diff --git a/stepmania/Themes/default/BGAnimations/ScreenSelectMusic overlay/default.lua b/stepmania/Themes/default/BGAnimations/ScreenSelectMusic overlay/default.lua
index 66be4d9c95..7dc8cc9c68 100644
--- a/stepmania/Themes/default/BGAnimations/ScreenSelectMusic overlay/default.lua	
+++ b/stepmania/Themes/default/BGAnimations/ScreenSelectMusic overlay/default.lua	
@@ -114,9 +114,7 @@ local children =
 		Condition=GAMESTATE:IsCourseMode() == false;
 	};
 
-	Def.BitmapText {
-		Font="Common normal";
-
+	LoadFont("Common", "normal") .. {
 		InitCommand=cmd(x,SCREEN_CENTER_X-160;y,SCREEN_CENTER_Y+94;playcommand,"Set");
 		OnCommand=cmd(zoom,0.5;shadowlength,2;diffusealpha,0;linear,0.5;diffusealpha,1);
 		OffCommand=cmd(linear,0.5;diffusealpha,0);
@@ -193,9 +191,8 @@ local children =
 		SortOrderChangedMessageCommand=cmd(playcommand,"Set");
 	};
 
-	Def.BPMDisplay {
+	LoadFont("BPMDisplay", "bpm") .. {
 		Name="BPMDisplay";
-		Font="BPMDisplay bpm";
 		InitCommand=cmd(horizalign,right;y,SCREEN_CENTER_Y-134;shadowlength,0;);
 		OnCommand=cmd(stoptweening;x,SCREEN_CENTER_X-160-SCREEN_WIDTH*0.6;bounceend,0.5;addx,SCREEN_WIDTH*0.6);
 		OffCommand=cmd(bouncebegin,0.5;addx,-SCREEN_WIDTH*0.6);
@@ -273,8 +270,7 @@ local children =
 		CurrentSongChangedMessageCommand=cmd(playcommand,"Set");
 	};
 
-	Def.BitmapText {
-		Font="_numbers2";
+	LoadFont("_numbers2") .. {
 		InitCommand=cmd(x,SCREEN_CENTER_X-262;y,SCREEN_CENTER_Y-126);
 		OnCommand=cmd(shadowlength,0;addx,-SCREEN_WIDTH;bounceend,0.5;addx,SCREEN_WIDTH);
 		OffCommand=cmd(bouncebegin,0.5;addx,-SCREEN_WIDTH);
@@ -297,9 +293,7 @@ local children =
 		OnCommand=cmd(finishtweening;x,SCREEN_CENTER_X-35-SCREEN_WIDTH*0.6;bounceend,0.5;addx,SCREEN_WIDTH*0.6);
 		OffCommand=cmd(finishtweening;bouncebegin,0.5;addx,-SCREEN_WIDTH*0.6);
 	};
-	Def.BitmapText {
-		Font="BPMDisplay";
-	
+	LoadFont("BPMDisplay", "bpm") .. {
 		SetCommand=function(self)
 			local song = GAMESTATE:GetCurrentSong()
 			local course = GAMESTATE:GetCurrentCourse()
diff --git a/stepmania/Themes/default/BGAnimations/ScreenSystemLayer overlay.lua b/stepmania/Themes/default/BGAnimations/ScreenSystemLayer overlay.lua
index 49e0efda0c..623256ce29 100644
--- a/stepmania/Themes/default/BGAnimations/ScreenSystemLayer overlay.lua	
+++ b/stepmania/Themes/default/BGAnimations/ScreenSystemLayer overlay.lua	
@@ -4,8 +4,7 @@ function CreditsText( pn )
 		self:settext(str);
 	end
 
-	local text = Def.BitmapText {
-		Font=THEME:GetPathF("ScreenManager","credits");
+	local text = LoadFont("ScreenManager","credits") .. {
 		InitCommand=cmd(shadowlength,0);
 		RefreshCreditTextMessageCommand=update;
 		CoinInsertedMessageCommand=update;
@@ -16,9 +15,7 @@ end
 
 local t = Def.ActorFrame {
 	children = {
-		Def.BitmapText {
-			Font=THEME:GetPathF(Var "LoadingScreen","message");
-			Text="";
+		LoadFont(Var "LoadingScreen","message") .. {
 			InitCommand=cmd(maxwidth,750;
 			horizalign,left;vertalign,top;
 			zoom,0.8;shadowlength,2;
diff --git a/stepmania/Themes/default/BGAnimations/ScreenTitleMenu overlay.lua b/stepmania/Themes/default/BGAnimations/ScreenTitleMenu overlay.lua
index 95b4cfd6d6..3d7deae2b8 100644
--- a/stepmania/Themes/default/BGAnimations/ScreenTitleMenu overlay.lua	
+++ b/stepmania/Themes/default/BGAnimations/ScreenTitleMenu overlay.lua	
@@ -1,12 +1,9 @@
 local children = {
-	Def.BitmapText {
-		Font="Common normal";
+	LoadFont("Common", "normal") .. {
 		Text=ProductVersion();
 		OnCommand=cmd(x,SCREEN_RIGHT-20;y,SCREEN_TOP+20;horizalign,right;diffuse,0.6,0.6,0.6,1;zoom,0.5;shadowlength,2);
 	};
-	Def.BitmapText {
-		Font="Common normal";
-		Text="";
+	LoadFont("Common", "normal") .. {
 		OnCommand=cmd(x,SCREEN_LEFT+20;y,SCREEN_TOP+20;horizalign,left;diffuse,0.6,0.6,0.6,1;zoom,0.5;shadowlength,2;playcommand,"Set");
 		SetCommand=function(self)
 			local fmt = THEME:GetString( "ScreenTitleMenu", "%d songs in %d groups, %d courses in %d groups" )
diff --git a/stepmania/Themes/default/BGAnimations/_shared edit courses.lua b/stepmania/Themes/default/BGAnimations/_shared edit courses.lua
index 54f9630a4b..913284bb02 100644
--- a/stepmania/Themes/default/BGAnimations/_shared edit courses.lua	
+++ b/stepmania/Themes/default/BGAnimations/_shared edit courses.lua	
@@ -3,9 +3,7 @@ local frame = Def.ActorFrame
 	OnCommand=cmd(x,SCREEN_CENTER_X+180;y,SCREEN_CENTER_Y);--;addx,SCREEN_WIDTH/2;decelerate,0.5;addx,-SCREEN_WIDTH/2);
 	OffCommand=cmd(accelerate,0.5;addx,SCREEN_WIDTH/2);
 	children = {
-		Def.BitmapText {
-			Font="Common Normal";
-			Text="";
+		LoadFont("Common", "normal") .. {
 			OnCommand=cmd(horizalign,left;x,-80;y,-130;zoom,0.65;playcommand,"CurrentCourseChanged");
 			CurrentCourseChangedMessageCommand=function(self)
 				local c = GAMESTATE:GetCurrentCourse()
@@ -16,9 +14,7 @@ local frame = Def.ActorFrame
 				end
 			end;
 		};
-		Def.BitmapText {
-			Font="Common Normal";
-			Text="";
+		LoadFont("Common", "normal") .. {
 			OnCommand=cmd(horizalign,left;x,-80;y,-100;zoom,0.65;playcommand,"CurrentTrailP1Changed");
 			CurrentTrailP1ChangedMessageCommand=function(self)
 				local t = GAMESTATE:GetCurrentTrail( PLAYER_1 )