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.

In 2026, we celebrate the United States of America鈥檚 250^th birthday 鈥� also known as the semiquincentennial (a word so convoluted that spellcheck doesn鈥檛 recognize it, so we have decided America250 is simpler). As we do so, we should take some time to reflect on what we think we know about our bold declaration of independence and the American Revolution that followed.

Here are some common misconceptions about the revolutionary era that show popular memory doesn鈥檛 necessarily reflect reality.

鈥淭he British(?) are Coming!鈥�

Legend has it that in Boston on the evening of April 18, 1775, silversmith and now folk hero Paul Revere watched for flashing lanterns from the Old North Church 鈥� one if by land and two if by sea 鈥� and when he saw the two flashes, he jumped onto his horse for his midnight ride through the Massachusetts countryside yelling the 鈥淏ritish are coming!鈥�

This shout brought out the militia in Lexington and Concord and also warned Sam Adams and John Hancock, two revolutionaries who some believed were the target of this secret British military mission. Armed and ready for the British soldiers to enter their villages, early the next morning, the militia fired the first shots of the American Revolution and pushed the Redcoats back to Boston. A fighting war had begun.

If one ponders the date for long enough, one might see the problem with the words that Revere allegedly shouted. In April 1775 (and for 14 months thereafter), Revere, the militia, and everyone he woke up were still British. Most likely, he shouted 鈥渢he Regulars,鈥� 鈥渢he Redcoats,鈥� or 鈥渢he king鈥檚 men,鈥� were coming, which all have less catchy rings to them.

Washington鈥檚 (Perilous?) Crossing.

If we can鈥檛 believe our ears regarding Paul Revere鈥檚 Midnight Ride, we also cannot believe our eyes about one of the most famous images of the American Revolution, Washington Crossing the Delaware. The giant (12 feet by 21 feet) painting depicts Christmas evening 1776 when the United States鈥� independence hung in the balance.

General George Washington and his army traveled from Pennsylvania where they would surprise Hessian mercenaries at Trenton, New Jersey.听 After a tough few months which included the evacuation of New York City, these victories helped restore the Americans鈥� morale.

German American artist Emanuel Leutze painted the image in Germany almost 75 years later. Meant to inspire German revolutionaries more than serve as an exact depiction of the event, the painting is filled with inaccuracies. It contains a flag that did not yet exist, ice bergs that did not appear in the Delaware River, Washington positioned in a manner which unnecessarily courted the danger of falling overboard, too much light for the crossing, and far too small a boat (in 2011, Mort Kunstler painted a more accurate version).

Yet, at the same time, others have praised Leutze鈥檚 version for sacrificing precise details for a larger truth. His painting has a wide cross section of Americans including farmers, riflemen, a Scotsman, two future presidents (Washington and James Monroe), men from a variety of states, an African American, and perhaps a woman. Thus, it is the archetypal American melting pot and conveys Americans鈥� determination in the time that tried men鈥檚 souls.

All Colonists were not Team Rebel.

We know that 13 original colonies revolted against British rule. In 1776, however, Britain had more than 30 colonies stretching from Canada through the Caribbean. Among those was Florida. Technically, Florida was two colonies (East Florida and West Florida). One would think that the two Floridas would have excitedly joined their neighbors to the north in rebellion as they had only been British colonies for 13 years (having been under Spanish rule from 1565鈥�1763).

Yet, when news of the Declaration of Independence reached St. Augustine, instead of embracing the document, the settlers reaffirmed their loyalty to the king and hung effigies depicting two leading revolutionaries that Revere had warned: John Hancock and Sam Adams. The former was the first signer of the Declaration of Independence and the president of Continental Congress, and the latter was a Boston radical, better known today as a brewery owner.

Why didn鈥檛 the Floridas revolt? Frankly, they disliked the British colonies more than they disliked England. They saw themselves as connected to the British Caribbean colonies, which also remained loyal to the king.

The Legend Behind A Cherry Tree.

In myth busting about the American Revolution, one can also tackle George Washington 鈥� he did tell lies, he didn鈥檛 chop down a cherry tree (that anecdote was invented by 19th-century bookseller Parson Weems), and the once commander-in-chief didn鈥檛 win many major battles in the early years of the revolution. However, Washington, if anything, is underestimated for his contributions to American history.

Washington did what many of his contemporaries considered to be unthinkable 鈥� he gave up power. Not once but twice.

When the war ended in 1783, Washington was a conquering hero who could have asked for anything. Instead, he simply requested retirement to Mount Vernon. Later, he returned to politics at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 and then was elected the nation鈥檚 first president in 1789. After serving two terms, he retired again (the constitutional provision limiting a president to two terms didn鈥檛 come until the 22^nd amendment in 1951).

Thus, he set a precedent that president would not serve for life but instead would rotate regularly out of office.

A Day to Celebrate 鈥� But Which Day?

None of the above should stop you from celebrating in July. After all, as one of the declaration鈥檚 authors and our second president John Adams wrote in letter to his wife about Independence Day, it 鈥渨ill be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America.鈥擨 am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival . . .听 It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other.鈥�

Other than omitting hot dog eating contests, this sounds fairly accurate. Alas, nothing is ever simple. Adams wrote this prediction on July 3, 1776, about future July 2s (not July 4s).

On July 2, the Continental Congress voted to declare independence. Two days later, on July 4, its members adopted the Declaration of Independence with John Hancock, the president of the Continental Congress, putting his John Hancock on the document.

