Sponsors & Funders
We’re so grateful for the wonderful support that makes everything you can experience at CFCArts possible, from personal moments at rehearsals when seasoned members help newcomers feel welcome to community performances and spectacular productions around Central Florida!
In 2025, we tapped into new and more robust community support than ever before, including loyal arts funders and new partners who have stepped up to the table. We’re proud to work with:
- Addition Financial Credit Union & Addition Financial Foundation
- ALL-in 4 Impact
- Autism License Plate Fund & Autism Services Grant Council
- Central Florida Commercial Association of Realtors (CFCAR)
- The Chesley G. Magruder Foundation
- City of Orlando
- Cool Breeze Bartending
- Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation
- Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism
- Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation
- Elizabeth Morse Genius Foundation
- Florida Theatrical Association
- Journey Strategic Wealth
- Massey Services, Inc.
- Orange County Arts and Cultural Affairs
- Orlando Health
- Orlando Magic
- The Parikh Giving Alliance
- The Soto Law Office
- United Arts of Central Florida
- University of Central Florida
- Valencia College
Strategic partners like these underscore the belief that art crosses boundaries to bring people together! Thank you so much for believing in CFCArts.
* includes 2025 Corporate Sponsors and Grant Funders
CFCArts Support
Community Choir
It’s not an exaggeration to say that the Community Choir is the reason CFCArts celebrated its 15th anniversary. The choir is the program that started it all! It’s fitting that our look back at top moments from 2025 includes the choir’s anniversary concert: Dreaming Together.
This memorable production represented not just hours of rehearsal this season but years of singing and community-building. The concert celebration wove together the stories of our very first members with the experiences of newer faces, highlighting our growth and impact in a personal way.
The moment from Dreaming Together that stole our breath the most was when the choir’s voices overlapped to fill the room as everyone all at once shared their reason for joining CFCArts. Even first-time audience members responded out loud with “Oh, wow…”
“As the CFCArts Community Choir celebrates 15 years of harmonious unity, I am proud to stand by this powerful ensemble as they continue to impact our community,” said Community Choir Artistic Director Brandon Fender. “With over 45 productions and nearly 100 individual performances over the years, we’ve shared the transformative power of music with 70,000 patrons – all made possible by the passion and dedication of hundreds of singers who have graced our stages.”
“Oh, wow” is what we hear from members and audiences every season. This community is something special. It’s a place for creative expression and lifelong friendships.
“As a founding member myself,” Brandon said, “to see this choir transform the lives of our community and to provide a place that so many call home is a feeling I will never get over.”
Youth Theatre
The heart of CFCArts programming is connecting as a community. Our Youth Theatre accomplishes that through eight of their own staged productions each year, plus eight weeks of summer camps. This program saw over 5,000 patrons and hundreds of students across 2025.
On several occasions throughout the year, our Youth Theatre students and adult members had the chance to work side-by-side and learn from one another.
We’re especially proud of the eight young actors who represented our Youth Theatre on stage alongside our Community Choir and Stage 55:
- AJ Lentine and Daisy Spann in Jukebox Jam in April
- Kate Orpilla in Dreaming Together in November
- Jadalyn Beck, Mila Chun, Hannah-Kate Garrett, Deklan Jacobi, Chase Kensington in Yule Be Sorry You Asked in December
When CFCArts programs cross-collaborate with one another, our members create a deeper sense of unity through the arts. We loved seeing members of all ages develop new skills and be welcomed into new experiences through these unique intergenerational opportunities!
Youth Theatre:
Student Spotlight
One of our favorite privileges here at CFCArts is watching people grow. In 2025, our Youth Theatre’s spring production of Anastasia the Musical was a beautiful example!
Not only did this show include former students who returned to CFCArts as adults on the production crew, but the artistic talent that flourished onstage in so many of our actors was jaw-dropping.
One member, Natalie Bishop, took her final bow with CFCArts as she graduated from high school and entered a new era in her life.
In her years with us, you may have seen her as Matilda (Matilda), Brigitta (The Sound of Music), Esther (Meet Me in St. Louis), Mary Poppins (Mary Poppins), Ghost of Christmas Past (A Christmas Carol), Cinderella (Into the Woods), and Anastasia (Anastasia). Offstage, Natalie also served on the Student Advisory Panel.
