PALM COAST, Fla. — A new director, a milestone anniversary and a season packed with everything from the United States Marine Band to ’80s favorites, Michael Bublé-inspired elegance, Earth, Wind & Fire hits and holiday spectacle are setting the stage for a big year at the Fitzgerald Performing Arts Center.
Craig B. Uppercue officially joined Flagler Schools on July 8 as Director of the Fitzgerald Performing Arts Center and K–12 Visual & Performing Arts, succeeding longtime director Amelia Fulmer, who retired after nearly four decades with the school district.
Uppercue steps into the role as The Fitz celebrates its 35th year of professional entertainment with a 21-show 2026–27 season designed to offer something for nearly every audience.
“I am honored to join Flagler Schools and lead the Fitz,” Uppercue said. “I look forward to building on Amelia Fulmer’s legacy while continuing to strengthen arts education and community partnerships throughout Flagler County. I’m truly excited to have the opportunity to support the students, faculty and staff of Flagler Schools.”
From the Classroom to the Professional Stage
Uppercue brings a career that spans arts education, professional performance and theater administration.
A two-time Grammy Music Educator Award nominee, he has been recognized nationally for his commitment to excellence in arts education. He is also a strong advocate for holistic learning and the role the arts can play in strengthening academic achievement while developing creativity, critical thinking and personal growth.
Before coming to Flagler County, Uppercue served as District Fine Arts Specialist for Volusia County Schools, overseeing visual and performing arts programs throughout the district. He previously spent 11 years as Artistic Director of DeLand’s historic Athens Theatre and serves as an adjunct faculty member at Stetson University.
His professional performance and production credits include Broadway and Off-Broadway productions such as The Lion King, The Rock & The Rabbi, The Witnesses musical, The Apple Tree and Songs for a New World.
A professional percussionist, Uppercue has performed with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, The Florida Orchestra, New World Symphony and Florida Lakes Symphony Orchestra, among numerous orchestras along the East Coast.
That combination of educator, musician and theater administrator makes Uppercue particularly well suited for a venue that has always served two purposes: bringing professional entertainment to Flagler County and providing students with opportunities to experience the performing arts both onstage and behind the scenes.
“The Fitz is more than a stage,” Uppercue said. “It is a place where our community gathers and where students have the opportunity to experience the arts. I’m excited about the season ahead and getting to know the people who have supported this theater for so many years.”
A Season That Hits the Ground Running
Among the standout events of the season is an appearance by The President’s Own United States Marine Band on October 13, bringing one of the nation’s most celebrated musical traditions to the Fitzgerald Performing Arts Center stage.
The season then takes audiences on a musical journey through several decades and genres.
Fans of the decade of big hair, bold fashion and unforgettable music can look forward to 80’s Night with The American Sirens & Heart Throb, delivering a high-energy evening built around the sounds and spirit of the 1980s.
November brings a change of pace with an elegant night out at Black Tie Optional: A Tribute to Michael Bublé & Beyond on Friday, Nov. 20. The performance offers audiences a sophisticated evening inspired by the contemporary crooner sound and timeless standards associated with Michael Bublé and beyond.
Just one week later, the energy shifts again when Elements: The Ultimate Earth, Wind & Fire Tribute takes the stage Friday, Nov. 27, celebrating the legendary group whose catalog of funk, soul, R&B and dance favorites has kept generations moving.
Other highlights throughout the 21-show season include comedian Rita Rudner, The Kenny Rogers Band featuring Don Gatlin, Michael Cavanaugh: The Music of Billy Joel & Elton John, and Neil Berg’s 50 Years of Rock and Roll.
Holiday Magic Comes to The Fitz
December will bring two holiday shows audiences won’t want to miss.
Families can kick off the season on Friday, Dec. 4, with FROST Holiday Variety and Cirque Show, a family-friendly production combining holiday entertainment with the excitement and spectacle of cirque-style performance.
Then, on Thursday, Dec. 10, Chris Ruggiero: Sleighbells and the 60s returns to The Fitz, blending the sounds of the 1960s with Christmas favorites for a nostalgic holiday celebration.
Together, the December performances offer two distinctly different ways to celebrate the season — one filled with family-friendly visual excitement and the other wrapped in the music and nostalgia of the ’60s.
35 Years — and a New Chapter
Located on the campus of Flagler Palm Coast High School, the performing arts center began presenting professional entertainment in 1991. Its mission has always extended beyond bringing performers to Flagler County, serving simultaneously as a cultural destination and an educational environment for students.
The Fitzgerald name honors the late Dennis Fitzgerald, a Flagler County School Board member who played an instrumental role in efforts to secure the bond issue that helped create the auditorium and arts center. Fitzgerald and his wife, longtime music educator Alana Fitzgerald, left a lasting imprint on arts education in the community.