Historians just have to ruin everything, don鈥檛 we?

The realization hit him one day on the job. This project鈥檚 legacy and impact were going to outlive him.

鈥淲hen I think back on every cool thing I鈥檝e gotten to do so far in my career, it does all kind of lead back to Orlando Family Stage,鈥� Lowe says.

Lowe was 6 years old when his cub scout troop attended a show at the stage, which recently celebrated its 100th anniversary 鈥� the last 25 of those years in partnership with 麻豆原创.

He eventually went through its Youth Academy, interned as a 麻豆原创 theatre student on site, made industry connections and now regularly contracts work at the stage as a full-time lighting designer for Clair Global, a tech company that specializes in live production services.

Lowe鈥檚 story is just one example of the countless ripple effects that have materialized from 麻豆原创鈥檚 longstanding, collaborative partnership with a nationally recognized leader in the theater industry.

鈥淚鈥檝e watched kids come in and they鈥檙e so shy and they can鈥檛 do anything. But by the time they leave, they鈥檙e not only signing up for the next show, they鈥檙e leading the next show,鈥� says Paul Lartonoix, assistant dean for the College of Arts and Humanities and longtime Orlando Family Stage board member. 鈥淪ometimes it鈥檚 amazing at what it does. There鈥檚 no reason to not be proud of it. It鈥檚 doing great things for families. It鈥檚 doing great things for kids. It鈥檚 doing great things for our students, and it鈥檚 awesome that it鈥檚 being run by Knights.鈥�

A Partnership That Builds Community

Orlando Family Stage, founded in 1926 as part of the City of Orlando鈥檚 Recreation Department, has evolved over the past 100 years while persevering through historic challenges including the Great Depression, World War II, the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic.

麻豆原创 entered the picture in 2000 when former Orlando Mayor Glenda Hood and 麻豆原创 President John C. Hitt formed a community coalition to bring the stage under 麻豆原创鈥檚 oversight. At the time, the theater needed a major overhaul 鈥� both to its physical home at Loch Haven Park and in programming 鈥� to ensure it could thrive in the new millennium.

鈥淚 know with great confidence we would not be sitting here today without 麻豆原创 on board. We wouldn鈥檛 have survived.鈥� 鈥� Chris Brown 鈥�05, Orlando Family Stage executive director and 麻豆原创 theatre alum

鈥淲e wanted it because we thought that space was an exceptional,听it had tremendous potential, and 麻豆原创 should be a part of it.听That听really was the driving force,鈥� says Lartonoix, who served as executive director on-loan and was instrumental in leading the early years of the partnership. 鈥淎nd when things worked, it was fantastic.鈥�

The intervention proved to be a major catalyst for its impact in the community today, and for the world at large through the countless children and 麻豆原创 graduates who have been affiliated with its programming and education.

鈥淚 know with great confidence we would not be sitting here today without 麻豆原创 on board. We wouldn鈥檛 have survived,鈥� says Chris Brown 鈥�05, Orlando Family Stage executive director and 麻豆原创 theatre alum. 鈥淭o think that leaders came together and said, 鈥榃e don鈥檛 want to lose a vital theater organization in our town, and we want to create an active and engaged partnership with the university where we can collectively do good things to serve young people in the world.鈥� It鈥檚 very special.鈥�

Florida鈥檚 Only Professional Theatre for Young Audiences

A major part of that partnership is 麻豆原创鈥檚 MFA in theatre for young audiences program, which launched in 2004. The program has operated for the past two decades as Florida鈥檚 only professional theatre for young audiences and is one of the most distinctive programs in the country with its unique graduate-training residency.

In addition to learning from the university鈥檚 esteemed faculty, students gain practical experience with opportunities to work with professional artists and teach in Orlando Family Stage鈥檚 award-winning Youth Academy, which offers camps, classes and experiences for every age level from infancy through teens.

The MFA program has seen graduates go on to work at some of the most prestigious theaters in the country, become educators at universities as far as Dublin and help run community theaters across the United States.

In addition to his leadership role, Brown teaches theatre management courses on 麻豆原创鈥檚 campus. He says he believes an important part of his responsibility as an educator is to expand his students鈥� idea of where a career in the arts can take them.

鈥淲e鈥檙e helping them recognize that arts administration is creative work,鈥� he says. 鈥淲riting a grant narrative, crafting a brand voice, planning a touring route or stewarding a donor relationship all require the same storytelling skills they bring to performance and production roles.鈥�

Instilling Bravery in Children

The stage鈥檚 mission is to empower young people to be brave and empathetic.

Sure it sounds good, but more importantly, there鈥檚 truth to the claim. Recent research by the 麻豆原创 Department of Psychology provides evidence to support it.

The Orlando Family Stage鈥檚 education team collaborated with associate professor Valerie Sims and senior lecturer Matthew Chin and more than a dozen undergraduate students from the Applied Cognition and Technology Lab along with associate professor of musical theatre Tara Deady 鈥�07MFA on a study, which they are currently working on publishing. The study aimed to determine if the stage鈥檚 programming delivers on its promise to promote creative engagement and bravery in children ages 1-5.

Because of the young age of the participants, traditional survey tools and written questionnaires wouldn鈥檛 work. The team needed to get creative in a research approach that matched how children experience theatre.

The research team meticulously observed second by second footage of children and parent engagement during performances of Yo, Ho, Ho! Let鈥檚 Go! 鈥� an interactive, multi-sensory original production created by the stage鈥檚 senior director of education Jennifer Adams-Carrasquillo 鈥�11MFA.

