on the farm as they explore what it means to fly through the elements of play, discovery and whimsical movement. This innovative work is also part of the reason why Katsadouros is now the theatre and dance resource instructor for Orange County Public Schools.

鈥淢aria started her play in her first semester in my puppetry course where she was terrified to design and build her own puppet, but she made a pig and I saw how every class after that the story grew and it eventually became her thesis,鈥� says Vandy Wood, theatre associate professor and coordinator for the TYA program. 鈥淭he curriculum is very effective in stimulating the students鈥� ideas and it鈥檚 designed to support their interest in what they鈥檙e developing.鈥�

Training Teaching Artists

Many other TYA grads have gone on to work for school districts and theatre companies across the nation.

鈥淥ne of the strengths that I鈥檝e heard about our program is that the students are well-trained visually,鈥� Woods says. 鈥淲e really work hard to give them well-rounded professional theatre training in addition to the academic and teaching focus. I know one of our recent graduates is running a new program in Naples at a high school and he鈥檚 laughing because he鈥檚 having to design and build the sets, in addition to writing the music, and directing 鈥� all things we train our students to become professionals in.鈥�

During Brendel Horn鈥檚 undergraduate studies, she says she didn鈥檛 realize that TYA was a field she could earn a master鈥檚 in, so her time at 麻豆原创 really allowed her to see all that field could encompass.

鈥淢any of our graduates do go on to teach full-time and all will have to teach at some point,鈥� Brendel Horn says. 鈥淒uring their first semester they have to take Methods of Teaching Drama, so I鈥檓 really grateful they have that course. In some ways, it鈥檚 a very specific degree, but it鈥檚 also a degree we believe our students can apply in varying theatre careers, and in careers with the theme park industry, museums, schools, libraries, and more.鈥�

Expanding TYA鈥檚 Reach

When Tokach came to 麻豆原创 in 2019, she knew from touring experiences with a children鈥檚 theatre company that she wanted to become an educational director. But what she鈥檚 learned through the program is that role looks different at every organization.

鈥淭his program has opened my mind to so many possibilities within the field,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 think this program has taught me a different way of looking at the world. When grappling with different questions and it鈥檚 not really about finding the right answer to anything, it鈥檚 about working collaboratively with your peers and kids, listening to their perspectives, and finding a way that we can all look at the world in a way that can help everyone.鈥�

For The Grumpiest Boy in the World, Tokach and her team worked with United Cerebral Palsy to take the production live to four local schools, as well as record the play so other local UCP schools could view it. Through this process, she completed a workshop centered around accessibility and considers those lessons crucial for expanding TYA鈥檚 reach.

Arts funding across the nation has been dwindling through the years, with total public funding for the National Endowment for the Arts decreasing by 16% the past 20 years when adjusted for inflation, according to Grantmakers in the Arts. Faculty at 麻豆原创 are finding that the interest and respect for TYA are growing. This year, more people have applied to the program than usual. Typically, the program has an assistantship or fellowship lined up for each student, but they鈥檙e planning to deviate from this tradition and extend their offers of admission to applicants who are willing to join the program without one.

鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to say why we had such a strong pool of applicants, but I think part of it is people going back to school during the pandemic, as well as our reputation,鈥� says Julia Listengarten, artistic director and professor of theatre. 鈥淥ur program provides a very strong combination of theoretical and practical courses, such as design and directing, our partnership with the Rep, as well as opportunities to engage in arts-based community projects, so there are many benefits for students outside of 麻豆原创-based teaching opportunities that students receive through their assistantships.鈥�

This year, 鈥� a summer festival that launched in 2018 and is dedicated to developing works by emerging playwrights 鈥� is featuring its first TYA production with Sombra Del Sol (Shade of the Sun), which TYA student Ralph Krumins has developed with Ximena Gonzalez, music master鈥檚 student Daniela Monzon Villegas and Bianca Alamo 鈥�20MFA.

鈥淭his is one more example of how the culture of the is incorporating theatre for young audiences in more of its programming 鈥� and our MFA students are leading the way,鈥� Brendel Horn says.

