![]() We are definitely a pipeline to Disney and to Universal.”Ĭertainly, Wainstein adds, some of the alumni who will be featured at this year’s Alumni Showcase will have been on Broadway or are appearing presently. More than 180 of our graduates have worked at Disney in some capacity or another. Wainstein says that a lot of students come to UCF’s performing arts program “just because they want to work at Disney. “These theaters employ probably ten times as many people as Broadway employs.” “There are hundreds of professional theaters across the country,” Wainstein says. “It’s just going to be a really exciting and beautiful night of musical theatre, just celebrating everybody’s careers in theatre since we’ve been at UCF.”Īlthough Broadway is considered the pinnacle of a performer’s career, Wainstein says, there are many, many ways for a performer to make a very good living doing their craft. “There will also be a lot of songs from new musicals, as well as the classics and some fan favorites,” Morales says. Morales will sing a composition from Ragtime, a musical in which she performed during her senior year at UCF. Appropriately, Morales said the theme is “Now and Then.” The ensemble will also perform two group numbers all musical accompaniments will be under the direction of Richard Crawley, UCF assistant professor of musical theatre and Terry Thomas, our staff accompanist and occasional musical director. Everybody was super-excited to be back and be together – it was like a mini-reunion for the cast.”Įach alumnus will perform a song from their time at UCF, and a song from their lives since UCF. They were thrilled to participate in this year’s UCF Celebrates the Arts.” “Our alumni are doing so well in the entertainment industry and are so grateful to the way UCF has prepared them for their dream careers. “The response to our request to alumni who wanted to participate was almost overwhelming, but definitely not unexpected,” Kayla Kelsay Morales says. Morales and her husband, Joshian Morales ’13, own Kelsay + Morales Company, a Central Florida-based theatrical casting office. ![]() Wainstein says the alumni showcase is not an official tribute to Weaver’s legacy - that will come later - rather, more of a nod to his dedication and leadership throughout the years.Īs the scope of the production grew, Wainstein enlisted Kayla Kelsay Morales ’12 to assist in the event. In addition to his “day job” at UCF, Weaver also performed in local and regional theatre productions and was invited over the years to serve as a Master Teacher and Adjudicator at national theatre festivals. Weaver spent much of his early years in theatre in California as a director/choreographer before landing at UCF in 2003. “What better way to do that than by highlighting former students from his 20-year career at UCF!” ![]() ![]() “When we found out that Associate Professor Earl Weaver was retiring this year, we knew that we would have to celebrate his incredible legacy onstage,” says Michael Wainstein, director of the School of Performing Arts. ![]()
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