Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and Walt Disney World are providing schools in Central Florida with the resources they need to launch sustainable theater programs through the nationwide Disney Musicals in Schools program.
Schools in the program receive free scripts, performance materials and coaching to help them put on their first show.
“Here at Disney, we believe in the power of storytelling,” said Tajiana Ancora-Brown, Director of External Affairs at Disney World. “Introducing arts education programs like this into elementary schools opens doors to new worlds and sparks creativity in future generations of storytellers right here in Central Florida.”
Dr. Phillips Center leads the program, with financial support from Disney World. For more than a decade, the team has seen the impact Disney Musicals in Schools has made in Central Florida.
“By bringing theater to elementary schools, we’re reaching beyond our walls and giving young students a chance to explore creativity, build confidence and find their voice early on,” said Ryan Simpson, education director at Dr. Phillips Center. “It’s the kind of experience that can truly shape a lifetime and reflects our vision of Arts for Every Life®.”
Disney World saw an opportunity to support Central Florida elementary school theater programs even further. We invited teachers in the Disney Musicals in Schools program to our “Costuming Vault” to select fabrics and materials for their costumes and set pieces. This school year alone, Disney donated more than 6,000 pounds of materials to Disney Musicals in Schools participants!
Lake Gem Elementary in Pine Hills is a first-year participant in the program. Students performed Disney’s The Aristocats KIDS at their school, then later on the Steinmetz Hall stage at Dr. Phillips Center in costumes made from materials donated by Disney World.
“Having access to Disney’s costumes is huge for our schools because most of the time, they have zero budget,” said Kelly Sardinas, a teaching artist who helped coach Lake Gem students and teachers through their first production. “It gives them professional-level standards that they wouldn’t have been able to have otherwise.”
These donations not only help teachers and students in our area, they also help our environment. Excess fabric gets a new life right here in our community, keeping it out of landfills.
The fabric and costume donations are unique to Disney Musicals In Schools participants in Central Florida, made possible by the proximity of Disney World to our community.
“It’s inspiring to see Disney Musicals in Schools flourish in Orlando, where the creativity of local students and educators meets the support and enhancement only the Walt Disney World team could provide,” said Lisa Mitchell, Director of Education and Audience Engagement for Disney Theatrical Group, which runs the nationwide program. “With the expert guidance of the Dr. Phillips Center education staff, this collaboration is a shining example of a community coming together to enrich the lives of children through the power of the arts.”
Disney Musicals in Schools and fabric donations are just two ways Disney World gives back to arts education in Florida throughout the year. We’re always looking to create happiness, cultivate creativity and support the next generation of storytellers in our community.