Donald Rupe has had a passion for theatre since his early years. In fact, his first job out of college was teaching high school theatre at his alma mater.
Whether directing, producing or writing, Rupe’s goal has never been about making box office record breaking productions but rather about making entertaining, avant-garde and affordable theatre to all who seek it out.
That’s evident to anyone who attends a show at the Renaissance Theatre, which he co-founded in 2022. These productions range from sexy vampires acting, singing and scaring the crap out of us every year in “Nosferatu” to a hilarious “Holiday Office Party” that will not only make you feel like you’re actually part of this incredibly hilarious group of coworkers, but also laugh so hard, you might hurt yourself.
He has been throwing crazy/fun ideas against the wall since the beginning of his theatrical career and, to his delight, sometimes they stick. His method of imagining these shows has been an organic process every step of the way. This is what makes shows at The Renaissance Theatre so special. The intention to outmatch the last production is usually met with a new idea that sparks one after the other. This infectious energy has bled into Orlando’s audiences, building enthusiasm and excitement, keeping us all on the edge of our seats and waiting for the next gratifying experience.
Each new, original production is usually illustrated with an all-new set that will make you do a double take every time you walk through the doors just to make sure you’re in the right place. While amazingly produced musical theatre is a widely known element of the theatre, Rupe also makes sure that all types of performance art has exposure with themed nights such as Musical Mondays, where local talented vocalists are billed to belt out their favorite songs with a live band and anyone else gets a shot at the open mic later in the evening. The theater also has its own amazing drag shows where queens perform their faces off every week and usually close every major weekend production with a nonstop show that we’ve never seen in this town.
In order to have a diverse crowd and give everyone a chance to experience live theatre, Rupe makes a point to offer a group of discounted, sometimes free, tickets to every themed night and production based on an honor system. The company also collaborates and supports local charities, donating their space their staff and valuable time.
Rupe and his cast and crew recently took their show “From Here” to New York City, where they all fulfilled a lifelong dream of performing in the big city. Rupe, however, says that even after that incredible experience, he was so happy to come back home and continue his journey of giving all of us in Central Florida the kind of entertainment you can’t find anywhere else.
All of this from a shy kid from Kissimmee. That’s pretty remarkable.
View the full list of Watermark’s Remarkable People of 2024 here.
