In its inaugural year, the JMG Traveling Theater presented WONDERLAND, a series of drama-based programming inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
“These are just regular children who happen to be in a hospital and they just want to play and be treated like other kids.”
UCF Creative Drama student
Heightened restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic inspired innovation. Activities were offered in multiple modes, including virtually, asynchronously, and one-on-one. TYA graduate student Julia Veiga developed a hybrid scavenger hunt, where in-person objects linked to videos and digital activities. By the end of the scavenger hunt, patients cracked the code to unlock a tea party box full of supplies for continued play.
Fall 2022 Creative Drama students developed virtual creative drama lessons based on the theme. Equipped with ideas provided by young people through these lessons, UCF alum Sage Tokach then wrote an original play, Alice and the Wonderland Parties, which was performed digitally and live by Spring 2023 UCF Theatre students in the Theatre for Young Audiences and Communities course.
Spring 2023 also marked the beginning of engaging UCF Nursing students as participants in the program. UCF Nursing students attended performances alongside patients and participated in post-show activities.
“From this class, I’ve learned to hold on to play and youthfulness and joy and take that with me everywhere I go.”
UCF Creative Drama student