Plant City High School shines in the spotlight.
In a remarkable achievement that has sent ripples of excitement through the local performing arts community, Plant City High School’s theatre program has been honored with the coveted Disney on Broadway School of Excellence Award. This prestigious recognition celebrates the program’s outstanding commitment to theatre education and its transformative impact on students, placing PCHS among an elite group of schools nationwide recognized for their exceptional arts education.
The award comes as a testament to years of dedicated work by the theatre department’s faculty, students, and supporting community members who have collectively built a program that transcends traditional educational boundaries to create meaningful artistic experiences. As the news spreads throughout Plant City and beyond, it marks not just a moment of celebration but a validation of the program’s innovative approach to theatre education.
The theatre program at PCHS has evolved under the leadership of Audrey Schmidt, whose personal journey into theatre education began right here in Plant City. “I was a senior at Plant City High in 2008, and I wound up auditioning for my first show,” Schmidt said. Having led the program for 10 years, Schmidt has established a foundation built on passion, technical excellence, and student empowerment that has become the hallmark of the PCHS (also known as Raid The Stage) theatre experience.
With a teaching philosophy centered on not only becoming better performers but better people, the program strikes a delicate balance between artistic excellence and personal growth. This approach has proven particularly effective in creating an environment where students can explore their artistic voices while developing confidence, critical thinking skills, and emotional intelligence.
“I always tell my students that I want them to walk out of my program as better humans. That I want to do theater and spend hours with them. I want to spend hours with nice people,” Schmidt said.
The Disney on Broadway School of Excellence Award represents one of the highest honors in high school theatre education, recognizing programs that demonstrate exceptional quality, innovation, and student leadership. Established to celebrate theatre programs that inspire the next generation of artists and creators, the award acknowledges schools that embody the values of creativity, collaboration, and artistic excellence that Disney on Broadway productions are known for worldwide.
“They are seeking to recognize programs in America that really put an emphasis on and excel at student leadership on and off the stage,” Schmidt explained. “They really allow students to blossom in their creativity and to take ownership over their programs and do it at a high level.”
What distinguishes the PCHS theatre program from its peers is a multifaceted approach to theatre education that extends beyond traditional performance. The program has garnered attention for its outstanding technical theater program, creating a comprehensive theatre experience that nurtures both artistic talent and personal development. Students are encouraged by Schmidt to create their own unique sets and props and to lead the development of the play.
“The strongest thing in our program right now, in terms of student leadership, is our technical program. Our sets, and our lighting design are being completely done by a senior named Helena Atkins. She has really taken ownership of that. She was our technical director last year and now she’s one of our presidents.”
The program’s production history showcases its artistic ambition and student capabilities. Recent successful productions have included Mean Girls (2025) and Little Women (2024), each presenting unique challenges that pushed students to new levels of artistic achievement. These productions have consistently impressed audiences with their professional quality while providing students with immersive learning experiences in all aspects of theatrical creation, with Mean Girls winning a superior at competition.
The Raid the Stage program, like the broader community, often works with other area schools to teach students about collaboration and community development. Recently, the PCHS theatre department worked with Durant and Strawberry Crest to create set designs for Mean Girls.
Although the program often collaborates with other departments in Plant City community schools, PCHS is set apart by its sustainability. Schmidt says that students “truly can be self-sufficient. I wound up in the hospital the week before Mean Girls opened. So, Tech week, everybody’s there. And my kids, they were probably like ducks, right? Calm on the outside, but underwater: they’re freaking out. But, I was so proud of my leadership team. I was getting text messages and updates, but I wasn’t getting questions. I wasn’t getting panic. It was, look, we installed the handrail today. We were having issues with the stairs, but we got them on the casters. Everything’s working. They are confident risk takers.”
The curriculum thoughtfully balances theatrical classics with contemporary works, ensuring students develop a rich understanding of theatre history while engaging with modern theatrical innovations. This balanced approach exposes students to diverse theatrical traditions, styles, and voices, enriching their artistic perspectives and challenging them to explore both time-honored techniques and cutting-edge approaches. The curriculum is so effective that students are interested in pursuing classical plays for the fall.
“My students, they’re begging me to do Shakespeare. It’s not one of our main stages, but I’m introducing it more heavily in my advanced theater class because they want it. They’re hungry for it,” Schmidt said.
