Being extremely grumpy may not seem like something to be proud of, but for Sage Tokach the themes explored in The Grumpiest Boy in the World serve important lessons for children. The theatre for young audiences (TYA) master’s聽student is the director for the play, which follows an average 7-year-old named Zachary, who goes on a quest to find out what makes him unique 麻豆精品 S� leading him to discover that while he may have the same height, birthday or watch as others, no one can beat his grumpiness.
麻豆精品 S淚 think the play is really special because it shows that any child can find something unique about themselves even if it 麻豆精品 S檚 small, and the show deals with emotional regulation and the power of emotions, 麻豆精品 S� says Tokach, who earned a bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 degree in acting and directing before coming to UCF. 麻豆精品 S淚t gives kids a chance to see so many different emotions expressed on stage and know that it 麻豆精品 S檚 OK to express themselves. 麻豆精品 S�
While young audiences and their parents will have a chance to see this for themselves at the April 10 showing of The Grumpiest Boy in the World at UCF Celebrates the Arts, these same concepts are constantly considered throughout the world of TYA.
麻豆精品 S淭here is so much research about why the arts are important in childhood and I know just growing up in a small town it was just really rare to have a chance to express myself in that way or in any activities other than sports, 麻豆精品 S� says Tokach, who is from Abilene, Kansas. 麻豆精品 S淪o I wanted to be able to provide that for other kids. 麻豆精品 S�
For decades, studies have shown that the arts help boost academic performance, social skills, critical and creative thinking, emotional intelligence, self-esteem, and graduation rates. According to a 2016 survey by the Americans for the Arts organization, about 90% of adults consider the arts as a part of a well-rounded education from elementary through high school, and TYA plays a crucial role in sparking an interest that can benefit children for life.
A Key Partnership
In the United States there are 19 bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 programs, eight master 麻豆精品 S檚 programs and just six MFA programs in TYA. UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 MFA program, which takes three years to complete and typically accepts cohorts of about six students every other year, is the only one that has a partnership with a local professional theatre.
UCF’s TYA MFA program is one of six the nation and the only one that has a partnership with a local professional theatre.
麻豆精品 S淥rlando Rep is Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 premiere professional theatre for young audiences and its history goes back to the 1920s as the Orlando Little Theatre, 麻豆精品 S� says Elizabeth Brendel Horn 麻豆精品 S�10MFA, an assistant professor and graduate of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 TYA program. 麻豆精品 S淭he organization has been through multiple iterations and names throughout the years and it was through the partnership [with UCF] that it became the Orlando Repertory Theatre 麻豆精品 S� and specifically a professional theatre for young audiences. It 麻豆精品 S檚 very formation is a prime example of how the partnership has shaped both institutions and how it 麻豆精品 S檚 mutually beneficial. 麻豆精品 S�
Since UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 TYA program launched in 2004, the nearly 35 graduates have all played multiple roles at the Orlando Rep, some 麻豆精品 S� such as senior director of education Jennifer Adams 麻豆精品 S�11MFA and prop master Tara Kromer 麻豆精品 S�15MFA聽 麻豆精品 S� even landed positions after graduation.
Knights have also left a mark on the Rep through experimental productions of their own creation. In 2020, the Rep premiered its first play for very young audiences, infants to 5-year-olds, with When Pigs Fly created by Maria Katsadouros 麻豆精品 S�18MFA. It is an interactive multisensory experience that follows a pig named Avery and his friends on the farm as they explore what it means to fly through the elements of play, discovery and whimsical movement. This innovative work is also part of the reason why Katsadouros is now the theatre and dance resource instructor for Orange County Public Schools.
麻豆精品 S淢aria started her play in her first semester in my puppetry course where she was terrified to design and build her own puppet, but she made a pig and I saw how every class after that the story grew and it eventually became her thesis, 麻豆精品 S� says Vandy Wood, theatre associate professor and coordinator for the TYA program. 麻豆精品 S淭he curriculum is very effective in stimulating the students 麻豆精品 S� ideas and it 麻豆精品 S檚 designed to support their interest in what they 麻豆精品 S檙e developing. 麻豆精品 S�
Training Teaching Artists
Many other TYA grads have gone on to work for school districts and theatre companies across the nation.