鈥淲e have evidence that theater participation really is beneficial to these very young kids.鈥� 鈥� Matthew Chin, 麻豆原创 psychology senior lecturer

They logged and quantified data through body language and audience responses. Early on, Sims and Chin say, children needed to be prompted by their parents to participate. However, as the show progressed, you can clearly see children initiating the participation on their own and parental involvement decreasing.

鈥淲ith this study we are able to say that it isn鈥檛 just this thing that we think is true 鈥� we have evidence that theater participation really is beneficial to these very young kids,鈥� Chin says.

In 2024-25 alone, more than 4,770 audience members attended Theatre for the Very Young productions like Yo, Ho, Ho! Let鈥檚 Go!. Multiply those numbers year after year and the impact to the youth in our community is monumental.

The Next 100 Years

As the stage commemorates this special milestone in its history, it also acknowledges the scope of possibilities and impact ahead.

This year, when Gershwin Entertainment Group, who owns the theatrical rights for A Charlie Brown Christmas, needed a national touring partner to bring the show to life on stage around the country, they turned to the Orlando Family Stage to deliver. It became the highest revenue-generating show in the history of the organizatoin鈥檚 performances in Orlando 鈥攚ithout counting the 32 cities it visited from New York City to Vancouver, Canada.

A partnership with the 麻豆原创 Department of History is enabling the stage to create an archive of its materials from the last century as part of the RICHES Mosaic Interface, an online resource dedicated to collecting and sharing the stories of Central Florida.

Another is the inaugural Florida Children鈥檚 Book Festival in partnership with Writer鈥檚 Block Book Store and W麻豆原创, which they hosted in February and plan to host annually to celebrate literature and the link between books, storytelling and live theater.

鈥淲e all need to be aware of how special this place is. And we need to be so proud that our community has something like this.鈥� 鈥� Chris Brown 鈥�05, Orlando Family Stage executive director and 麻豆原创 theatre alum

They look to expand the reach of Mind Matters, a program the stage initiated with 麻豆原创鈥檚 psychology department and national playwrights to produce 10 original short plays about geared for teens about depression, anxiety, loneliness, isolation and other mental health challenges they face today. The plays serve as an educational resource for teachers to spark honest conversations on these topics with their students.

Brown envisions one day expanding the footprint of the building with more theater space, new classrooms and offices to help alleviate their bursting-at-the-seems infrastructure, so they can keep delivering on all the dreams they want to turn into reality and continue creating meaningful experiences for children and the audiences of tomorrow.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 get past the energy and the faces of busloads of kids coming in here every day,鈥� Brown says. 鈥淲e all need to be aware of how special this place is. And we need to be so proud that our community has something like this.鈥�

Celebrates the Arts Programming

You can catch live performances from the Theatre for Young Audiences program during April鈥檚 麻豆原创 Celebrates the Arts festival at the Dr. Phillips Center in downtown Orlando.

Thursday, April 2 鈥� 7:30 p.m.
Hosted by Ashley Eckstein (Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Her Universe, HypeFriend!), this concert features performances that span musical styles and theatrical traditions, reflecting the many creative paths that begin at Orlando Family Stage.

*Featuring Micheal James Scott (Disney鈥檚 Aladdin on Broadway), Leslie Carrera-Rudolph (Emmy Award-winning performer for Abby Cadabby, Sesame Street), Jack Griffo (Nickelodeon鈥檚 The Thundermans), Davis Gaines (Broadway鈥檚 longest running Phantom of the Opera), Michael Andrew (Composer and one of America鈥檚 greatest interpreters of the American Songbook), Paul Vogt (Broadway鈥檚 Hairspray and Chicago). Video appearances by Mandy Moore (This Is Us), Jasmine Forsberg (Broadway鈥檚 Six and Here Lies Love), Clayton and Bella Grimm (Blippi), Broadway legend Norm Lewis and more.

*Artist lineup is updating and is subject to change.

Tuesday, April 7 鈥� 10 a.m.
When best friends Squiggle and Square move away from each other, they must find creative ways to keep communicating! Told through clowning, puppetry and music, Pen Pals is a 30-minute interactive play designed for 5 to 10-year-olds.

Saturday, April 11 鈥� 10 a.m.
Yo, Ho, Ho! Let鈥檚 Go! is a 30-minute adventure designed especially for children ages 1 to 5 as a multi-sensory experience that invites them to help a pirate navigate the high seas. Together, they follow a treasure map, solve clues and chart the course forward.

The Late Night with AI performance was a part of the 麻豆原创 Celebrates the Arts festival 鈥� an annual two-week cross-disciplinary creative showcase at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando 鈥� joining a slate of events designed to highlight cross-disciplinary creativity. From immersive simulations to futuristic stagecraft, 麻豆原创 demonstrated how emerging technologies like AI and digital twins are shaping the future of the arts and beyond.

As industries increasingly demand fluency in both technology and creative thinking, 麻豆原创 is ensuring its students aren鈥檛 just adapting to change 鈥� they鈥檙e anticipating it. Whether in engineering, the arts, healthcare or other fields, the ability to think critically, collaborate across disciplines, and leverage emerging tools is becoming essential.

