Ryan Simpson’s Journey: Acting, Adapting and Inspiring
Meet our team: From center stage to center of it all, Ryan Simpson went from acting in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown to directing full-scale youth productions during a pandemic here in Orlando. Now he’s leading our education team.
Born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, Ryan Simpson first caught what he fondly calls “the acting bug” in sixth grade, when he landed the lead role in, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. From there, his passion for performing arts only grew — through middle and high school and then on to Illinois Wesleyan University, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in musical theater.
After graduation, Simpson performed in productions around the country and toured with the Chicago-based improv group Green Room. Ready for a new challenge and wanting to stay in the arts while moving offstage, he took on leadership roles at CYT Chicago — first as Director of Education, then as Artistic Director. Then came a major change: a move to Florida. He first joined Florida Studio Theater in Sarasota as Box Office Manager before relocating to Orlando in 2019.
Directing Through a Pandemic
Simpson began his journey at AdventHealth School of the Arts at Dr. Phillips Center as manager of education, overseeing Broadway Masterclasses and leading the Youth Summer Programs. Then, when the world came to a halt in 2020, his work didn’t stop. Instead, he stepped up.
“I had to basically reinvent how I thought about directing,” he said, reflecting on the socially distanced youth productions he led at the arts center. With creative staging and COVID-safe protocols, he helped bring The Hunchback of Notre Dame to Walt Disney Theater, Ragtime to the Seneff Arts Plaza, and Les Misérables to Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater. That last one in particular left its mark.
“We couldn’t have a live audience, so we filmed it like a movie,” he explained. “It totally changed how my brain works when it comes to directing.”
A Bigger Stage, A Bigger Impact
In 2021, Simpson stepped into his current role as director of education. With even more programs under his leadership (from shows produced by Dr. Phillips Center and community outreach to performance ensembles and the renowned Applause Awards) he’s helped elevate the arts for countless young performers across Central Florida.
He’s especially proud of revamping the 6th & Jazz and Essentially Ellington programs, transforming them into must-see experiences for students and participants alike.
However, what drives him most is the impact.
“…The idea that what we do matters — and has the ability to change people’s lives — that’s what keeps me going,” he said.
Looking ahead, Simpson sees AdventHealth School of the Arts as a launchpad for possibility — a place where Dr. Phillip Center’s Arts For Every Life® vision can keep growing, and where students and communities will continue to thrive together for years to come.
To learn more about AdventHealth School of the Arts and year-long programming, visit our Education page.