Art Beat - Wucf

The Inaugural UCF Book Festival takes place this weekend in the UCF Arena. We talk with the event's organizers about what is billed as one of Florida’s premier literary events.

Thousands of people descend on downtown Orlando on the third thursday of every month for the Gallery Hop. We talk with Shanon Larimer about the Downtown Arts District organization, its mission and vision for Orlando's arts scene.

The Florida Film Festival is a culinary and film party that envelops Central Florida every spring. Filmmakers talk about the works shown at the festival.

The Orlando Shakespeare Theater in partnership with UCF gets ready for Playfest - a ten-day theater event, this year featuring Philip Seymour Hoffman. We talk with Patrick Flick, the Shakespeare Theater's Director of New Play Development.

Kayonne Riley visits with Beth Marshall about the upcoming Orlando Fringe Festival, and learns of new and returning productions to this 19th Annual festival of Fringing!

Artbeat takes a look at the Young Gunns Jazz Showcase - a project of trumpeter Jarritt Sheel. Kayonne Riley talks with Jarritt and the members of his Blu-Tet Jazz Project - about making jazz & about the Young Gunns Jazz Showcase - which features jazz bands who are carrying on the jazz tradition in regular music showcases at the Plaza Theatre in downtown Orlando.

Photography like you've never seen it before - three candidates from UCF’s Master of Fine Arts program in Studio Art and the Computer unveil their work to the public. We explore how Jeanay Fullerton, James Hall and Sarah Stead use their cameras to create fascinating effects.

We speak with the Director of the Jazz Program at the UCF School of Music, Jeff Rupert, about the big names in jazz appearing at this years' UCF Orlando Jazz Festival.

UCF's Jazz Professors warm up for the third annual UCF-Orlando Jazz Festival. We talk with faculty member Marty Morell about the planned tribute to Bill Evans and Stan Getz - and his work on an album by the legendary duo.

Stunning works by Central Florida's newest classical composers - youngsters aged 13 through 18 prepare to compete in this year's Young Composers Challenge. We talk to the contest's founder about the depth of teenage talent when it comes to classical composition.

The Orlando Philharmonic teams up with the Mad Cow Theatre for Carmen. How a partnership between two major arts organizations is keeping opera on stage in Central Florida.  We speak with representatives of both the Philharmonic and Mad Cow about the production and its world-class cast.

The story of a jazz legend. We talk with Terry Teachout - the drama critic of the Wall Street Journal - about his new book that details Louis Armstrong's rise from poverty in New Orleans to become one of the greatest jazz musicians of the twentieth century.

Comedy and opera meet in Betly by Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti. We speak with the Director of the UCF Opera, Thomas Potter, about the opera workshop's latest production, and the future of opera music.

Nude Night comes to Orlando again February 11-13! This three night event features 250 works of art by over 100 artists. Artists Marla E, Leah Woodworth, and Khalil Caesar (aka Huggi), and event organizer Kelly Stevens are interviewed within this segment.

The UCF Symphony Orchestra is featuring the contemporary work of an Israeli composer in its latest concert. We speak with the Director of Orchestral Studies at UCF, Laszlo Marosi, about the challenges posed by contemporary music for both musicians and audiences.

This year, UCF's College of Arts and Humanities is teaming up with the 50th Anniversary Zora Legacy Celebration. We speak with the UCF students preparing to perform an adaptation of the African American folklorist's works.

The sounds of 1930s Paris come to Central Florida. We speak with the members of local group, The Cook Trio, about their love of Gypsy Jazz, the father of the genre Django Reinhardt, and the trio's upcoming CD.

African American history over the centuries, brought to life with contemporary dance. The Moore Dance Project, a part of the Center for Contemporary Dance, presents its production Colours of Courage:  A Celebration of Black History in America. We speak with dancer and UCF alum, Jere James, and others involved in the production.

Local artist Bob Hague talks about the art of pet portraits, and a new exhibition that has just opened in downtown Orlando. His work, along with the work of fellow artist Leslie Keller can be seen in a new exhibition near Lake Eola.

Actor Brandon Roberts – bringing a festive flair to mime. The PB&J Theatre Factory's latest production, Sleigh, is playing in Winter Garden. Hear how the greats of silent comedy provide inspiration to the stars of the show.