Registration for Summer 2026 Stage 55 Creative Writing is open to adults of all ages. Please fill out the registration form or email stage55@cfcarts.com with any questions.

This series of creative writing workshops guides you to discover the "why" behind your desire to write – and shares skills and tools to accomplish it! Improve your artistic skill, have fun with new friends, and dig into the art of creative writing.

From for personal fun or reflection to family storytelling to goals of publication, there's no wrong answer for why you want to write. Creative writing has a host of benefits: improving mental health, boosting creativity, creating connection with others, and preserving stories, whether for profit or just pure enjoyment.

These workshops will help you find your focus, learn about genres, and choose your path. So warm up your pen and make writing part of your life!

Marlana Antifit

"Hi! I’m a Florida-based writer and longtime story lover. For 25 years, I worked in communications at the Walt Disney World Resort where I helped restore the magic. Long before that, I was the kid who disappeared into spiral notebooks, inventing characters and worlds—until life got busy and writing slipped to the background. I didn’t find my way back to the page until adulthood, and I’m grateful I did.

"I’ve been studying creative writing for more than 15 years, mostly in the wonderfully unglamorous ways—classes, workshops, critique, revision, and lots of learning-by-doing. I’m drawn to children’s stories with heart, humor, and a little bit of wonder, and I still get excited every time a scene finally clicks into place. My work has placed in several contests, including finalist honors for two novels in the SCBWI Rising Kite Award and a runner-up finish in Ready Chapter 1’s Middle Grade Legends Challenge.

"In 2011, I founded the Osceola Writers’ League (OWLs) critique group, and I’ve been leading it ever since. OWLs started as a handful of unpublished writers who wanted to get better—together—and we’re still driven by the same things: honest feedback, encouragement, and showing up for one another. I’m proud that six OWLs are now published authors with houses including Entangled Publishing, HarperCollins, and Penguin Random House, with more than 12 traditionally published novels among them."

Summer 2026 Stage 55 Creative Writing from July through August 2026 is free. Just register at the link above!

Please email stage55@cfcarts.com with any questions.

This workshop is free thanks in part to the City of Orlando's Community Investment Grant, supporting programming for older adults.

Halloween is a time for mystery and surprises, and Pumpkins and Punchlines delivers both. The perfect Halloween treat, this unique show combines fast-paced improvisational comedy with authentic old-time radio mysteries for an afternoon of laughs, thrills, and spooky fun.

Our Stage 55 actors have been sharpening their improv skills and are ready to put them to the test with audience prompts and unexpected challenges. Audience members will also have the chance to solve 5-minute mysteries originally performed on the radio in the late 1940s.

Come dressed for the season and enjoy an afternoon of suspense, comedy, and classic radio-style storytelling.

Tech Rehearsals:
Friday, October 23, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Thursday, October 29, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Friday, October 30, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Performances:
Saturday, October 31, at 3 p.m.
Sunday, November 1, at 3 p.m.
St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church (1600 S Orlando Ave, Winter Park)

Dues will be for scripts, rehearsals, community performances, and performances of Pumpkins & Punchlines from August through November 2026. Please see pricing below:

Regular Season Dues: $75

Payment links are included in the registration form! Financial assistance and payment plans are also available. Please email narrators@cfcarts.com with any questions.

Membership Dues at CFCArts help to cover the expenses that the organization incurs throughout the rehearsal process of each season. Therefore, each member is asked to pay the Membership Dues regardless of the member’s availability to perform at the conclusion of the season.

Members that need to withdraw mid-season will owe a percentage of the Membership Dues to the organization before being eligible to rehearse for a future season.

Membership Dues Payment Calendar:

• Total of $20 Due By August 21, 2026
• Total of $40 Due By September 11, 2026
• Total of $60 Due By October 2, 2026
• Total of $75 (100%) Due by October 23, 2026

Please see the Member Hub for more details or email us at stage55@cfcarts.com with any questions or concerns meeting these deadlines.