Student Advisory Panel
We are excited to announce that applications are open now through July 1 for the 2023-2024 CFCArts Youth Theatre Student Advisory Panel! Panel members have the opportunity to…
- Help shape the future of CFCArts youth theatre programs by weighing in on things like show selections, program procedures, extra opportunities, class and camp offerings, and more.
- Make and discuss suggestions for the CFCArts youth theatre programs with fellow student leaders and CFCArts leadership.
- Receive an official CFCArts badge, complimentary tickets to most CFCArts productions, media opportunities, and other perks.
- Gain an impressive experience for resume and college applications.
- Serve as the Youth Theatre Program Ambassador for CFCArts.
The Student Advisory Panel meets every 6-8 weeks throughout the school year, with meetings scheduled at the Panel members’ availability. Panel members are expected to attend meetings regularly, as well as other CFCArts events as able.
Meet the Student Advisory Panel
Mackenzie Adamek
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Mackenzie is 14 years old and going into ninth grade. She has been acting for five years and has done many different shows. Some of her favorites include: Charlotte’s Web as Templeton, Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka Jr. as Willy Wonka, Mary Poppins as a Chimney Sweep and Fannie, and Matilda as a Student. Mackenzie enjoys aerial silks, singing, and dancing. She has been dancing since she was four and has loved anything to do with the arts ever since! Mackenzie also takes ASL and loves to communicate in sign language as a hobby. She is thrilled to be part of this year’s Panel and looks forward to helping enhance and promote the arts!
Elijah Allred
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Elijah is very excited for the opportunity to serve on the Central Florida Community Arts Student Advisory Panel! Elijah is 13 years old, is currently home educated, and is entering eighth grade. Elijah has been involved in theater since early 2022 when he discovered CFCArts. Being new to the Orlando area, Elijah was hoping for a way to make new friends and CFCArts provided that and so much more! He has loved filling the roles of Augustus Gloop in Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka Jr., Wiggins in Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars, Michael in Elf the Musical, and Valentine in Mary Poppins with the CFCArts Youth Theatre Program. When Elijah is not performing, he is often busy researching theme parks, planning road trips to theme parks, hanging out with friends at theme parks or playing video games. Elijah also enjoys volunteering in a variety of ways at his church and traveling whenever possible with his parents. He is looking forward to another great year of being a part of Central Florida Community Arts!
Robyn Battle
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Robyn Battle is 16 years old and is honored to spend her senior year with CFCArts! Through her years here she has been able to grow her confidence in theater with the continuous support of the community CFCArts has created. She has been in several productions, her favorites being Aida, Peter and the Starcatcher, and the upcoming production Disney’s Beauty and the Beast: In Concert. Robyn has developed leadership skills and a passion for serving her community in various roles in her American Heritage Girls Troop as Second Officer, the President of her Science National Honors Society, and her previous position on the panel. With a passion for dance and theatre, she hopes that with her position on the panel every person participating with CFCArts is able to have that same feeling!
Natalie Ruth Bishop
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Natalie has enjoyed performing in musicals for over a decade. Along the way, she has been privileged to portray many of her favorite iconic characters, including Annie, Ariel, Belle, Cosette and Dorothy. As a professional actress, she worked from 2018-2020 at The Holy Land Experience and currently works at the Winter Park Playhouse where she performs for elementary school students in School House Rock, Live. Natalie is thrilled to represent and serve CFCArts, where she has had the honor of portraying Brigitta in The Sound of Music, Esther in Meet Me in St. Louis and the title roles in both Matilda and Mary Poppins.
Lucia Chan
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Lucia is excited to be a part of Central Florida Community Arts’ Student Advisory Panel. She has been an avid member of CFCArts for about 10 years and is a denior vocal major at the Osceola County School for the Arts. She has extensive experience in many aspects of performing arts, such as acting, singing, and dancing competitively. Lucia also has experience behind the scenes from stage management to set design. She has performed in over 15 shows with CFCArts, her favorites being Mary Poppins, Aida, and Clue for a Cause. Lucia has a found a family here with the community CFCArts provides, and is greatly looking forward to get the chance to work more in depth with the organization and the CFCArts Youth Theatre Program.