鈥淲e鈥檙e giving students the tools to lead in a world where technology and creativity are no longer separate,鈥� says Jeff Moore, dean of the College of Arts and Humanities. 鈥淏y integrating advanced technologies into the arts, we鈥檙e enriching their creative education while simultaneously preparing them to thrive in a workforce that demands both technical fluency and human insight. 麻豆原创 graduates won鈥檛 just be ready for the future. They鈥檒l help shape it.鈥�

Developed through a collaboration between 麻豆原创鈥檚 School of Performing Arts and texts and technology doctoral program, the show originated in a Topics in Technical Theatre course focused on AI and performance. The production brought together undergraduate and graduate students from theatre, design and digital media in a fully original work that blurred the lines between art and technology. The result was part sketch comedy, part performance art and part real-time tech experiment.

Audiences encountered everything from a speed dating game powered by an AI chatbot, to a satirical musical theatre piece about AI-enhanced parenting, to an interactive game show that breaks down how AI processes language. Sam Sherrard, a third-year Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in theatre design and technology student, brought her background in team-building and experiential programming into the creation of the game show-style segment. She built a sketch that used shapes and color to represent the AI concept of 鈥渢okens鈥� 鈥� the basic units of meaning in language models like ChatGPT.

鈥淥ne of the early conversations we had was, 鈥楬ow does AI work?鈥� 鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檓 creating a metaphor for that so our audiences can understand and interact with it.鈥�

By turning abstract AI mechanics into a game, Sherrard found a way to bridge education and entertainment while making something tactile and engaging. As someone currently taking an introductory computer science course, she could read Python, a widely used programming language, but didn鈥檛 yet have a full grasp of all the tools and functions available. That鈥檚 where AI came in. Using ChatGPT to fill in technical gaps, she discovered a new way to problem-solve without ever handing over the creative reins.

鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 give me the final answer 鈥� it just helps me start the process,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t still feels like my work, because I鈥檓 the one solving the problem.鈥�

Gil Bloom, a third-year BFA theatre design and technology student, led the creation of the show鈥檚 speed dating segment 鈥� an awkward interactive experience in which audience members attempted to flirt with a chatbot.

The idea was sparked by a text from his dad, who works for a company exploring the use of AI-powered call centers. Bloom tested one of the platforms, Bland AI, and was surprised by how smooth and fast the responses were.

The next day in rehearsal, surrounded by a room full of actors riffing on love, dating and tech, the idea clicked: take this customer service AI and turn it into an awkward, overly eager date. He built the segment around that concept, repurposing the AI鈥檚 quick-response capabilities to simulate a real-time, if deeply flawed, human interaction.

鈥淚鈥檓 forcing this tech to do something it鈥檚 not really supposed to do,鈥� Bloom says. 鈥淲hich is everything we do in theater.鈥�

The result was a stilted, glitchy exchange that became funnier the longer it dragged on. The chatbot stumbled, overshared and occasionally malfunctioned mid-sentence 鈥� like a date gone wrong.

Bloom, who comes from a tech-savvy background, designed the piece to strip away the mystery around AI by showing it at its most awkward and human-adjacent.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a machine that responds in real time and sounds like a person 鈥� that鈥檚 impressive,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut what it says is often kind of dumb. I want people to laugh at that and also realize what AI actually is.鈥�

While some segments leaned into metaphor or narrative, Bloom鈥檚 used humor to peel back the curtain. That choice wasn鈥檛 just for laughs; it was a deliberate way to show how AI still falls short when it comes to nuance, emotion and real connection.

The course emerged from a growing need among faculty to help students navigate their creative futures in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence. Assistant Professor of Theatre History and Dramaturgy Chlo毛 Edmonson says the idea started with concern but quickly evolved into curiosity.

鈥淲e were trying to figure out how to be the best educators we could 鈥� how to help students navigate this ever-changing technological landscape while holding true to our standards,鈥� she says.

When Edmonson and other faculty surveyed students in the department, they were surprised to find anxiety rather than enthusiasm. Many students said they were afraid AI would eventually replace them or ruin their creative careers.

鈥淚t surprised me,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 assumed I鈥檇 be the cautious one and they鈥檇 be eager to experiment 鈥� but they were concerned.鈥�

That fear, she says, was rooted more in headlines than hands-on experience. And that鈥檚 what the course aimed to shift: giving students the space to explore AI as a tool, a collaborator and a philosophical prompt.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of noise around AI right now 鈥� both fascination and fear,鈥� Edmonson says. 鈥淭his class let students get past that and explore what it really means to collaborate with AI in a creative space.鈥�

The result was not only a technically complex show but a philosophical one, asking questions about authorship, originality, and the blurred lines between human and machine. It also reflected a much broader initiative at 麻豆原创: to break down the silos between disciplines and embrace a future where creativity and computation inform each other.

The university鈥檚 digital twins presentation 鈥� also part of 麻豆原创 Celebrates the Arts 鈥� highlighted how real-time data and virtual modeling are opening new possibilities in theater production.

A digital twin is a virtual replica of a physical space, powered by sensors and simulations. For theater practitioners, that means being able to digitally map a performance space before ever stepping inside it. Directors and design teams can test lighting, sound and staging choices in a simulated environment, and performers can visualize how movement and blocking will interact with set pieces and audience sightlines.

鈥淭he people performing at 麻豆原创 Celebrates the Arts have maybe been on that stage once 鈥� if at all,鈥� says Eileen Smith, program director for the 麻豆原创 Institute for Simulation and Training and director of the E2i Creative Studio, and Training and one of the panelists for the digital twins presentation. 鈥淏ut with a digital twin, they could step into a virtual version of the theater and understand how it works.鈥�

For student artists and touring companies alike, it鈥檚 a powerful tool to rehearse smarter, design faster and better understand the relationship between space and storytelling.

