L Morgan Lee, John-Andrew Morrison & More From A STRANGE LOOP to Take Part in CFCArts Benefit

Central Florida Community Arts will present a special evening with actors from the Tony Award-winning show, A Strange Loop. The event is presented in partnership with Florida Theatrical Association. All proceeds will benefit CFCArts.

A Strange Loop is a groundbreaking, Tony Award®-winning musical that sheds light on an artist's journey through life as he grapples with his self-image, identity, familial expectations, and love. Join CFCArts for Make Them Hear You: Black, Gay, and on Broadway, an intimate conversation with members of the cast, as they explore these issues and more. Featuring musical moments that shaped each artist, the evening will be filled with singing, laughter, honest conversation, and moving insights.

The event will feature members of the Tony Award®-winning cast - L Morgan Lee (Thought 1), John-Andrew Morrison (Thought 4), James Jackson Jr. (Thought 2), and Jason Veasey (Thought 5) - accompanied by Dr. Terrance Lane.

Dr. Lane was the director of Choral Studies at Bethune-Cookman University for many years, with interests in student development and social justice. He is a highly respected musician, music director, and educator in Central Florida.

Chevalier Lovett will host the event. A Florida native, Lovett is currently COO for Florida Rising, an organization focused on equity and change throughout the state. He has held multiple leadership positions with nonprofits and serves on local, state, and national boards and committees. Lovett has performed locally, including several CFCArts productions, and actively speaks up for marginalized communities.

CFCArts CEO Terrance Hunter will moderate the evening's conversation. Like Lovett, Hunter has also worked with a variety of nonprofits. These include Orange County Regional History Center in Orlando, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Jacksonville, and the Holocaust Memorial Resource & Education Center of Florida. He serves on multiple boards including Hope CommUnity Center - an organization dedicated to serving the immigrant, undocumented, and working poor of Central Florida - and National Alliance for Music in Vulnerable Communities among others.

Hunter, an Orlando native, has been involved in the arts since elementary school. He received his degree in education and brings his passion for the arts and his commitment to education to CFCArts. His career has always included a single focus on the power of an institution to build authentic, impactful relationships with the community, resulting in visible and lasting change.

"The arts have always been a vehicle for social change and commentary," Hunter said. "In addition to providing an escape, they also provide unparalleled insight into the experiences of others, allowing us to build, among other things, empathy and understanding."

Early in 2021, CFCArts Board Member Steve Fessler and his husband Randy Lord joined forces with five-time Tony Award®-winning Broadway Producer, Barbara Whitman and Barbara Whitman Productions, LLC as investors in the hit Broadway musical, A Strange Loop, to the Broadway stage in NYC.

"We feel that it is more important than ever to share a story about the personal truths of being LGBTQ+ artists performing at a high level in the arts with our friends in Central Florida," Fessler said. "The ability to share a message of love, acceptance and inclusion through the arts is our mission in life. Spreading the word that the arts are the Great Equalizer - bringing people from all backgrounds together - can only make us stronger as one community."

Make Them Hear You: Black, Gay, and on Broadway take place on Tuesday, March 28, at 8 p.m. at The Abbey Orlando. Tickets will be available starting at 2pm on Friday, February 24, at CFCArts.com/StrangeLoop.

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