On Wednesday, April 19th, Garden of Dreams young people took to the Great Stage at Radio City Music Hall to perform in the 2023 Garden of Dreams Talent Show, themed “Dreams Take Flight.”
This year saw the 15th edition of the annual Talent Show, and much like the previous 14, the event did not disappoint. Roughly 150 young people from Garden of Dreams partners wowed the crowd of over 2,000 people as they sang, danced, acted, played musical instruments, and most importantly, shared their stories alongside their talents.
Emmy-Award winning television personality and Garden of Dreams board member Jill Martin hosted the special evening, welcoming performers and a star-studded lineup of celebrity presenters to the stage. Among those introducing our incredible performers were actors David Harbour of “Stranger Things” and Skylar Astin of “Pitch Perfect,” Cecily Strong and Kenan Thompson of “Saturday Night Live” fame, celebrity pianist Chloe Flower, and New York sports heroes Allan Houston and Justin Tuck – also a Garden of Dreams board member – to name a few.
To enhance the experience even further, Radio City Rockettes Katelyn Gaffney and Maya Addie escorted each performer onto the stage for their act. We are so grateful to the entire Rockettes family – including Sydney Mesher and Danelle Morgan who served as judges during the audition process, and Taylor Shimko who choregraphed the show’s opening number – for their incredible contributions to the show, which shone in the light of their signature sparkle.
Of course, the real spotlight belonged to our young people. Each subsequent performance brought roars of applause, more than a few tears, and sometimes even chants of performers’ names from the audience. From rapping, to acting, to playing their own remixes of classical piano compositions, our performers showcased not only talent, but confidence and strength in the face of adversity.
As a foundation, we are beyond proud of our young people for their grit, resilience, and of course their incredible artistry. We are also eternally grateful for the generosity of our board members and all those whose support of this show made the evening possible.
Finally, we want to extend our deepest thanks to every individual who filled the seats at Radio City Music Hall to show their love and support for our performers. It was an unforgettable evening all around, and we are already looking forward to next year’s show! See you there!