Jones, a New York Times best-selling author, has written four novels, most recently An American Marriage, which is on Barack Obama鈥檚 summer reading list and an Oprah鈥檚 Book Club Selection. Jones, a member of the Fellowship of Southern Writers, has also been a recipient of the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, United States Artist Fellowship, NEA Fellowship and Radcliffe Institute Bunting Fellowship. Her third novel, Silver Sparrow was added to the NEA Big Read Library of classics in 2016. Silver Sparrow 鈥渦nveils a breathtaking story about a man鈥檚 deception, a family鈥檚 complicity, and the teenage girls caught in the middle. Set in a middle-class neighborhood in Atlanta in the 1980s, the novel revolves around James Witherspoon鈥檚 families 鈥� the public one and the secret one. When the daughters from each family meet and form a friendship, only one of them knows they are sisters.鈥�

Several units from the 麻豆原创 College of Arts and Humanities, including visual arts, performing arts and history, will host programming, as will 麻豆原创 Libraries.

The NEA Big Read: Central Florida brings together several Central Florida institutions. Several units from the 麻豆原创 College of Arts and Humanities, including visual arts, performing arts and history, will host programming, as will 麻豆原创 Libraries.

Seminole County Public Libraries will host daytime and evening book-discussion groups at each of its five branches for a total of 10 book clubs early next year. Six additional book clubs are planned at the Orlando Museum of Art, the 麻豆原创 Africana Studies program, Black Man鈥檚 Candor, Afro Artistry, and two at the Florida Department of Corrections鈥� Central Florida Reception Center.

鈥�2021 marks the 10^th anniversary of the publication of Tayari Jones鈥� award-winning novel, Silver Sparrow,鈥� says Keri Watson, director of the NEA Big Read: Central Florida. 鈥淛ones鈥� book 鈥� offers an excellent opportunity for 麻豆原创 to bring impactful programs that celebrate the role of literature in our community. Our programming will coincide with 麻豆原创鈥檚 celebration of Black History Month and we are working with Africana Studies to bring the Big Read to a new campus audience.鈥�

Watson has been leading 麻豆原创鈥檚 Big Read initiative since receiving the first programming grant in 2015. An art historian, Watson takes a broad, interdisciplinary view of how literature influences and is influenced by other disciplines. The novels 麻豆原创 has read are Zora Neale Hurston鈥檚 Their Eyes Were Watching God (2016), John Steinbeck鈥檚 The Grapes of Wrath (2017), Dinaw Mengestu鈥檚 The Beautiful Things that Heaven Bears (2018), Emily St. John Mandel鈥檚 Station Eleven (2019), and Tim O鈥橞rien鈥檚 The Things They Carried (2020).

Other principal investigators on the grant include Julia Listengarten from the School of Performing Arts, Scot French from the Department of History, and Shannon Lindsey from the 麻豆原创 Gallery. Fon Gordon, director of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Africana Studies program, which is part of the Department of History, will also be involved with program planning. The team is organizing more than 20 events related to this year鈥檚 novel, including discussions, an art exhibit and a production of Dominique Morisseau鈥檚 play Blood at the Root.

An initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest, the NEA Big Read broadens our understanding of our world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book.

A themed experience tells a story by creating an immersive narrative environment that is based on a popular book or film or an original story.

Just ask Peter Weishar, 麻豆原创鈥檚 new professor of themed experiences.

He was previously the director of the Themed Experience Institute at Florida State University (an institute he founded as their dean of the College of Fine Arts). Before that, he was dean of entertainment arts at the Savannah College of Art & Design, where he also founded the Master of Fine Arts in Themed Entertainment degree program.

His next move? Paving a path for themed entertainment education at 麻豆原创. Through hands-on and theoretical instruction, he will teach students how to design and produce themed experiences 鈥� a brand new discipline at 麻豆原创.

So what should you know about the themed-experiences industry before hitting the books? Weishar gave us his take as an industry insider, a notable academic听and a fan. Some of his favorite themed experiences are the Avatar Flight of the Passage ride at Disney鈥檚 Animal Kingdom, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Parks & Resorts, and Sea World鈥檚 Discovery Cove.

鈥淚鈥檓 fascinated by all kinds of themed experiences,鈥� says Weishar. 鈥淭hat is why I have devoted so much of my career to the industry.鈥�

1. Themed experiences are more than just theme parks

A themed experience tells a story by creating an immersive narrative environment that is often based on a popular book or film, but can also tell an original story or alternative storyline within an intellectual property. Walt Disney World or Universal Studios probably comes to mind when reading that definition, but a themed experience can occur at any establishment. Retail spaces, restaurants, museums, libraries, zoos and aquariums can all fit into this category 鈥� as long as they have created unique, themed environments that guests can explore.

