Theatre UCF’s 2024–25 season was more than a lineup of plays. It was a yearlong exploration of identity, resilience and creativity that challenged students to grow as artists and professionals and gave them the chance to perform for 11,032 patrons. From whimsical comedies to powerful musicals, each production offered a unique lens into the human experience, as well as a rigorous training ground for the next generation of theatre-makers.
“Throughout the year, theatre students developed their artistry, pushed artistic boundaries, and cultivated a creative community rooted in courage, collaboration, and innovation,” said Julia Listengarten, artistic director of Theatre UCF. “It was a season defined by bold storytelling, creative risk, and the shared moments of connection between performers and the audience.”
The season opened with Sarah Ruhl’s The Clean House, a poignant and surreal comedy that required actors to navigate a bilingual script and a nonlinear timeline. Students playing Matilde and Ana spoke fluent Portuguese, while the ensemble balanced humor and grief in a story about love, loss and healing. The production sharpened students’ language skills and deepened their understanding of emotional nuance on stage.
Theatre UCF’s season opener, Sarah Ruhl’s The Clean House. Photo Credit: Drew Lofredo
Jonathan Larson’s Rent followed, immersing students in the raw energy of 1990s New York. The musical’s pop-rock score and choreography pushed performers vocally and physically, while its themes of community and survival during the AIDS crisis offered a powerful history lesson. The production also introduced students to multi-level set design and contemporary musical theatre techniques.
UCF’s fall musical production of RENT. Photo Credit: Natasha Harrison
Eugène Ionesco’s Rhinoceros closed the fall semester with a surreal take on conformity and resistance. The show’s most striking feature — oversized rhinoceros heads — was designed and constructed by students, blending skills from the scene shop and costume studio. Actors learned to convey emotion through body language while wearing the elaborate headpieces, a challenge that highlighted the intersection of design and performance.
UCF’s production of Eugène Ionesco’s Rhinoceros.
In the spring, Aditi Brennan Kapil’s Imogen Says Nothing transported audiences to Elizabethan England with a feminist twist. Students mastered an archaic form of English and worked with visiting professor Dayle Towarnicky to refine their dialects. The production emphasized the power of voice and speech in storytelling and character development.
UCF production of Aditi Brennan Kapil’s Imogen Says Nothing. Photo Credit: Drew Lofredo
Naomi Iizuka’s The Last Firefly brought a magical blend of puppetry and performance to the stage. Inspired by Japanese theatrical traditions, the show was directed by two MFA candidates from UCF’s Theatre for Young Audiences program and toured to more than 1,000 local students. It introduced undergraduates to the art of puppetry and the importance of cultural storytelling.
UCF’s Theatre for Young Audience’s production, Naomi Iizuka’s The Last Firefly. Photo Credit: Drew Lofredo
The season culminated in a moving production of Fiddler on the Roof, which headlined UCF Celebrates the Arts at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. The cast and crew collaborated with the UCF Judaic Studies program to ensure cultural authenticity, and students enrolled in a new course on facial hair design to support the show’s historical accuracy. The production also featured Richard Crawley, assistant professor of musical theatre voice, in the role of Tevye. His presence on stage gave students the rare opportunity to perform alongside a faculty member and learn from his professional experience in real time.
Richard Crawley, professor, performed the role of Tevye alongside students in Fiddler on the Roof at UCF Celebrates the Arts. Photo Credit: Drew Lofredo
“Being part of this production gave students a different perspective on how history shapes people today,” said Michael Wainstein, director of the UCF School of Performing Arts.
UCF’s spring musical Fiddler on the Roof. Photo Credit: Drew Lofredo
The season concluded with Pegasus PlayLab, UCF’s annual summer festival dedicated to new play development. Students collaborated with playwrights to bring original works to life, including Daring to Dream, a devised piece facilitated by Sage Tokach ’22 MFA in partnership with Central Florida Community Arts and UCF’s Student Accessibility Services. The project united students with and without disabilities in a celebration of inclusive storytelling.
Pegasus PlayLab 2024’s Daring to Dream devised theatre project.
From the first rehearsal to the final curtain call, Theatre UCF’s 2024–25 season was a testament to the transformative power of theatre education. It was a year of risk-taking, reflection and remarkable growth — on stage and beyond.