麻豆原创 is a place where engineering students collaborate with actors, where dramaturgs analyze algorithms and where no idea is too out-there if it advances understanding.

The (tech-focused) events at 麻豆原创 Celebrates the Arts weren鈥檛 just performances. They were a microcosm of a university that doesn鈥檛 just keep up with technological change, it helps define it. And as artificial intelligence continues to influence the way we live, work and create, 麻豆原创 students aren鈥檛 waiting to see how it unfolds. They鈥檙e stepping into the spotlight and showing the world how art and AI can evolve together.

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

Electrical engineering doctoral student Ganesh Marasini tests real-life grid control operations in 麻豆原创鈥檚 鈥� a training ground for rising engineers to collaborate, learn and help reimagine the energy grid of the future.

Hundreds of fans celebrated 麻豆原创 men’s basketball’s upset win over No. 3 Kansas at Addition Financial Arena.

麻豆原创 broke ground on the transformational Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion at Lake Nona, which is anticipated to open in 2025-26. The new 90,000 square-foot home of the College of Nursing will help 麻豆原创 graduate more highly qualified, compassionate nurses for the future.

A student practices with a manikin hand at 麻豆原创鈥檚 state-of-the-art in the College of Nursing, which is equipped with advanced medical devices and technology to train nursing students for clinical practice.

Since kicking off the outdoor season with a top 10 national ranking, the 麻豆原创 women鈥檚 track and field team has clocked some of the world鈥檚 fastest times this year.

During the 10th anniversary of 麻豆原创 Celebrates the Arts 鈥� a听multi-day festival honoring creative expressions 鈥� artists competed in Creative Clash, a live art event where they raced against the clock to create large-format artwork with markers in front of spectators at Seneff Arts Plaza.

A graduate walks across the stage during a Spring 2024 commencement ceremony that took place in Addition Financial Arena.

Three students dove into their studies while hanging out in their dorm room at the .

A Summer 2024 graduate beams with pride, holding his diploma as he walks across the commencement stage.

Knightro shows off a 麻豆原创 specialty license plate while filming a new at Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy鈥檚 Studio 500. To Knight Your Ride, click here.

麻豆原创 students are conducting groundbreaking research at labs, paving the way for the future of space exploration and innovation.

Two fighter aircrafts flew over FBC Mortgage Stadium during the pregame ceremony for the Family Weekend football game, where the Knights defeated the Sam Houston State University Bearkats, 45-14.

Running back RJ Harvey crossed into the end zone for a touchdown during the Knight’s second home game of the season against Sam Houston.

A student guides TapeMeasure, 麻豆原创鈥檚 semiautonomous dog-like robot, up the steps of the John C. Hitt Library, demonstrating its advanced navigation capabilities for innovative research by students and faculty.

A member of 麻豆原创 Air Force ROTC Detachment 159 salutes while being filmed on campus for , showcasing 麻豆原创 as a place for those who dare to invent the future.

Annika Emmett, a health sciences student, and Limbitless Solutions intern and past bionic arm recipient, tries on a bionic arm, showcasing its advanced technology that empowers children with limb differences.

This year, 麻豆原创 Downtown, in partnership with Valencia College, celebrates five years of educational excellence. The campus has welcomed more than 7,000 students and awarded 10,300 degrees since opening in 2019.

Two space scientists operate a rover on the world鈥檚 largest simulated lunar surface, located in 麻豆原创鈥檚 Exolith Lab. The lab鈥檚 Lunar Highland Regolith Test Bin was developed in partnership with the Florida Space Institute to support space exploration research.

Before the 麻豆原创 Knights took on the Colorado Buffaloes, two cheerleaders interacted with a young 麻豆原创 fan during Knight Walk at IOA Plaza, the lively pregame tradition where fans, the marching band, and the cheer and dance teams rally together to welcome the football team before kickoff.

麻豆原创鈥檚 cheer team amped up the crowd as the Knights took on the University of Cincinnati Bearcats at FBC Mortgage Stadium.

Rapper NLE Choppa performed at Concert Knight presented by 麻豆原创 Homecoming at Addition Financial Arena.

The cheer team hyped up the crowd with a high-energy stunt routine before students charged into the Reflecting Pond to catch homecoming rubber ducks at Spirit Splash.

Knightro surfed over a crowd of students at Spirit Splash, 麻豆原创鈥檚 biggest homecoming tradition.

During Spirit Splash, Knightro even secured a cowboy-themed rubber duck, celebrating this year鈥檚 theme: Cowboys vs. Aliens.

Knightro posed with a constellation-themed SpaceU cape in front of a giant moon backdrop at 麻豆原创鈥檚 2024 SpaceU Luncheon, honoring the university鈥檚 ties to space exploration and innovation.

麻豆原创 President Alexander N. Cartwright stands next to rocket engines while touring facilities during a visit to NASA鈥檚 Kennedy Space Center.

Here are some of the standout moments from the 2024 festival:

Attendees experienced Victorian-era art through Tableaux Vivants or 鈥渓iving portraits.鈥� Over 200 students from the School of Visual Arts & Design collaborated to recreate life-size versions of renowned paintings, with the students themselves posing as the subjects.