This is why Weishar calls these establishments 鈥渢hemed experiences鈥� instead of the more limiting term 鈥渢hemed entertainment.鈥� A themed-entertainment venue is always a themed experience, but a themed experience can do much more than entertain.

2. Themed entertainment has its own international association

Like other industries, the themed-experiences industry has professional organizations that aim to further it. One that Weishar is a member of is the Themed Entertainment Association, a nonprofit organization that brings together creators, developers, designers and producers of themed experiences from around the world. Founded in 1991, TEA has more than 1,300 members. Weishar is also chair of the TEA Academic Network, which he calls 鈥渁 community of researchers, educators and academics dedicated to [improving] the quality of student preparedness to enter the themed entertainment and experience industry.鈥�

3. 听There are many jobs for creatives in themed-experience companies

Weishar encourages creative recent graduates to look into the themed entertainment industry for potential jobs, as the companies employ thousands to work on their frequent, large-scale projects. Universal Orlando is estimating its new Epic Universe will create 14,000 jobs. Walt Disney Imagineering, the sector of The Walt Disney Company that creates its iconic theme parks, has more than 100 types of positions in its ranks alone. These positions include writers, lighting professionals, graphic designers, animators, programmers, producers and puppeteers.

4. The future of the industry is bright

With the continuous expansions and profitability of theme parks, many retail and dining venues are also embracing what Weishar calls 鈥渢he experience economy.鈥� The term originated in the book The Experience Economy: Work Is Theater & Every Business a Stage, in which authors B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore write, 鈥淔uture economic growth lies in the value of experiences and transformations 鈥� goods and services are no longer enough.鈥� In short, as today鈥檚 consumers desire personal and memorable experiences when shopping, more businesses will turn to creating themed experiences.

5. Despite the industry鈥檚 success, themed experience classes are rare 鈥� for now

Weishar says the themed-experience industry can be compared to the film industry 鈥� they both use props, lighting, scripts and other elements to tell stories. However, there is one key difference between them: 鈥淭here are only about six to nine universities in North America that teach classes or have degree programs in the themed experience discipline, but there are well over 1,200 film schools.鈥� Weishar strives to help fill this academic gap by continuing to advocate for themed experience research and curriculum 鈥� and by contributing his knowledge to 麻豆原创 in the years to come.

6. 麻豆原创 is perfectly positioned for students seeking an education in themed experiences

While Weishar is still in the process of designing the themed-experience courses for 麻豆原创, he believes that 麻豆原创 will be a great institution to provide them. Why? 鈥淏ecause Central Florida is the hub of the international themed-entertainment industry. And 麻豆原创 has the ideal combination of students, faculty, leadership, resources and a prime location,鈥� he says. The numbers back him up, with five of the 10 most visited theme parks in the world located minutes away from the university. The area鈥檚 reputation will only enhance with Disney鈥檚 Star Wars: Galaxy鈥檚 Edge at Hollywood Studios set to open later this month and Universal鈥檚 Epic Universe in the works. Thus, 麻豆原创 students have easy access to internship and job opportunities with these top themed-experience companies, as well as the opportunity to have industry professionals mentor them as they progress through their courses.

鈥淚t鈥檚 refreshing to work on a contemporary piece because the script reflects conversations people are having in daily life. The reactions you see on stage are done in a truthful way that finds the comedic and human side of the characters,鈥� says Matthew Buckalew, an acting student who plays the role of Jim in the production. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 necessary to let new works come alive and see how the audience interacts with them.鈥�

For most students at 麻豆原创, Pegasus PlayLab is their first encounter working on a new play. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 have any experience working on contemporary plays, so I think that鈥檚 one of the amazing things our artistic director, Julia Listengarten, has done is bring these new plays to the forefront for 麻豆原创 to examine and to produce. It鈥檚 a unique experience you won鈥檛 find in other university theatre programs,鈥� says Ramon Paradoa, assistant director of Human Error working on his master鈥檚 in theatre. 鈥淲hen working on a new piece, you鈥檙e going in with a blank slate and don鈥檛 have any expectations in regards to what you鈥檙e going to see. What you see the actors bring to life is something you didn鈥檛 expect and is something you get to watch unfold before your eyes.鈥�

For Be Boyd, director of Human Error, working on new plays is about valuing the next generation of emerging playwrights. 鈥淲e have the opportunity to be the voice of the new generation. We need to foster new playwrights and tell their stories in unique ways,鈥� Boyd says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 recognizing that those famous playwrights got their start in a very similar way to what we are doing and we are honoring that process. This is the generation that has to lay the groundwork for new classics.鈥�

Boyd says the greatest thing students get from working on a new piece like Human Error is the fluid workshopping process.