“CFCArts helped me grow immensely as a performer,” she said. “I learned many skills such as preparation, responsibility, and organization, and I overall improved my talents and confidence on stage! I have also made lifelong friendships at CFCArts!”
Now, Natalie is a student at the University of Central Florida pursuing her BA in Voice, and she continues to give back to the local community by providing vocal lessons to youth.
Our connection with UCF runs deep as former members like Natalie attend the university. We also have many more UCF students and grads working with us on staff, as teaching artists, as stage managers, and more. CFCArts is also honored to have UCF Director of Choral Activities Dr. Jefferey Redding and Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities Jeff Moore serving on our board of directors.
Youth Theatre:
Summer Camps
Youth Theatre summer camps in 2025 were so much fun!
From the youngest students just exploring theatre in sampler camps to preprofessional actors growing their skills in bootcamps and intensives, nearly 200 campers from ages 4-18 spent their summer learning and laughing, playing and performing at CFCArts!
With 2026 themes ranging from Wicked to Bluey to KPop Demon Hunters, we’ve got something every little one will love! Students of all ages can thrive, whether it’s through fairytale fun or audition prep.
Each summer also includes multi-week performance camps that culminate in a chance to shine onstage! These photos are from Puffs, Disney’s The Aristocats Kids, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Fun Fact: Our campers spent 280 hours in rehearsals for Puffs and The Aristocats. That’s dedication!
In 2026, campers can join Shrek the Musical Kids or Romeo & Juliet! Students in these camps develop high-level skills, make friends, and have fun as they rehearse and prepare for a ticketed production open to the public!
Thank you for supporting Youth Theatre
We’re grateful to receive designated support from The Chesley G. Magruder Foundation, Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation, Florida Theatrical Association, Massey Services, Inc., and Orange County Arts & Cultural Affairs to help create opportunities for the next generation of artists.
Stage 55
Stage 55 (formerly known as the Narrators) broke records in 2025!
Their fall season was their largest ever with 27 members, and in the spring, they also performed to their largest audiences ever. They were even featured on Spectrum News 13 with a lovely story from Julie Gargotta. (Missed it? Read it at CFCArts.com/News13.)
We’re so excited to see the growth of this program, where older adults (55+) remain active and engaged through the arts.
Their Friday morning rehearsals include everything from theater games to scripted scenes to original monologues. They’ve met between seasons for creative writing workshops where they write their own material to perform. Their performances have even included the work of international playwrights.
But Stage 55’s biggest leap has been through improv.
Improv started in rehearsals as a way to boost cognitive health, creativity, and human connection, but in the spring production of On The Fly, these brave actors took spontaneous theater and even musical improv to the stage. Members and audiences alike had a ball!
There’s great research around the impacts of laughter and improv on positive aging, such as in the Mayo Clinic article “The Health Benefits of Humor” and the Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics article “Humor doesn’t retire: Improvisation as a health-promoting intervention for older adults.”
They’re wonderful reminders of how the arts enrich lives and foster healthy aging.
At CFCArts, cognitive health extends beyond Stage 55, too. Musical Minds is a a sing-along choir for adults experiencing dementia and Alzheimer’s. Several Stage 55 members volunteer with our team at One Senior Place and Serenades West Orange every week, sharing music and community.
Thank you for supporting Stage 55
We’re grateful to receive support from One Senior Place, the City of Orlando Community Investment Grant, and Orange County Government through the Arts and Cultural Affairs program to support our senior programming.
UpBeat!
In 2025, our UpBeat! Theatre Troupe upped their game with the most members and largest audience to date!
In Level Up, UpBeat! took audiences on a heroic journey through the adventures of Mario, Sonic, Pokémon, Mortal Kombat, and more. We love seeing our UpBeat! members learn and grow together.
UpBeat! performers take the stage in productions created just for them. Each member has opportunities that encourage and challenge them in ways not typically available in a mainstream community theatre program. CFCArts is proud to offer this special program that provides an artistic platform for youth, teen, and adult exceptional learners and neurodivergent performers.
Our UpBeat! team blends dance, theatre, sign language, mixed media, and more into enriching performance experiences. We rely on an interprofessional team of board-certified music therapists, arts in health practitioners, and teaching artists to develop programs based on the individual needs of our performers.
