Theatre UCF’s 2025-26 season brought comedic flair and dramatic story lines; the work of student and faculty artists and technicians gave audiences a transformative experience. Each show offered a unique story of passion, betrayal, and identity, with an emphasis on the integration of arts and technology. Students honed a variety of skills — everything from learning techniques to understand ancient Greek theatre in a modern context to mastering intricate choreography for two award-winning musicals. The season’s six unforgettable productions were attended by a total 14,263 patrons.
“Throughout the season, Theatre UCF invited audiences into many exciting theatrical worlds. From the lyrical intimacy of The River Bride to the satire of Urinetown, the complicated family dynamics of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, the physical comedy of One Man, Two Guvnors, the emotional intensity of The Bacchae, and the upbeat energy of Legally Blonde, each production offered a different insight into questions of power and relationships, and how we navigate both,” said Julia Listengarten, artistic director of Theatre UCF. “Audiences responded with laughter, but also with reflection. Humor often gave way to quieter — or at times more emotionally charged — encounters with difficult conversations about personal and communal responsibility.”
The season opened with The River Bride by Marisela Treviño Orta, a tale of two sisters challenged by the looming hope of true love, and tested loyalty. The River Bride takes inspiration from Brazilian folklore, weaving in fantastical elements with indigenous traditions. The setting of a fictional fishing village on the Amazon River inspired creative scenic designs, which included a boardwalk and vibrant projections, bringing the space to life.
Set in a dystopian future, Urinetown is set in a city facing water shortages, which has made private restrooms illegal, forcing citizens to pay for access. The Tony Award-Winning satirical musical allowed students to explore topics such as corruption, capitalism, and greed.
In Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, a heated sibling rivalry offers a hilarious look into a dysfunctional family. Inspired by Anton Chekhov’s classic plays, this group of siblings must battle their years of tension and animosity to find what truly matters.
Based on Carlo Goldoni’s The Servant of Two Masters, One Man Two Guvnors follows a man’s attempt to serve two guvnors at once, finding himself in all sorts of hilarious situations. The production amplifies its comedic tempo through the actor’s physicality as well as their quick-witted improvisation. Students learned about Italian Commedia dell’arte style and applied it to the craft of physical comedy.
Based on the Euripides 407 B.C.E play, The Bacchae is a powerful display of revenge, especially when it comes to angering the gods. The god Dionysus, typically known for his festivities and joy, becomes overwhelmed with the desire for vengeance after the citizens of Thebes reject his cult.
UCF Celebrates the Arts included Legally Blonde as its marquee musical production. Based on the beloved movie, the musical presents the story of a sorority girl who defies society’s expectations for her and proves that she is much more than a stereotype. The musical’s underlying themes of identity and empowerment allow the protagonist, Elle Woods, to touch the hearts of all those watching her growth. In Theatre UCF’s production, technology took center stage with state-of-the-art projections enhancing the audience’s experience. Additionally, with the help of the UCF’s College of Engineering and Computer Science, two robot dogs made a special appearance during the number “What You Want,” proving yet again why UCF is Florida’s Technological University.
UCF’s summer festival, Pegasus PlayLab, continued to provide an avenue for new play development, giving students the opportunity to work directly with playwrights and be a part of the process. The 2025 festival included a developmental production of Deborah Brevoort’s dark comedy, The Drolls, as well as staged readings of Avery Lewis’ heartbreaking drama, Visiting Hours, and Lee Osoria’s Public Wickedness. UCF alumnus (now theatre faculty) Sage Tokach returned to lead the festival’s devised theatre project, Moments of Wonder: Stories That Endure, which brought together students with and without disabilities to develop an original work.
“Pegasus PlayLab, a summer festival of new plays, remains an important part of the Theatre UCF experience, inviting audiences into the process of new work as it evolves. It offers a more immediate kind of engagement where audiences are not only watching, but listening and responding as the work takes shape,” stated Listengarten.