鈥淭hey have to stay on their toes,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey know that at any moment, the script could change. They have to be flexible, they have to have a collaborative spirit and they have to respect the text because something could be snatched from them and rewritten at any moment.鈥�

Those who are new to theatre may not understand how a play comes to life, and Boyd hopes that audiences attending Human Error and other Pegasus PlayLab events will better understand the role of the playwright in this process 鈥� from the initial spark of an idea to opening night.

Human Error by Eric Pfeffinger听

After an unfortunate mix-up by their blundering fertility doctor, a couple is mistakenly impregnated with the wrong child. Now two very different couples face sharing an uproarious nine-month odyssey of culture shock, clashing values, changing attitudes and unlikely 鈥� but heartfelt 鈥� friendships.

Directed by Be Boyd

Join the cast and crew for a post-show reception following today鈥檚 7:30 p.m. opening-night performance. The rest of the schedule is:

Tickets $20, $10 with 麻豆原创 ID

The decision to change the play was made after the writer of The Day Before Yesterday, . Horovitz had been scheduled to attend 麻豆原创鈥檚 performance.

鈥淎s an educational institution, it is our job to instruct students how to produce and participate in theatre. However, it is also our duty to teach them to do so with integrity and respect. Upon evaluation of the situation, we have decided to replace the performance with Boy Gets Girl,鈥� said Julia Listengarten, artistic director for Theatre 麻豆原创.

Listengarten and director of production Bert Scott, with input from School of Performing Arts director Michael Wainstein, director Cynthia White, and other members of the theatre faculty, evaluated the impact a last-minute cancellation or substitution would have on students who are designing, stage managing, acting in and otherwise working on the play. Students receive academic credit for their participation in the production and it was critical that their education not be compromised.

When the team found Gilman鈥檚 play, they knew they had found the solution. There were parallel roles for each of the cast members, some of the contemporary costumes could still be used, and the set design would be a relatively simple change. Equally important, it had the ability to open up a much-needed dialogue, they said.

鈥�Boy Gets Girl is about a successful woman who has a blind date that turns horribly wrong,鈥� said Listengarten. 鈥淚t addresses the impact of sexual harassment, not just the events that happen at the moment, but how the implications are lasting.鈥�

鈥淲e are sending a clear message that we stand by people who may be in this situation. We have a zero-tolerance policy for sexual misconduct and felt it was more important to give voice to the victims rather than directly supporting this playwright at this time,鈥� said Wainstein.

There will be a forum to discuss this programming change and the #metoo movement as it pertains to the entertainment industry. The date and location of this discussion will be announced in January.

Tickets previously purchased for The Day Before Yesterday will be automatically reissued for the same performance and seat at Boy Gets Girl. Patrons wishing to cancel their tickets should contact the 麻豆原创 box office at 407-823-1500.

Event at a glance:

Boy Gets Girl

By Rebecca Gilman
Feb. 22, 23, 24, 28, March 1, 2, 3 at 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 25, March 4 at 2 p.m.
Directed by Cynthia White
Theresa Bedell is a successful reporter in New York who loves her work and the life she has made for herself. A relationship with a man would complete the picture and so she agrees to go on a blind date with a friend of a friend. Tony is attractive and funny, but Theresa isn鈥檛 sure, and after a second date she鈥檚 convinced they have nothing in common and sees no point in continuing the relationship. Tony, though, thinks otherwise. What at first seems like persistence on his part grows into obsession, and Theresa’s annoyance with Tony turns to terror as he begins to threaten her and those around her. Ultimately, Theresa must fight to save herself from being erased by Tony鈥檚 actions鈥攁ctions which call into question the assumptions at the very heart of romantic pursuit.

鈥淎 disturbing chiller 鈥� the play works powerfully at its most basic level as a suspenseful tale about the unraveling of a strong woman鈥檚 sense of security in the urban jungle.鈥� 鈥�Variety

Please join us for a post-show reception with the cast and crew following the opening night performance on Thursday, Feb. 22.
$20 standard, $10 麻豆原创 ID
Black Box, 4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando
407-823-1500
boxoffice@ucf.edu

鈥淚f you liked 麻豆原创 Celebrates the Arts 2017, just wait until you see 2018,鈥� said Steven Chicurel-Stein, interim director of the School of Performing Arts and artistic director of the festival. 鈥淲e鈥檙e having a postmortem meeting today [Monday]. There鈥檚 that much energy to get started.鈥�

The April 7-14 festival was based at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando and for the first time at nearby art galleries.

