The Ritz Review Library

When Kitra first became involved with the theater, group sales was handled by someone else. When that position eventually became available, longtime Ritz supporter Teri Siciliano encouraged theater leadership to take a closer look at what Kitra could bring to the role. “Do you even know what Kitra does?” Kitra remembers Siciliano asking…

A young person walking into a theater for the first time may see a stage, rows of seats and bright lights. What they may not yet see are all the possibilities waiting behind the curtain. Confidence. Creativity. Friendship. Discipline. A chance to discover a talent, or simply a place where they belong. Helping make opportunities available…

For actress Angela Tims, stepping into the role of Heidi Hansen in Dear Evan Hansen is about more than learning lines, music and blocking. It means bringing pieces of her own life onto the stage. As a single mother raising a neurodivergent son, Tims immediately recognized herself in Heidi — the hardworking mother trying to hold…

With a new offering created specifically for students with special needs, the arts have a remarkable ability to bring people together—across generations, backgrounds, abilities and communities. That idea was on full display as organizations from throughout Seminole County gathered to celebrate the latest round of grant awards from the…

Covering a topic that can profoundly affect a person’s health had somehow become a punchline, Robin Hofmann's documentary arrives at the Ritz Theater with a mission that is remarkably straightforward: validate those who medically have to eat gluten-free and educate those who don’t. But Hofmann is not interested in delivering that message…

Her work aboard luxury cruise lines has carried her from Iceland and Antarctica to Alaska and Tahiti. Yet despite performing across the world, there is something particularly meaningful about bringing the show back to Central Florida. Divas of Soul is designed as a true live-performance experience. Her career has been built around…

After nearly 15 years of volunteering, raising a theater family and working behind the scenes, Patricia Johnson is bringing a longtime love of the Ritz into the theater’s front office. For many people, starting a new job means walking through the doors of an unfamiliar workplace for the first time. For Patty, stepping into her new role…

For patrons who have visited The Ritz Theater during the past year, Brittany Diemer is already a familiar and welcoming presence. She has greeted guests, helped patrons at the box office, contributed to creative marketing projects and supported the many daily details that shape the theater experience. Now, Diemer is bringing that same…

In under three weeks, a group of students under the guidance of director Jamaal Solomon, walk into the Ritz Theater as strangers and walk off its stage as a company. Day one is auditions. Day two is callbacks. From there, the students learn the music, blocking, choreography and their characters while also helping design costumes, build…

An upcoming sophomore at Winter Park High School, Lucy is already making a name for herself in the local theater community—which feels a little unfair, considering most performers spend years developing the kind of comedic timing and stage presence she seems to possess naturally. As Princess Winnifred in Once Upon a Mattress, Lucy…

We Are Yacht Rock (the headliner band) brought the classic Yacht Rock experience to life. From the first song, the band had the audience engaged, delivering polished vocals, talented musicianship and the laid-back charm that makes Yacht Rock so beloved. Patrons sang along, laughed, danced in their seats and enjoyed a night filled with…