Many music ensembles, including the 麻豆原创 Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band, the Symphony Orchestra, the Percussion Ensemble, and chamber groups, performed throughout the festival.

Intimate Harmony, a smaller choral concert in the Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater, allowed for a closer connection between the performers and the audience, creating an uplifting and inspiring shared experience.

麻豆原创 Celebrates the Arts鈥痺as鈥痑 hit with guests of all ages. Families flocked to the DeVos Family Room for Let’s Go Camping!, a play commissioned by the Jeannette M. Gould Traveling Theater and designed to be performed bedside for pediatric hospital patients.鈥痀oung theatergoers also had the opportunity鈥痶o attend Orlando Family Stage’s interactive performance, Yo, Ho, Ho! Let’s Go!

Students and alumni competed in the fifth annual Creative Clash, a timed art competition where pairs of artists create large-scale drawings based on their interpretation of a theme. The 2024 theme was “creative reflection.”

Graduating students from the musical theatre program performed in Knight to Shine, a cabaret-style show featuring songs from Les Mis茅rables, Frozen, Hairspray and other popular Broadway shows.

As part of the lobby exhibitions, festival attendees admired costumes designed and built by students for Theatre 麻豆原创 productions.

Hundreds of students working behind the scenes to bring the festival to life. These students range from stage and company managers to crew, technicians, designers, costume designers, stylists and every kind of backstage operative, and the experiences they gain in producing the professional-level performances prepare them for careers once they leave 麻豆原创.

麻豆原创’s Department of English hosted Write of Passage to showcase the work and talent of their Spring 2024 graduating students in the creative writing MFA graduate program.

Project Spotlight, 麻豆原创鈥檚 only student developmental theatre organization, presented Irreverent, a new play by student Hudson Cosgrove-Naftal. The student-run organization is dedicated to allowing all majors to participate in productions and developing new works.

As part of the Inclusive Knights Concert Series, the 麻豆原创 Concert Band performed music themed around planes, trains and automobiles鈥痺hile music education students served as characters and guides for those of all abilities and needs.

SVAD graduating seniors presented their creative work in graphic design and experimental animation, followed by a special discussion featuring 麻豆原创 alumni and former Limbitless Solutions interns about their creative process and career paths.

During the National High School Choral Festival, esteemed choral director David Brunner worked with guest choirs to combine them into a mass choir featuring some of his works. The event brought together over 1,000 students from different schools.

麻豆原创 Opera performed an English version of Mozart’s beloved Marriage of Figaro to two sold-out audiences.

An exhibition highlight was the College of Health Professions and Sciences鈥� hologram technology. This interactive experience showcased various content, such as messages from community leaders, health tips, and artistic presentations from musicians, poets and visual artists. The college also hosted a panel discussion focused on performer health.

厂辞苍诲丑别颈尘鈥檚 Sweeney Todd captivated audiences at four performances in the Walt Disney Theatre. The production involved over 200 students and faculty. 鈥淭ruly an amazing show. The production value was through the roof, the actors all gave everything they had, and it showed in their performance, just amazing from start to finish.鈥�

Forward Anzhan茅 Hutton attempts a jump shot to score in the Addition Financial Arena. 麻豆原创 defeated Wichita State 59-56.

Kareem Ahmed, associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, is the principal investigator of a new Naval Research Laboratory-funded project to create a morphing hypersonic engine for ultra-fast travel.

The 麻豆原创/Universal Creative Lab, which launched Spring 2023, brings immersive design learning experiences to students to cultivate the next generation of themed entertainment innovators. The class opened to graduate students in 麻豆原创鈥檚 , which is directed by Professor Peter Weishar.

Pushing the frontier of space research, Associate Professor of Physics Adrienne Dove is co-leading NASA鈥檚 $35 million science mission to the moon鈥檚 Gruithuisen Domes, which is expected to launch in 2026.

A participant in the 15th annual 麻豆原创 Iron Knight Challenge drags weights across a field in a race to complete eight physical fitness tasks along a military-style obstacle course.

Forward Taylor Hendricks is 麻豆原创 men鈥檚 basketball鈥檚 third NBA Draft selection in program history. Hendricks was selected by the Utah Jazz with the No. 9 overall pick of the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft.

Jane Gibson, from听the College of Medicine, was selected as one of four听2023 Pegasus Professors, the university鈥檚 highest faculty honor. Professors Stephen Fiore, Jennifer Kent-Walsh and Marianna Pensky were also selected.

Rapper and singer Doechii performed at 麻豆原创est Concert Knight presented by Campus Activities Board at the Addition Financial Arena.

During 麻豆原创 Celebrates the Arts 鈥� a multi-day showcase of creativity 鈥� student cellists and other 麻豆原创 musicians performed orchestral classics at the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts.

Backstage during a 麻豆原创 Celebrates the Arts production at the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts in downtown Orlando.

Ballet dancers captivated the stage during TECH-nique: A Dance Concert at 麻豆原创 Celebrates the Arts, which focused on the intersection of arts and technology this year.

Knights posed for photos in the Student Union during 麻豆原创 Day of Giving 2023; an impactful celebration that ended with Knight Nation raising over $6.8 million 鈥� the most in university history 鈥� to support our local community, fund life-changing scholarships, power championship athletics, build 21st century learning facilities, fuel innovative research and enhance the university鈥檚 global reputation.

A graduate from Spring 2023 commencement celebrates with loved ones.

