Active Students (as of Fall 2025)*
Undergrad majors: 730
Undergrad minors: 520
Graduate students: 87
2025-26 Student Credit Hours: 44,834
*All active students with declared CAH programs are included in the enrollment counts.
The School of Performing Arts has much to be proud of in the 2025-26 academic year. The season was marked by stirring musical performances, compelling storytelling, artistic risk-taking, and profound connections between performers and audiences. Students demonstrated artistic growth, embraced creative challenges, and fostered a vibrant community rooted in courage, collaboration, and innovation. Our faculty’s high-caliber research and teaching were recognized through awards and promotion.
UCF Celebrates the Arts 2026 was the most successful festival to date, serving as the centerpiece of an exceptionally robust season of concerts, productions, student achievements, and enriched educational experiences. More than 16,000 tickets were issued to the 42 events. The festival included four invitational events that welcomed students from Central Florida schools to perform on world-class stages, guided by leading experts in their fields. Notably, Theatre UCF’s production of Legally Blonde became the highest-attended event in the festival’s history.
The festival also showcased jazz, orchestra, band, new music, percussion, and choral concerts, as well as opera and dance. Exceptional Knights continues to increase in attendance and impact. New this year, a series of small music studio ensemble performances were featured on a lobby stage before mainstage events. Partnership events are always a treat; a highlight this year was the homecoming concert celebrating Orlando Family Stage’s 100th anniversary, featuring performances and appearances by renowned stars of the stage and screen, all of whom got their start or were given opportunities at OFS.
UCF Jazz received an invitation to perform at the prestigious American College Jazz Festival held at Lincoln Center, and the UCF Choir once again participated in an event at Carnegie Hall in New York led by Director of Choirs Jeff Redding. The Gould Family Touring Theatre brought the magic of performance to the children at Nemours Children’s Hospital, continuing community outreach efforts supported by a generous grant from the Gould Family.
Faculty achievements remained outstanding. Tim Brown, theatre professor and coordinator of the undergraduate design technology program, was one of seven UCF faculty members to receive a 2025 Luminary Award. The annual award recognizes faculty whose achievements reflect UCF’s highest standards of excellence. Belinda Boyd, theatre professor and coordinator of the undergraduate acting program, was the 2026 recipient of the Uta Hagen Award presented by the College of Fellows of the American Theatre through the American College Theatre Festival (ACTF). Jazz drumset professor McClenty Hunter performed on Christian McBride’s Grammy Award-winning album Without Further Ado, Vol. 1, and Director of Themed Experience Peter Weishar was honored with the IAPPA Brass Ring Inspiration Award.
Alumni continue to make remarkable strides in their careers. In music, Alex Heidt ’24 secured a tenure-track position in the violin section of the Naples Philharmonic; Lina Jeong ’25MA was appointed orchestra director and music education faculty at Xavier University; Ryan Polk ’21 was named director of bands at Ridge Community High School; and Luis Burke ’25 joined UCF as an adjunct jazz faculty member. In theatre, Leigh Green ’15, ’26MFA was hired as social media coordinator at Orlando Shakespeare Theater; and Ty Simons ’23, ’26MFA was named director of education at the New London Barn Playhouse. Several alumni were in Tony-nominated Broadway shows, including David Paul Kidder ’12 and Michael Olaribigbe ’20 in the cast of Chess.
Music students delivered over 50 ensemble performances spanning opera, choir, jazz, band, and percussion. The New Music Ensemble continues to innovate in digital music, including compositions for gaming, film, and other digital formats. The UCF graduate string players in the OPUS Scholars program maintain a robust partnership with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. As part of their two-year residency, they serve as resident artists, gaining invaluable professional experience with this esteemed orchestra.
The bands had a tremendous year that was highlighted by a featured performance at the Southern Division Conference of the College Band Directors National Association in Tampa. They also collaborated with renowned composer James Stephenson, premiering his new “Barcelona Concerto,” and their recording of UCF Professor of Composition Alex Burtzos’ “D[RAM]EDY” will be released this fall on the Klavier Records label.
Theatre students excelled, earning numerous placements in professional roles and gaining admission to prestigious graduate and doctoral programs. They participated in/contributed to the creation and design of 20 theatre productions. The Themed Experience program remains a thriving and competitive area of study, with very competitive admission rates. Graduates from this program often transition seamlessly into exciting careers with major companies such as Disney and Universal, as well as throughout the themed entertainment industry.
Theatre UCF produced a captivating season of plays that both entertained and enlightened audiences. The season opened with The River Bride, a spiritual journey rooted in Brazilian folklore. This was followed by a spirited production of Urinetown — a title previously postponed from 2020. Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike offered a playful satire of Chekhov, while One Man, Two Guvners provoked hearty laughter in January. The season also featured The Bacchae, presented in a new translation by Emma Pauly, which brought ancient Greek drama into the modern era. The season culminated in the immensely popular Legally Blonde at the Dr. Phillips Center Walt Disney Theater, which featured robotic dancing dogs and received high praise from audience members and critics.
Pegasus PlayLab continued to flourish as a dynamic incubator for new work, inviting playwrights to campus to collaborate with students on the development of original plays. These opportunities enabled students to acquire new skills, engage with professional artists, and contribute significantly to the evolution of contemporary theater.
We take great pride in the dedication of students, alumni, faculty, and staff to the arts and to the education of the next generation of musicians and theatre artists. UCF faculty are deeply committed artists and educators who inspire students. The university benefits immensely from the exceptional artistic opportunities we offer and the talented individuals we prepare to advance the arts worldwide, reflecting UCF’s commitment to world-class training and values.