鈥淧eople responded to the variety of events that ranged from the larger events such as Oklahoma! and the Flying Horse Big Band, but also enjoyed the more intimate concerts and panels. They also responded well to the visual arts in the lobby and public areas at the center,鈥� Chicurel-Stein said.

Several of the events were at capacity. The biggest performance drew nearly 2,700 people to each of the two Oklahoma! shows, a collaboration of the music and theatre departments.

Attendance to the festival was free, but this was the first year visitors could buy a limited number of reserved $20 seats.

鈥淧eople took to that very well and appreciated the fact that they had earlier access to the theater,鈥� Chicurel-Stein said.

Live streaming also was offered for several events, which made it possible for students鈥� families living far away to see the performances.

The festival featured more than 1,000 university students, 100 faculty members and some collaborative programs with outside partners showcasing theatre, dance, orchestra, choirs, big band, chamber music, cabaret, concert bands, opera, visual arts, studio art, gaming, animation, photography and film.

The purpose of the festival, Chicurel-Stein said, is to highlight what 麻豆原创 has to offer and spread the word how 麻豆原创 celebrates the arts.

The free eight-day event based at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando features more than 1,000 students and 100 faculty members showcasing their involvement in theatre, dance, orchestra, choir, big band, chamber music, cabaret, concert bands, opera, visual arts, studio art, gaming, animation, photography and film. Although the event is free, tickets are required for admission to specific events and hall passes are needed to experience the ongoing displays at the center.

(Ticketing and full schedule details are .)

The third-annual festival kicks off with Oklahoma!, the award-winning musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein that won three Academy Awards. The 麻豆原创 presentation will be a collaboration with more than 200 faculty, staff, and students from the theatre and music departments, including an orchestra. Evening showings of the play are scheduled April 7-8.

The festival concludes April 14 with The Bat Swings!, music from the 1960s Batman movie and TV show, as played by the university鈥檚 Flying Horse Big Band, which is made of students in the jazz studies program.

In between these bookend events, other presentations will honor last year鈥檚 Pulse nightclub victims, raise awareness about hunger in the community, showcase music, fine art, film and other fields.

Phoenix Song, a composition remembering the victims of last summer鈥檚 Pulse tragedy in Orlando, will have two performances. The first April 9 will be with 124 voices from 麻豆原创 combined choirs, and then April 11 several hundred singers from invited middle and high school choirs and the 麻豆原创 Alumni Choir will perform. The middle and high school choirs are all part of a day of workshops presented by music alumni. The composition is by David Brunner, interim associate director of the School of Performing Arts and a professor of music.

Events focusing on hunger are a big part of this year鈥檚 festival:

• With a cast of more than 30 麻豆原创 guest artists, faculty, staff, alumni and students, the School of Performing Arts will tell the story of The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck鈥檚 account of a dust bowl family in the 1930s after the loss of their farm.
• The art exhibit In the Eyes of the Hungry: Florida鈥檚 Changing Landscape will focus on demographic, geographic and ecological shifts in the country, with an emphasis on human relationships and the environment. The art explores ideas ranging from agriculture and industrialization to migration and tourism to ecology and conservation. The exhibit will be at Terrace Gallery in Orlando City Hall across the street from Dr. Phillips.
• Puddin鈥� and the Grumble, a play about how hunger affects a young girl, is suitable for viewers of all ages and will be in collaboration with the School of Performing Arts students and Second Harvest food bank, which will collect food for those in need.

Returning for the third year is a series of tableau vivant 鈥� or 鈥渓iving art鈥� 鈥� famous artworks recreated by 麻豆原创 art students who will wear costumes to model as people in the life-size paintings. This year there are 22 paintings from 1910-39, including Picasso, Dali, Hopper, Degas and others. The paintings will be on display evenings April 7-8.

In total there are more than two dozen festival performances, displays, workshops and lectures to be offered, including an opportunity for high school music and theater students to attend workshops led by 麻豆原创 faculty and then perform at the arts center.

This is part of a series of stories about the April 7-14 events at 麻豆原创 Celebrates the Arts 2017. All events are free, but tickets are required for all performances and entrance into the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, 445 S. Magnolia Ave., Orlando.听