麻豆原创 students spend a day outdoors in downtown Orlando, which ranks as the No. 1 Best College City in Florida, according to WalletHub.

Principal Investigator and Associate Professor of听Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering听Helen Huang works with student Jordan Grubb to understand how the brain and body work together 鈥� valuable research to assist those with impaired movement.

The Charging Knight statue 鈥� representative of 麻豆原创鈥檚 excellence in academics, its partnerships with the community and its athletics program 鈥� sits near the main entrance of FBC Mortgage Stadium.

College of Optics and Photonics Associate Professor Kyu Young Han works with doctoral student Katelyn Canedo听鈥�16 in the , which focuses on optical nanoscopy. Han is an expert in designing new optical tools for biological applications, including ones that could aid in the understanding of human protein linked to diseases.

Student researchers gain hands-on experience with lasers in a lab in the College of Optics and Photonics.

Two students take a selfie with Knightro during the Welcome Back Popsicle Social event hosted by the Office of the President at the Reflecting Pond on the first day of the fall semester.

Political science student Sebastian Jimenez dives into a book outside of the John C. Hitt Library 鈥� carrying on the late president emeritus鈥� core belief that education transforms lives.

Jersey Shore star and DJ, Pauly D, gets the crowd pumped during his pregame set at Bounce House Live at IOA Plaza before 麻豆原创 football鈥檚 first Big 12 home game.

Fans filled FBC Mortgage Stadium for the first Big 12 home football game against Baylor.

The School of Modeling, Simulation and Training secured an advanced dog-like robot named TapeMeasure 鈥� allowing them to bring students, faculty and new technology together for听innovative research听and teaching.

麻豆原创 Creative School for Children held a foam splash event to provide its own Spirit Splash-like experience for preschoolers during Homecoming Week.

Knightro surfed over a crowd of students at Spirit Splash during Homecoming Week.

Knights charged into the Reflecting Pond to catch coveted homecoming rubber ducks at Spirit Splash.

During Spirit Splash, the dance team amped up the crowd before Knights rushed into the Reflecting Pond.

Knightro hyped up the crowd from the sidelines at the homecoming football game against West Virginia.

Assistant Professor of Theme Park and Attraction Management Carissa Baker (middle) works with students to understand theme park storytelling. Baker is a 2023 Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching awardee.

Track and field sprinters Latasha Smith (left) and I鈥橝sia Wilson (right) pose with their collection of championship rings at a tailgate event before 麻豆原创 football鈥檚 Space Game.

Football in tow, tight end Alec Holler moves up the field during 麻豆原创鈥檚 annual Space Game. The Knights defeated Oklahoma State, 45-3, marking their seventh consecutive win since the Space Game debuted in 2017.

The impact of this cutting-edge technology on the arts is a hot topic as a new generation of 鈥済enerative鈥� AI applications can create works of art in seconds by simply typing a few words into a text box 鈥� raising questions about the creative process, ethical values and more. While people around the world are desperately trying to navigate the intersection of AI and human creativity, 麻豆原创 is exploring the possibilities that lie ahead.

A prime example was this year鈥檚 麻豆原创 Celebrates the Arts that turned the spotlight on the intersection of arts and technology for the first time ever. Through dance, concerts, film, discussions and more, the university鈥檚 best and brightest artists merged visual arts with AI and other revolutionary technologies to showcase the endless creative possibilities at this intersection.

Knights and the Central Florida community alike saw AI in action while attending the festival鈥檚 听event hosted by the in collaboration with the Center for Computer Vision and the .

Attendees gained hands-on experience using AI tools at computer stations where they typed in keywords and statements to create their own art using generated scriptwriting and photographs. AI even assisted with the event鈥檚 ambiance, too, as the sounds of AI-generated techno music played in the background. There to help attendees make sense of it all were experts in ethics, visual art and computer science like Google Brain Research Scientist Ruben Villegas who explored the idea of AI being 鈥渢he new paintbrush鈥� during a panel discussion on the technology鈥檚 functions and how it鈥檚 reshaping the creation of art, music, writing and more.

When the world needs answers for today鈥檚 most challenging problems, 麻豆原创 is often looked to as a leader in innovation. This is what inspired Professor Stephen Kuebler, co-organizer of REALity of ARTificial Intelligence and founding associate director of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Center for Ethics, to design an experience that would inform the community on must-know innovations and techniques in AI technology.

鈥淐ommunities at all levels need to get ahead of the curve and understand the implications of AI so we can implement it in ethical and sensible ways that truly improve the quality of life for all,鈥� Kuebler says. 鈥淸麻豆原创] is well positioned to do just that because we are a vibrant community of growth and change. But the first step is education and awareness.鈥�

The intersection of art and technology represents a shift and milestone in the evolution of art itself.

The ’90s kickstarted a technology revolution that gave artists more tools 鈥� from digital colors to 3D printing 鈥� to express their creative visions while also improving the accessibility of their art. More recently, memorable installations like artist Eric Standley鈥檚 stained glass windows made from stacked laser-cut paper or designer Jason Allen鈥檚 Th茅芒tre D鈥檕p茅ra Spatial 鈥� one of the first AI-generated pieces to win the Colorado State Fair鈥檚 annual art competition; are examples of how advanced technology has enabled artists to transform and manipulate their artwork.

As human beings, Kuebler says he believes we tend to think that only intelligent beings have the ability to create.