The impact of theatre education on PCHS students extends far beyond the stage, with many experiencing profound personal transformation during their time in the program. Students often enter with varying levels of confidence, experience, and social connection, but through their theatrical journey, they develop not only performance skills but also essential qualities like resilience, empathy, and collaborative problem-solving that serve them throughout their lives. While Schmidt appreciates students who enter her program with dreams of pursuing theatre professionally, she also appreciates students who may have other goals in mind. Schmidt firmly believes that theatre can be a valuable class for anyone, not just students with dreams of Broadway. “They come into it,” Schmidt said, “and what it gives them is those soft skills that corporations and colleges are looking for. It instantly creates leaders, and it instantly creates people who figure out how to solve a problem in a pinch and how to make it work and keep going. Those are things that can’t be taught in a traditional classroom.”
The transformative potential of theatre education is perhaps best illustrated through student success stories. One particularly moving example involves letters that Schmidt has received, detailing how the program has not only changed lives but saved them.
“I’ve had, at this point, probably more than I can count, at least 10 students tell me that if it wasn’t for theater, they would have killed themselves. That they were suicidal, and they were lost, and didn’t know who they were. Then coming in and finding that instant family in a theater production and finding a place where we’re excited to see you in class, saved them.”
Inclusivity remains a central priority for the Raid The Stage program, creating a community where diverse perspectives are not only welcomed but actively sought out and celebrated.
“If we’re just treating people with kindness and respect and we’re just there to create art together, it doesn’t matter. You can be who you are,” Schmidt remarked.
As part of the Disney on Broadway School of Excellence Award, PCHS students will receive resources and opportunities designed to further elevate their theatrical education. These benefits include free performance rights for up to three performances of a chosen show, complimentary production materials, plus opportunities to participate in special webinars with Disney professionals and theatre experts. This influx of resources will allow the program to expand its offerings while maintaining its commitment to educational excellence.
The partnership with Disney opens exciting possibilities for exploring iconic theatrical works, as PCHS now has free rights to perform Peter and The Starcatcher.
Community support has been instrumental in the program’s success, with local businesses, arts organizations, and individual supporters contributing resources, advocacy, and audience engagement that have allowed the program to thrive even during challenging times. This network of support creates a sustainable foundation for continued artistic exploration and excellence.
For community members considering supporting arts education at PCHS, Schmidt emphasizes that contributions of all kinds—whether financial, volunteer time, professional expertise, or simply attending performances—make a meaningful difference in students’ educational experiences. This support directly translates into enhanced opportunities and resources that expand what’s possible within the educational theatre context. “The easiest way to support us is to show up and sit in the audience. Our shows are always online at raidthestage.com, and tickets for this year are already on sale for the two main shows. So, come and be a body in the theater. Laugh with us, cry with us. Come show the kids that you know they’re there and that you want to support them,” Schmidt said.
Looking toward the future, Audrey Schmidt envisions more people experiencing the magic of theatre, at PCHS and beyond. These aspirations reflect not just ambitions for the program itself but for the broader landscape of arts education and its critical role in developing well-rounded, creative, and empathetic individuals ready to contribute meaningfully to society.
“We take art, we take music, we take dance. We have to take marketing and management and, construction and design, and we put it all in one big mess and make something beautiful out of it. I think seeing programs grow is the dream,” said Schmidt.
The Disney on Broadway School of Excellence Award represents not an end point but a launching pad for new artistic explorations and educational innovations at PCHS. As the program implements the resources and opportunities associated with this recognition, it continues a tradition of excellence while embracing new possibilities for student growth and artistic achievement.
The impact of this recognition extends beyond the immediate benefits to current students, potentially influencing how theatre education is perceived and prioritized within educational contexts nationwide. By highlighting the exemplary work happening at PCHS, the award draws attention to the vital importance of arts education as an essential component of a complete educational experience rather than an optional add-on.
As rehearsals start and new productions take shape, the theatre department at Plant City High School carries forward with renewed energy and validation, knowing that its commitment to excellence in theatre education has earned it a place among the nation’s most respected programs. For the students whose lives are touched by this program daily, the real award remains the transformative power of theatrical expression and the lasting impact of an education that values creativity, collaboration, and artistic courage.