Maria Diaz Gotay
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María has loved everything related to entertainment ever since she was little. She has been dancing hip-hop and competing for the past 13 years with multiple first-place and Best in Show awards. This year she was part of the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary Celebration photoshoot and video commercials in the roles of Dancer and Granddaughter. In musical theatre, she landed leading roles such as Wilbur in Charlotte’s Web, Silly Girl in Beauty and the Beast, King Julien in Madagascar Jr., and many others including the high school world premiere show of The Prom. Within that taking it as a Florida Thespian Mainstage to the State Thespian Festival in Tampa. Singing, dancing, acting, and even improv come naturally to this 16-year-old bilingual Puerto Rican who has traveled and lived across the US. There’s a million things she hasn’t done, just you wait…
Brie Duplechain
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Brie is a 10-year veteran of musical theater – with over 30 musical theater productions to her credit. Her most recent role was Meg Giry (The Phantom of the Opera.) She also has experience in television and movies, including a TV show on PureFlix (The Royal Beverlys) and a movie on Amazon Prime (About Hope.) Brie is a generous collaborator, a highly productive team member, and an excellent culture builder. She has been elected to a Spirit Committee or won a Spirit Award every year of high school so far! Brie was born in Louisiana, moved to Southern California when she was seven, and relocated to Winter Springs when she was 16. She is a senior at The Geneva School in Casselberry – so she is right in the middle of figuring out life after high school! When Brie is not immersed in a production, she is often immersed in crocheting. She is a firm believer that you can never have too much yarn! She also could live on pretzels and peanut butter. Brie loves watching movies with her family and being silly with her friends. Fun Fact: She was on stage in California AND Florida within 24 hours this summer! Fun, exhausting, and worth It!
AJ Lentine
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AJ is honored to be selected for the CFCArts Student Advisory Panel! In the spring of 2022, AJ joined the CFCArts Youth Vocal Ensemble and has since been cast in Murder on the Orient Express, Mary Poppins, and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. An eighth-grade honor student at Gotha Middle School, AJ also serves as a Student Technical Assistant and as a member of the Student Government Association. He recently performed in the Florida Festival of New Musicals as Henry in Bats on the Moon (Winter Park Playhouse) and is a member of the Quarter Notes Vocal Ensemble (DPAC.) Some of AJ’s favorite roles have been LeFou (Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr.), Hector McQueen (Murder on the Orient Express), the Candy Man/Mr. Teavee (Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka Kids), and Simba (Disney’s The Lion King Experience). AJ is looking forward to giving back to CFCArts, an organization that has given so much to him!
AuBryahnna Sherrod
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AuBryahnna is a rising ninth grader and is 14 years old. She has always had a love for singing and began her journey through the arts by being a member of her school chorus in fifth grade. Continuing that passion, she went on to compete and perform in Solo and Ensemble in 2021 as a soloist receiving the highest marks of Superior. She also performed in the 2021 All County Chorus. As a young child, she loved dance and she had formal training in ballet until age eight. In the fall of 2022, she discovered CFCArts and immediately knew she wanted to be a part of the organization. She first joined CFCArts on stage when she was cast in Elf the Musical as Emily. Finding herself in love with combining singing, dancing, and acting, she was then cast as a Chimney Sweep in Mary Poppins in the spring of 2023. AuBryahnna volunteered for Disney’s 101 Dalmatians Kids where she was introduced to the technical aspects of theatre. She thoroughly enjoyed the experience and looks forward to continuing to work with CFCArts in her new role as a member of the Student Advisory Panel. In her free time, AuBryahnna enjoys reading, drawing, playing video games, roller skating, playing volleyball, and hanging out with family and friends.
Mimi Velazquez
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Mimi is excited to be joining the student advisory panel this year at CFCArts! Past shows include Rats, Circus Circus Jr., Bye Bye Birdie Jr., Disney’s Jungle Book Jr., Disney’s Moana Jr., Undo, Redo and Rehearsal from #Enough: Plays To End Gun Violence, Disney’s High School Musical 2 Jr. and most recently Disney’s Aladdin Jr. with CFCArts where she got to play Isir! She is also a William Daniel Mills Theatre Company apprentice under Rollins College. Wepa!