Please be advised that John Sullivan, Michael Wanzie, Monique Byrnes, Kenny Howard, and Barry Miller are no longer associated with the Orlando Youth Alliance, and are NOT presenting the show - LET'S MAKE A BIG GAY DEAL -  which this group of concerned volunteers promoted at Fringe Preview.
 
An OYA fundraising show is still being presented at Fringe by others involved with OYA, under the new title - I ________ You. The schedule for this new show will be the same as is being advertised for LET'S MAKE A BIG GAY DEAL.
 
While we at the WANZeGRAM have no interest in dissuading you from attending the new show, we feel an obligation to make it perfectly clear that whatever form the show now takes, it will not include the people - such as that shirtless hunk of prize-presenting manhood, Chris Galen - who appeared in and presented the game show concept at Fringe preview.
 
By way of explanation, we regret to report that John Sullivan - the person with the longest history with Orlando Youth Alliance, and one of the most involved mentors and event organizers, who always put the best interest of the youth ahead of his own -  was "fired" from his volunteer position at OYA, out of the blue, via a registered letter from board President Michael Slaymaker, just 3 days after Fringe preview.
 
It was John Sullivan who first involved OYA in the Fringe Festival - not only raising significant funds for the organization, but also introducing the youth members themselves to the Festival, and theater in general. The two original Fringe shows which John produced for OYA over the past two years were not only well attended, well reviewed, and profitable, they also served to inform and educate the general public about OYA, and the plight of gay youth in today's society.
 
Due to the Board of Directors going in a direction with which John was not necessarily comfortable, John agreed to resign his OYA board position, and act as the Theater Liaison for the organization; a move the board supported.
 
Long-time OYA supporter Barry Miller, who has held OYA events in his home, made financial contributions to the organization, and provided free meeting space to the group at his Thornton Park office complex, approached John Sullivan with the idea for LET'S MAKE A BIG GAY DEAL.
 
The Wanzie Presents team, (which in addition to Miller included Wanzie, Kenny Howard, and Monique Byrnes) in association with John Sullivan as the appointed representative/liaison to OYA, went to work developing the show.
 
Somewhere along the line, people on the board of OYA became concerned that this group of seasoned Fringe veterans might not be on the ball. Now remember, the group consisted of John Sullivan - who produced two previous shows at Fringe on behalf of OYA, Monique Byrnes - a respected actress and singer with proven fundraising and managerial skills who is also a past Fringe board member, Barry Miller - who was a transformative President of the Board of Directors of Orlando Fringe, Kenny Howard - who has a long string of Fringe hits to his credit, several of which have won awards, and Wanzie  - who has been doing Fringe since year 2, and has written and produced the most financially successful and most attended show in Fringe history (The Lion Queen), also directed by Howard. Suddenly, out of nowhere, two individual board members sent emails to Wanzie, Miller, and Howard, lamenting the fact that they had not seen a script, or a rehearsal schedule, or a poster design.
 
The production group hadn't realized they needed to interface with the board at all. The group informed the board they would prefer the board handle inquiries through John Sullivan, as the group did not wish to be answerable to multiple contacts when there was a board appointed liaison in place with whom the group was working quite effectively, and with whom the group was well pleased. The group further assured the board they knew how to put up a good show in a timely manner without board oversight beyond that of the board appointed liaison - John Sullivan. The group expressed their disinterest in becoming mired down in organizational bureaucracy, or inner workings issues of the organization.
 
Sullivan then sent the board a very frank email expressing his dismay that the board would contact the creative team directly rather than going through him.
 
The board then sent John Sullivan a somewhat ridiculous certified letter informing him that he should immediately cease representing OYA, and that he was "fired."  They did so without warning the creative team that they were going to fire their OYA liaison and co-producer.
 
Standing in solidarity with John Sullivan, the creative team of Wanzie, Miller, Howard, and Byrnes pulled out of the project without hesitation.
 
Not only did the group not wish to present the show - on which Sullivan had already worked so hard - without him, the group had also become increasingly concerned over recent actions/or inaction on the part of the OYA Board with regards to the all important task of securing a building for safe-haven meeting space for the youth. This is a goal that had been established and well publicized by the board two years ago. Since announcing that goal, Wanzie, and specifically Susan Unger of The Parliament House in particular, began fundraising to that end - and through various events held at the PH, have raised nearly ten thousand dollars specifically earmarked for the OYA building fund. It has since come to the attention of the aforementioned group, that the board had since decided against securing its own building any time in the near future.
 
Thus, not only are John Sullivan, Michael Wanzie, Monique Byrnes, Kenny Howard, and Barry Miller not presenting the show they prepared for the Festival, they remain eager to learn exactly what are the intentions of the OYA board with regards to the money already raised for the building fund, and all believe there needs to be an immediate change of board members at OYA.
 
The group maintains it was reckless, unnecessary, and just plain rude to have fired John Sullivan from an organization he himself helped establish, and to do so just weeks before the fundraising show was to open, and indeed, just weeks before Sullivan's already planned resignation from his post. The group remains convinced that Sullivan's firing was borne out of vindictiveness with no regard to what was in the best interest of the youth supposedly being served. The group collectively feels insulted by the misplaced concerns by, and sophomoric actions of, the board. The group feels very strongly that a new OYA board needs to be established, and that John Sullivan should be on that board.
 

 

Now through July 2, Florida residents can experience the fantasy world of La Nouba by Cirque du Soleil, at 30 percent off the regular price of Category 2 seats. 

 

To add to the impressive ranks of the show's professional athletes, dancers, vocalists, musicians, and comedic performers, La Nouba now has an amazing juggler, Anthony Gatto. Time Magazine calls Gatto, "simply the best juggler ever."

 

Gatto comes to La Nouba from the tour of KOOZA by Cirque du Soleil, and holds 11 world records in juggling.  In his act, Gatto juggles balls, hoops, and clubs in unprecedented numbers, at amazing speed, with seemingly impossible accuracy.

 

Florida residents can purchase tickets at 30% off the regular price of Category 2 seats for shows now through July 2.  Discounted tickets are $58.85 for adults, and $47.77 for children (ages 3 - 9).  Tickets are available by calling (407)939-7328, or going in person to the box office located at the plaza level of the theater.  For discounted group reservations of 12 or more, call (866) 353-5625. 

 

In Downtown Disney

 

Tuesdays through Saturdays at 6 PM & 9 PM

The theater is dark Sundays and Mondays year 'round.
The show is on hiatus May 23 through June 7, 2010.

 

(407)939-7328