Through the Jeanette M Gould Traveling Theater, University of Central Florida students bring creative drama and theatre performances to pediatric hospital patients. Our purpose is to promote joy through the power of theatre to young people facing longterm sicknesses or injuries. The JMG Traveling Theater is a partnership between Theatre UCF and the UCF College of Nursing, made possible through the generosity of the Gould Family.
In its inaugural 2022-2023 year, the JMG Traveling Theater presented WONDERLAND, a series of drama-based programming inspired by the Lewis Carroll Alice in Wonderland series. Youth engaged through our creative drama workshops, scavenger hunt, takeaway tea party activity kit, and interactive performances. Activities were offered in a multiple modes, including virtually and one-on-one, to meet the varying needs of the youth we serve. The year culminated with a touring production of a new play, Alice and the Wonderland Parties, written by Sage Tokach and inspired by youth responses gathered during our creative drama activities.
During the 2023-2024 academic year, the JMG Traveling Theater is presenting creative drama workshops about discovering a person's Super Hero Strength; "Unlocking Atlantis," a game-based interactive experience for teens. The program also commissioned the play Let's Go Camping! an interactive bedside performance for 2-5 year olds, written by Nicole B. Adkins and Elizabeth Brendel Horn, lyrics by Nicole B. Adkins, music and design by Scottie Rowell, with puppetry and set fabrication by Teller Productions.
This audio version of Let's Go Camping! allows children to relive the adventure, and provides a theatre-based performance to patients in isolation. Based on the play 'Let's Go Camping!' Written by Nicole B. Adkins & Elizabeth Brendel Horn, Lyrics by Nicole B. Adkins, Music by Scottie Rowell. Adapted, Engineered, and Performed by Scottie Rowell. Sound Effects by Pixabay.