Winter Garden Rotary Club returns with Broadway and Beyond

The Winter Garden Rotary Club is back with its biggest and highest anticipated event of the year — Broadway and Beyond. 

This year, the annual event will feature a variety of acts by performers from Broadway, off-Broadway, Disney and local artists. The pre-show will begin at 6 p.m. and include performers from Gymnastics USA and Orlando Youth Chamber Ensembles. The show will run from 7 to 10 p.m., with performances from Rebecca Krainik, Qiana Miles, Sarah Whittemore, John B. deHaas, Carol Stein, Grant Norman and Tom Sardinia.

The evening will again be hosted by longtime Disney performer Billy Flanigan, with all of the money collected benefiting several local nonprofit organizations. 

“I love to host shows, and I love that this is a fundraising event right in the backyard of our local community,” Flanigan said. “I just find the cause to be amazing, and I know we are going to make it another spectacular year.”

BEGINNINGS

Although the event is known as Broadway and Beyond, the show actually started under another name. 

The Winter Garden Rotary Club created “Evening at the Pops” as one of its biggest fundraisers years ago. 

In the past, the club partnered with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra and the University of Central Florida for a night of symphony performances. 

When the pandemic hit, everything changed. 

Previous organizations were not able to participate, and Eric Roukey, president of the club at the time, knew he had to make a change. 

When Roukey reached out to his friend Flanigan, Flanigan jumped at the opportunity and reached out to performers from across Central Florida and beyond, coining the new name — Broadway and Beyond.

“Everything was still shut down in the industry, so all singers and dancers I asked had been out of work, and they jumped at the opportunity to perform,” Flanigan said. “We were all deemed non-essential workers, but yet everyone was stuck at home watching TV.”

The host said what the community really needed was entertainment.

“The performing arts really just take you away and help you forget your troubles for a little while, and I think a lot of people needed that positive distraction,” he said. 

Flanigan shared that the first event in 2021 lasted three hours. No one complained about the length; in fact, they wanted more. 

COMMUNITY CARE

As the Rotary’s largest fundraiser, the event raises about $30,000 for organizations after expenses for the show and attracts around 500 attendees, according to current Rotary President Jo Barsh. 

Barsh said the collaboration between Winter Garden and the Rotary benefits organizations such as the West Orange Scholarship Fund, Matthew’s Hope, Hope Church and Habitat for Humanity. 

“It’s the best warm and fuzzy feeling you can have to be able to give back to our community,” she said. “You’re touching so many lives. There are no words to express that feeling you get when you feel their gratitude.”

Flanigan said what makes the event so special is it has a wide range of support from local businesses. 

“This is such a great cause, and I hope the community will rally around it and come out to support,” he said. “I think everybody deserves a night out and everybody deserves to come and see some amazing entertainment at a beautiful outdoor location.”

FEATURED ARTISTS

Billy Flanigan

Flanigan began his career at Walt Disney World more than 39 years ago and is still singing, dancing and hosting. He has performed in more than 650 different shows, including Broadway at the Top, the Hoop Dee Doo Revue, the Diamond Horseshoe, Tarzan Rocks, Finding Nemo the Musical and the Magical World of Barbie where he played Barbie’s boyfriend Ken. Flanigan is currently featured in Hollywood Studios’ Frozen Show.

Rebecca Krainik

Krainik has performed all over the world — from Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships to Off-Broadway Productions. Some credits include Marcy in “Dogfight” at The Eagle Theater and Lucy in “Jekyll and Hyde” at the Axelrod Performing Arts Center. She also can be seen on “Law & Order: SVU” as Charlotte, The History Channel and various independent films on Hulu. 

Grant Norman

Norman's stage career has included the legendary Broadway shows; “Miss Saigon”, “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Phantom of the Opera”. He made his Broadway debut in “Miss Saigon”, in which he played the role of Chris. Grant has also appeared in several television shows, including “Law & Order”, “Law & Order: CSI”, “Law & Order: SVU”, “Conviction” and “All My Children”.

Qiana Miles

Miles is a versatile vocalist, performer and songwriter. Her résumé consists of a variety of performances from Disney such as Festival of the Lion King and Voices of Liberty. Outside of the theme parks, she is an emerging independent artist performing all over Central Florida. Having released two original singles, “Without You” and “I Need You Here” along with her newly released Christmas cover of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.” Her five track EP is available on all streaming platforms. 

IF YOU GO

Broadway and Beyond

WHEN: 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 26

WHERE: Newton Park, 31 W. Garden Ave.

TICKETS: Click here