Our UpBeat! Jr. program rehearses each week at the Down Syndrome Association of Central Florida (DSACF) center in Winter Park. This incredible partner also generously provides tuition scholarships for 35 of our 49 UpBeat! members, making the program even more accessible. UpBeat! members love performing each year at DSACF’s Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk.
Thank you for supporting UpBeat!
We’re grateful to receive support from The Autism Services Grant Council through the Florida Autism License Plate Fund, the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation, the Down Syndrome Association of Central Florida, and Orange County Arts & Cultural Affairs to support this unique program.
Big Band
The Big Band had some banner productions in 2025!
One of our favorite memories was the creative collaboration with animator Jason Zucker for Hand-Drawn Jazz 2 in the fall. He brought King Louis to life before our eyes while the band jammed out to “I Wan’na Be like You” from The Jungle Book.
We love any opportunity to introduce people to a new genre of music, a song arranged in a fresh way, and especially the ideas and stories that have shaped jazz as we know it – that’s why we loved The Journey of Jazz in June so much.
In that show, the Big Band took their biggest audience ever on a whirlwind tour from 1920s New Orleans street music to the 70s with Earth, Wind & Fire.
We also broke out a dance floor for the first time, giving anyone who wanted the chance to swing along.
Thank you for supporting our Big Band
We’re grateful to the Elizabeth Morse Genius Foundation and Orange County Arts & Cultural Affairs for making experiences like this possible.
Symphony Orchestra:
Final Frontier
Final Frontier was a stellar show for both our Symphony Orchestra and the organization as a whole!
In June, the orchestra presented a space-themed concert to one of their largest audiences ever, but it was the partnerships that made it extra unique.
CFCArts collaborated with Seminole State College of Florida and the Central Florida Astronomical Society for an out-of-this-world experience!
Planetarium director and astrophotographer Derek Demeter joined us onstage as a special guest to share about the wonders of the cosmos. His space photography – featured in NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day, Astronomy Magazine, other publications, and art galleries – was also featured while the orchestra performed!
After the evening shows, patrons could share in the wonders of the night sky through telescopes with the Emil Buehler Planetarium at Seminole State College and members of CFAS! Space fans of all ages could see the Moon, Mars, and other celestial wonders.
Fun fact: Dr. Briyanna Jenkins, Director of Student Conduct at Seminole State College, currently serves on the CFCArts board of directors!
Symphony Orchestra: Celebrate the Season
Celebrate the Season – our annual holiday spectacular in December 2025 – featured nearly 400 musicians and singers onstage, 10 featured solos, and a crowdsurfing 6-foot slapstick. And the audience was even more fantastic.
With over 5,000 guests – and a sold out concert – this show was one of our largest to date. More than 500 of those patrons attended their first-ever CFCArts experience. What a special introduction!
Thank you for supporting our Symphony Orchestra
We’re grateful for the support of partners like Orange County Arts & Cultural Affairs and Orlando Health for bringing our Symphony Orchestra to stages throughout Central Florida.
Events
Community Events
It’s not a reflection on 2025 without a look at the ripples our members made in our broader Central Florida community. Our members performed and served in so many ways!
- Our Symphony Orchestra blew minds at Creative City Project’s IMMERSE in Downtown Orlando, where they presented excerpts from Final Frontier with a laser and light show overhead.
- Our Big Band had the honor of performing at the 2nd Annual ACT Awards celebrating Art and Cultural Tourism, the United Arts of Central Florida Annual Meeting & Celebration, Treemendous Affair at Rosen Hotels & Resorts, and took Hand-Drawn Jazz out to Beacon College.
- Members of our Community Choir sang for the American Advertising Federation gala, Tables Extraordinaire, Liberty Weekend at Orlando International Airport (MCO), Rosalind Women’s Club, and Orlando Lutheran Towers. They also took Jukebox Jam to The Springs in Longwood.
- And if you’re more the athletic type, you may have heard the choir’s voices at events hosted by OUC, AdventHealth, Track Shack, and others.
- Our UpBeat! members spread joy at Orlando Magic’s Magic of Inclusion, Family Cafe, the Peace and Justice Institute’s Peace Day in the Park, Nathaniel’s Hope’s MAKE ‘m SMILE, Down Syndrome Association of Central Florida’s Step Up for Down Syndrome, and more!
