On Feb. 3, 1926, dedicated thespians took the stage for the first time, sparking a century-long flame of creativity in Orlando. They started as the Orlando Little Theatre, growing from the city’s Recreation Department to become a leading institution enriching families through high-quality, inspiring theatrical experiences in Loch Haven Park.
This week, as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Orlando Family Stage, I find myself looking back not just at its history, but at the long arc of impact that theater has on our youth.
My journey began in 1991. I was eleven years old, painfully shy, and stepping into the halls of what was the Civic Theatre for a summer stock production of “Bye Bye Birdie.” I was the youngest in the group, pleading with director David Lee to let me participate even though I was under the age limit. He said yes, and in doing so, he opened a door that would shape my life.
From those early summers through my time in the “Civic Kids” and eventually into the BFA musical theatre program and BA in psychology at the University of Central Florida, theater was my world. It was where I found my people, my voice, and my confidence. I went on to perform professionally in regional theatres across the U.S. and for five years at Walt Disney World, where I met my husband.
But then, a shift occurred. I moved from the stage to the exam room, eventually becoming a physician and chief medical officer focused on psychiatry and mental health. Musicals and medicine seem like opposite ends of the spectrum — one is about spotlight and song, the other about science and sterile environments. However, as I look at my career today, the most critical skills I use as a doctor weren’t learned in a lab; they were forged on the stage.
Today at Orlando Family Stage, the mission is to empower young people to be brave and empathetic. In medicine, we talk about soft skills — the ability to communicate, listen, and connect with a patient. I dislike that term. These aren’t soft skills; they are the hardest skills to master, and they determine clinical outcomes.
Theater is a team sport that demands radical empathy. When you step into a character, you are forced to inhabit a life that is not your own. You learn to understand the “why” behind someone else’s actions. For a young person, this is a profound exercise in perspective. As a physician, when a patient is late for an appointment, I don’t just see a slot on a calendar. I think of the five buses they have taken or a child-care crisis they are navigating. Acting taught me to look for the story beneath the surface.
Now, creative spaces are more relevant than ever. We live in a world where digital boundaries have eroded, and social isolation is at an all-time high. Young people are growing up in a climate that can feel cruel, divided or lonely. Theatre offers a rare, communal experience. It is a safe space where children can explore difficult ethical scenarios and emotional truths from a distance, practicing how they might respond with courage and kindness in the real world.
I see this long arc of impact in my peers — acting alumni are now corporate leaders, educators and parents. They carry theatre with them as effective collaborators, empathetic neighbors, and resilient problem-solvers because they once had to trust a castmate or build up the courage to project their voice.
As we celebrate 100 years of Orlando Family Stage, we aren’t just celebrating a century of plays and musical theater. We are taking a moment to honor a century of building better humans who are dreamers and our future leaders.
Providing nurturing, artistic spaces is a vital investment. Whether a child grows up to be a Disney princess, a doctor, or a teacher, the bravery and empathy they learn in rehearsal, behind the scenes, and on the stage will be with them forever. Here’s to the next 100 years of making sure every child has a place where they truly belong and can find their voice!
Dr. Julie Ruth Owen is an alumna of Orlando Family Stage (formerly Central Florida Civic Theatres, and Orlando Repertory Theatre), a University of Central Florida graduate, and a practicing physician and medical director in Milwaukee.