Lyric Theatre's Thelma Gaylord Academy To Compete At National Performing Arts Festival In Florida

Students from Lyric Theatre's Thelma Gaylord Academy have been selected to compete at the prestigious National Performing Arts Festival next month in Florida. This marks the first time a group from Oklahoma will perform at the festival.

A group of 32 Lyric students will visit Orlando, Fla., to stage Shrek JR The Musical, where they'll be critiqued by a panel of arts professionals. The students also will perform a selection of Disney Broadway songs on stage at Disney Springs.

The festival, hosted by Worldstrides at the Universal Orlando Resort from Feb. 15-19, offers attendees greater insight into the professional theatre industry. Highlights from the trip include adjudicated group performances, feedback clinics led by professional performers and workshops designed for performers and technical theatre students. Groups whose performances receive the highest praise during the five-day festival will be showcased onstage at Universal Orlando CityWalk.

"I am so proud of our Academy students. They've worked hard to earn their place at this nationwide festival and are going to make memories to last a lifetime," said Rozz Grigsby, Academy director. "It's an incomparable opportunity for the students to take workshops and receive feedback and training from industry professionals that they simply couldn't get anywhere else. Their skills and confidence are going to soar. The entire directing team is excited to watch the Academy students shine on a national stage. We want to thank all of our donors and sponsors for helping make this trip a reality."

Individuals wishing to follow the students' journey are encouraged to visit the group's Facebook page or TikTok account.

Lyric's Thelma Gaylord Academy is a professional training ground for students ages 5-18 offering classes in all aspects of musical theater. Academy students have the opportunity to perform in full-scale productions each year on Lyric's Plaza Theatre stage. Founded in 2001, many graduates of the Academy enjoy careers in Hollywood, on television and Broadway.