The English playwright’s masterpieces have been translated into many languages, but the arrangements of UCF’s Flying Horse Big Band with vocals coordinated by the Orlando Shakespeare Theatre reinforces that music is the universal language.

“Shakespeare Swings!” will give the bard’s time-tested lyrics and sonnets a new sound at 8 p.m. April 11 as part of UCF’s free April 10-15 arts festival. The weeklong event of artistic presentations by university students, faculty members and partners will showcase studio art, music, theatre, dance, gaming, animation, photography and film in one venue for the first time.

The Flying Horse Big Band, formerly the UCF Jazz Ensemble I, is composed of students from the university’s jazz studies program under director Jeff Rupert. Rupert, whose range of talents includes saxophonist, composer, record producer and recording artist, said it was a great opportunity to bring together the mash-up with the Orlando Shakespeare Theatre.  

“Our collaborative production of jazz-music-meets-Shakespeare came together naturally because many composers and musicals already embody Shakespeare and/or are inspired by Shakespeare’s works,” Rupert said.  “In our performance of ‘Such Sweet Thunder’ for UCF Celebrates the Arts, as it relates to the famed balcony scene of ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ the tenor saxophone will represent Romeo and the alto saxophone will represent Juliet.”

When UCF announced the arts festival, community partners were asked to help develop some collaborative ideas.

“I had been dreaming of doing some sort of Shakespeare cabaret production to showcase the love songs of Shakespeare,” said Jim Helsinger, artistic director at Orlando Shakespeare Theatre, which has been a UCF partner for 26 years. Helsinger credits Jeff Moore, chair of the UCF Music Department, with suggesting a Shakespeare program with the UCF jazz studies program. 

The world-premiere revue will hit a high note with a variety of original compositions, swing music and Broadway standards.

“With much of Shakespeare we have the lyrics but not the music so our performance will have new interpretations, such as for ‘The Two Gentlemen of Verona’ and ‘The Wind and The Rain’ from ‘Twelfth Night,’” said Helsinger.

Rupert said developing the program was a fun project for the jazz students.

“The band even helped to come up with the title of ‘Shakespeare Swings!,’”  he said.

The singers for the show will be local performers Michael Andrew and Andrea Canny, with guest artist Sisaundra Lewis, a fan favorite on the sixth season of NBC’s “The Voice.”

“Shakespeare Swings!” is one of several musical collaborations planned for UCF and select partners during UCF Celebrates the Arts. Some other partnerships include UCF Choirs providing vocals for the Orlando Repertory Theatre’s production of “Civil War Voices,” which uses diaries and letters to tell the true stories of people who lived through the war, and the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra rehearsal for “Tosca” with an instructional class for voice students.

All events to UCF Celebrates the Arts 2015 are free, but tickets are required for many of the programs, including the performance of “Shakespeare Swings!”  The April 10-15 festival will feature studio art, music, theatre, dance, gaming, animation, photography and film at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, 445 S. Magnolia Ave., Orlando.  Visit  for more information, tickets and updated scheduling.

Sisaundra Lewis, who became a fan favorite with her powerhouse voice during Season 6 of NBC’s The Voice, headlined “Jazz On A Green.” UCF’s Flying Horse Big Band opened the show.

Participants praised the opportunity to enjoy music on a cool fall night in Orlando’s emerging Medical City. The Tavistock Green was covered with patrons, coolers of food, blankets and lawn chairs, with the stage’s backdrop the UCF Health Sciences Campus. Food trucks lined Lake Nona Boulevard.

As she took the stage, Lewis talked about the location and the importance of giving back to the community’s young people. “It is such a beautiful evening,” she said. “I am so delighted to join you here tonight at the College of Medicine, raising funds for scholarships and for our children at the . You all should give yourselves a round of applause for coming out to support such great causes.”

The outdoor concert was presented by CFE Federal Credit Union. Joseph A. Melbourne, Jr., president of CFE, said the credit union is the key sponsor of the event because “we believe in people helping people. We believe it’s very important to support Jazz On A Green because we want to raise some funds for the community.”

Lewis, one of eight children born in Haines City, grew up singing in the choir at her father’s church. She started her career with Grammy and Oscar Award winner Peabo Bryson, who invited her to tour the world with him as a backing vocalist and his new duet partner. Her acquaintance with Bryson led to a worldwide tour with Grammy and Oscar Award winner Celine Dion. Lewis spent several years working with Dion as her backing vocalist, vocal director and choreographer.

She blew away all four judges on this season’s The Voice and chose Coach Blake Shelton who told her, “You’re One In A Trillion.” Since being , Lewis has been giving motivational talks and performing at promotional and philanthropic events.

At Jazz On A Green, she sang some of the songs she had performed during The Voice and rocked the house with the Whitney Houston hit, “The Greatest Love of All.” The song’s opening lyrics resonated with the crowd and the purpose of the fundraising event: “I believe the children are our future; teach them well and let them lead the way.”

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Joseph A. Melbourne, Jr., president of CFE, said the credit union is the key sponsor of the event because “we believe in people helping people.” The credit union provides $50,000 worth of scholarships a year. “We believe it’s very important to support Jazz On A Green because we want to raise some funds for the community,” he said.

Lewis, one of eight children born in Haines City, grew up singing in the choir at her father’s church. She started her career with Grammy and Oscar Award winner Peabo Bryson, who invited her to tour the world with him as a backing vocalist and his new duet partner. Her acquaintance with Bryson led to a worldwide tour with Grammy and Oscar Award winner Celine Dion. Lewis spent several years working with Dion as her backing vocalist, vocal director and choreographer.

She blew away all four judges on this season’s The Voice and chose Coach Blake Shelton who told her, “You’re One In A Trillion.” Coach Usher told Lewis he was “blown away” at her voice, saying, “You are our teacher, even as experienced as we are.” Fellow coach Shakira said “Sisaundra is one of the most amazing vocalists I’ve ever heard.”

So bring your picnic basket, a blanket and a friend and enjoy a night of jazz with a Central Florida superstar – all for a good cause.