麻豆精品 S淥ne of the strengths that I 麻豆精品 S檝e heard about our program is that the students are well-trained visually, 麻豆精品 S� Woods says. 麻豆精品 S淲e really work hard to give them well-rounded professional theatre training in addition to the academic and teaching focus. I know one of our recent graduates is running a new program in Naples at a high school and he 麻豆精品 S檚 laughing because he 麻豆精品 S檚 having to design and build the sets, in addition to writing the music, and directing 麻豆精品 S� all things we train our students to become professionals in. 麻豆精品 S�
During Brendel Horn 麻豆精品 S檚 undergraduate studies, she says she didn 麻豆精品 S檛 realize that TYA was a field she could earn a master 麻豆精品 S檚 in, so her time at UCF really allowed her to see all that field could encompass.
麻豆精品 S淢any of our graduates do go on to teach full-time and all will have to teach at some point, 麻豆精品 S� Brendel Horn says. 麻豆精品 S淒uring their first semester they have to take Methods of Teaching Drama, so I 麻豆精品 S檓 really grateful they have that course. In some ways, it 麻豆精品 S檚 a very specific degree, but it 麻豆精品 S檚 also a degree we believe our students can apply in varying theatre careers, and in careers with the theme park industry, museums, schools, libraries, and more. 麻豆精品 S�
Expanding TYA 麻豆精品 S檚 Reach
When Tokach came to UCF in 2019, she knew from touring experiences with a children 麻豆精品 S檚 theatre company that she wanted to become an educational director. But what she 麻豆精品 S檚 learned through the program is that role looks different at every organization.
麻豆精品 S淭his program has opened my mind to so many possibilities within the field, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淚 think this program has taught me a different way of looking at the world. When grappling with different questions and it 麻豆精品 S檚 not really about finding the right answer to anything, it 麻豆精品 S檚 about working collaboratively with your peers and kids, listening to their perspectives, and finding a way that we can all look at the world in a way that can help everyone. 麻豆精品 S�
For The Grumpiest Boy in the World, Tokach and her team worked with United Cerebral Palsy to take the production live to four local schools, as well as record the play so other local UCP schools could view it. Through this process, she completed a workshop centered around accessibility and considers those lessons crucial for expanding TYA 麻豆精品 S檚 reach.
Arts funding across the nation has been dwindling through the years, with total public funding for the National Endowment for the Arts decreasing by 16% the past 20 years when adjusted for inflation, according to Grantmakers in the Arts. Faculty at UCF are finding that the interest and respect for TYA are growing. This year, more people have applied to the program than usual. Typically, the program has an assistantship or fellowship lined up for each student, but they 麻豆精品 S檙e planning to deviate from this tradition and extend their offers of admission to applicants who are willing to join the program without one.
麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 hard to say why we had such a strong pool of applicants, but I think part of it is people going back to school during the pandemic, as well as our reputation, 麻豆精品 S� says Julia Listengarten, artistic director and professor of theatre. 麻豆精品 S淥ur program provides a very strong combination of theoretical and practical courses, such as design and directing, our partnership with the Rep, as well as opportunities to engage in arts-based community projects, so there are many benefits for students outside of UCF-based teaching opportunities that students receive through their assistantships. 麻豆精品 S�
This year, 麻豆精品 S� a summer festival that launched in 2018 and is dedicated to developing works by emerging playwrights 麻豆精品 S� is featuring its first TYA production with Sombra Del Sol (Shade of the Sun), which TYA student Ralph Krumins has developed with Ximena Gonzalez, music master 麻豆精品 S檚 student Daniela Monzon Villegas and Bianca Alamo 麻豆精品 S�20MFA.
麻豆精品 S淭his is one more example of how the culture of the is incorporating theatre for young audiences in more of its programming 麻豆精品 S� and our MFA students are leading the way, 麻豆精品 S� Brendel Horn says.