- We also had Youth Theatre members perform at the City of Orlando’s Mayor’s Matching Grants Program celebration and at Kids Fringe with Orlando Fringe.
Did you know that every Youth Theatre production includes a service project for the cast that’s matched to themes in the show? 2025 included:
- Pace Center for Girls, Orange for Little Women
- Clean the World and The WASH Foundation for Disney’s Finding Nemo Jr.
- Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Florida for The Velveteen Rabbit
- Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
- The Mustard Seed of Central Florida for The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
We loved wrapping up the holiday season with members sharing holiday cheer through a variety of instrumental and choral highlights at Give Kids The World!
Anniversary Fundraiser
In October, CFCArts hit a fun new milestone by hosting our first ticketed fundraising event: Rhythm & Revelry! It was incredible to see so many cross sections of our Central Florida community together.
But we didn’t just celebrate community – we used art to build community right there in the room!
Special guest Jason Zucker wowed us with a live animation demonstration and led a drawing activity where everyone created a unique piece of art and an unforgettable memory.
The performances by members of the CFCArts Big Band, Youth Theatre, Community Choir, UpBeat!, and Stage 55 delighted us all. Their joy shone on stage for familiar faces and new friends alike.
Thank you to the elected officials, corporate representatives, local partners, individual donors, long-time patrons, members (both on stage and guests), and each and every person that participated in this special evening with us.
We’re already dreaming up the next special event!
Thank you Rhythm & Revelry Sponsors
A special thanks to the sponsors who made it all possible: ALL-in 4 Impact and Arum Lee Lansel, Jim & Barbara Caldwell, Cool Breeze Bartending and Vance & Jessica Guthrie, Florida Theatrical Association, and Prof. Stephen Summers. And also to our generous matching gift donor Robin Merritt-Smith.
Recognition
Accolades
The best accolades we can receive are the smiles and stories of our members. The second best are the cheers and tears of audiences experiencing the beauty of this community.
We’re also grateful for the local support from publications and people who nominate and vote for CFCArts when the opportunities arise.
In 2025, CFCArts won Orlando magazine’s Best of ORL 2025: Fun & Leisure in the Performing Arts Group category, as well as Orlando Family Magazine’s Best of the Best 2025 in the Family Entertainment category.
The organization was also nominated twice for Orlando Weekly’s Best Of Orlando 2025. The Big Band was in the running for Best Jazz Act, and the Youth Theatre was up for Best Theater Company.
Women We Admire named board member Dr. Briyanna Jenkins among “The Top 50 Women Leaders of Orlando for 2025.”
And last but far from least, we’re proud of our executive director Justin Muchoney for his recognition as one of Orlando Business Journal’s Most Influential Leaders.
We’re grateful to arts supporters like Matt Palm with the Orlando Sentinel and Julie Gargotta with Spectrum News 13 who continue to share our stories.
We’re excited to continue creating spaces and experiences worthy to be called “Best Of” – and we hope you’ll be a part of it with us!
Celebrating Members
Member Celebration
As we wrap up this recap of 2025, we want to celebrate our members!
With over 1,200 members across our 6 different programs — your friends and neighbors, performers from all ages and backgrounds — it’s the community of incredible people that makes us who we are.
In the fall, we kicked off our 15th anniversary festivities with a special Member Celebration, focused on connection and community. Members came together to meet new people from across CFCArts, enjoy games and crafts, watch performances from their talented friends, participate in karaoke, and share an unforgettable afternoon together.
And to make it even cooler, our member ambassadors spearheaded the event planning, thoughtfully designing a day for their fellow members that everyone could participate in and love.
Thank you Member Celebration Sponsors
This birthday party wouldn’t have been the same without the support of our sponsors: Journey Strategic Wealth and Chad Faulkenberry and The Soto Law Office.
Annual Partners
Along with the many sponsors and funders who support our individual programs, CFCArts also received critical, operating support from Addition Financial Credit Union & Additional Financial Foundation, Central Florida Commercial Association of Realtors (CFCAR), Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation, The Parikh Giving Alliance, United Arts of Central Florida, University of Central Florida, and Valencia College. These incredible partners support our programs by allowing their funding to support our greatest needs, like the staff and contractors that make it all happen, the venues we rent for our rehearsals and performances, and everything else it takes to make it all run smoothly.