University of Florida (UF) alumni are no strangers to Broadway. Recent graduates have toured nationally with shows such as Here Lies the Love, Godspell, Mamma Mia!, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, West Side Story and, most recently, in 42nd Street, which came to the Phillips Center in Gainesville, Florida, on Jan. 19, 2016. Now, thanks to the generous donation of UF Provost Dr. Joe Glover, musical theatre students at UF will have additional support as they pursue their dreams.
Following the 42nd Street performance in Gainesville, current musical theatre students gathered with Kaitlin Lawrence (BFA Musical Theatre ’11), UF College of the Arts Dean Lucinda Lavelli, Dr. Glover, UF School of Theatre + Dance Director Jerry Dickey and Tony Mata, head of UF’s Musical Theatre program, for the announcement of the creation of the Joe Glover Scholarship for Excellence in Musical Theatre. The endowed scholarship, which will be awarded for the first time at the end of the spring 2016 semester, will provide annual undergraduate support for a musical theatre student.
“The students in this program are world-class,” said Dr. Glover. “It is a privilege to be able to recognize their accomplishments and to help inspire them to pursue their dreams as they launch their careers. The Musical Theatre program is a gem, and these students add to the rich cultural life on the campus.”
UF’s School of Theatre + Dance currently offers a BFA in Musical Theatre. The program joins forces with UF’s School of Music and a world-class diverse faculty to give its students one of the most challenging artistic and academic training opportunities in the country. The program aims to develop highly skilled "triple threat" performers with skills and talents in acting, singing and dance to ensure job opportunities upon graduation. In addition to appearances on Broadway, UF musical theatre alumni have performed Off-Broadway, in national tours, in regional theatres, in film and on television. Recent UF performances have included The Drowsy Chaperone, Sweeney Todd, Guys and Dolls, Chicago and West Side Story.
Mata said he is extremely grateful for Dr. Glover’s generosity and his belief in UF’s Musical Theatre program. “Thank you Dr. Glover for believing in our students and making it possible to continue to recruit some of the most talented young artists in the country,” said Mata. “Our students have not only gained national recognition, but they have also provided entertainment for every major fundraising event for the University of Florida Foundation for more than 20 years. It is wonderful to know that the visibility we bring to the College of the Arts and the University of Florida continues to be recognized.”
About the College of the Arts
The College of the Arts is one of the 16 colleges and more than 150 research centers and institutes at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. The College of the Arts offers baccalaureate, master’s and Ph.D. degree programs in its three institutionally-accredited schools — the School of Art + Art History, School of Music and School of Theatre + Dance. The college is home to the Center for Arts in Medicine, Center for Arts and Public Policy, Center for World Arts, Digital Worlds Institute, University Galleries and the New World School of the Arts in Miami. More than 100 faculty members and approximately than 1,200 students work together daily to engage, inspire and create. The college hosts more than 300 performances, exhibitions and events each year. Faculty and students also exhibit and perform at other local, national and international venues. To learn more, visit www.arts.ufl.edu.
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Media Contact
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University of Florida College of the Arts
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