鈥淎I challenges our view of art, creativity and how we value things,鈥� he says. 鈥淰ery few claim AI tools are anything like self-aware or intelligent, and yet they produce new images, stories and other works that can be exceptionally appealing.鈥�

Understandably, AI tools are receiving backlash from many human artists who fear for their own professional futures. Their main concern: Why would anyone pay for art when they could generate it themselves?

Kuebler argues that a lack of familiarity with the AI-art making process may be causing particular distrust among human artists.

鈥淭he works are inherently derivative because they are generated by an algorithm that samples a database of existing art,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut in many ways, human artists do the same because their work is informed and inspired by everything that came before.鈥�

Kuebler explains that our value for artwork changes once we know how it was created. Some people ascribe less value when they discover that it was created by a computer.

Yet despite the wave of criticism and fierce debates, the use of AI-generative platforms can undoubtedly birth new types of artists and art genres and may even deepen our appreciation for artists who use traditional, hands-on methods as they add a new level of authenticity to their artwork.

The integration of visual arts and AI is just one of many avenues that 麻豆原创 is exploring.

The merging of hologram technology with the art of spoken word 鈥渞epresents something new for both disciplinary areas that we’ve yet to discover,鈥� says Welcome, an English alum and current applied sociology graduate student.

The hologram device was acquired by 麻豆原创鈥檚 thanks to a gift from Brooks Rehabilitation. The new technology produces a lifelike person in hologram form that is being used to train 麻豆原创鈥檚 future healthcare professionals in learning how to assess and treat patients.

The wonders of this simulation tool were amplified during 麻豆原创 Celebrates the Arts through a collaboration with researchers and the arts and humanities. A series of holograms, including Welcome鈥檚 poetry performance, were displayed in the lobbies and public spaces of the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts where the annual art showcase is held.

The hologram installation is something Welcome says he is still processing.

鈥淎s one uses body language and tone in addition to the actual words to creatively communicate, the hologram captures what you simply can’t capture in 2D,鈥� Welcome says. 鈥淎nd for anyone in the world to engage with that is really fascinating.鈥�

As technology evolves, it鈥檚 no surprise that 麻豆原创, like many artists, is bringing it to the human experience to push boundaries and meet the changing aesthetic tastes and needs of society.

鈥淸麻豆原创] afforded me the opportunity to think critically about the intersection [of art and technology],鈥� Welcome says. 鈥淸The university] gets to imagine what the future holds with accessibility to technology like this 鈥� and for better or worse, that is always a good thing.鈥�

Here are just a few moments that spotlight the incredible talent and ingenuity of 麻豆原创 students, alumni, faculty and staff.

Based on the Dreamworks film, 麻豆原创 theatre students transformed themselves for鈥�Shrek The Musical,鈥� a Tony-Award-winning production that brings the beloved characters from the film to the stage.

Shrek the Musical听includes characters familiar to the move franchise, including the Three Blind Mice, Pinocchio, and the Fairy Godmother. In addition to four public performances attended by 7,000 patrons, Theatre 麻豆原创 welcomed 1,700 k-12 students to an exclusive field trip matinee.

A crowd gathered outside to watch paired students and alums compete in the Creative Clash. The artists raced against the clock using markers to create large-format artwork. This year鈥檚 theme was 鈥淔ables and Myths;鈥� the art will be available to view at 麻豆原创 Celebrates the Arts 2023.

Audiences of all ages were able to enjoy the festival. The Orlando Rep presented Yo, Ho, Ho! Let鈥檚 Go!, a 30-minute adventure with a pirate on the high seas following a treasure map, designed for very young audiences ages 6 months-5 years old with their caretakers.

During the second half of the Exploration of Land and Sea event, the 麻豆原创 Symphony Orchestra performed听Oceana, an original composition by Pegasus Professor and 麻豆原创 CREATE Director Stella Sung.

Oceana also included a film by underwater photographer and听filmmaker Annie Crawley to help immerse the audience in the depths of the sea.

Created by teams of students in听3D Design Fundamentals听classes,听this one-of-a-kind sculpture installation celebrated stories and fables from around the world by showcasing visual interpretations of the classic tales that have both inspired and entertained for generations.

A close up of one of the artworks featured in the听Visual Tales exhibit.

Students prepare the microphones before the dress rehearsal of听Shrek the听Musical.

Through a collection of scenes of staged violence from theatrical literature, including sword and unarmed work, 麻豆原创 demonstrated how fights and dramatic scenes are created on stage.

The chart-topping Flying Horse Big Band performed an evening of music and celebration of the vibrant听American Spirit听under the direction of Pegasus Professor and Director of Jazz Studies Jeff Rupert. The show was themed to coordinate with Rupert鈥檚 weekly jazz show on W麻豆原创-FM, Jazz and the American Spirit.

Attendees checked out the 麻豆原创 AdLab and El Camino Guitar Collaboration, which included original artistic concepts for guitars.

The听麻豆原创 Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band performed under Associate Director of Bands Tremon Kizer (left). The performance also included a solo from College of Arts and Humanities Dean Jeffrey Moore (right).

During the Architecture Showcase and Awards, 麻豆原创, UF, and Valencia College students presented their work.

The 麻豆原创 Choirs showcased their skills, and also welcomed high school students to an invitational during which they worked with 麻豆原创 faculty.

During A Knight to Shine, senior musical theatre students put on an evening of cabaret style performances.

Knightro poses for photos with some attendees in front of an art installation, which was designed by texts and technology Ph.D. student Ha鈥橝ni Hogan, in the the lobby of Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.