After a two-year hiatus, the Garden of Dreams Foundation will once again present their annual Talent Show on April 13, hosted at Radio City Music Hall.
In partnership with MSG Entertainment and MSG Sports, Garden of Dreams is a nonprofit dedicated to providing young people facing illness or financial challenges with access to educational and skills opportunities, mentoring programs and memorable experiences that enhance their lives, help shape their futures and create lasting joy.
Garden of Dreams recently held a run-through of the upcoming show in the large rehearsal hall, with all the youth performers in attendance.
Various guests made appearances at the event to serve as mentors, including the Radio City Rockettes, Chloe Flower, pianist; Wé McDonald, “The Voice” singer; Papoose, rapper; and Tracy Morgan, comedian.
The talent show will have 23 music and dance performances, with performers ranging from the ages of 6 to 21.
Some past Garden of Dreams performers go on to become mentors for incoming youth talent, including Tyrese Shawn Avery, who performed in the 2019 show and received the Inspire Scholarship to attend NYU for four years.
“Most of my mentees are singers, so I’m just really excited to get to work with them and see what they want to achieve. My day to day with the kids is supporting what they’ve done already and opening up their eyes to what else they can do, and what the right next step is for them,” Avery said.
“Garden of Dreams is here to serve the kids and put a spotlight on them, and that’s why they put on this talent show at Radio City — to remind them that dreams do come true if you continue to work at it,” he continued.
The fourteenth edition of the Garden of Dreams Talent Show takes place on April 13 at 7 p.m.
Tickets are free, but must be reserved at gardenofdreamsfdtn.org/talentshow2022.
Performers in the Garden of Dreams Talent Show rehearse at Radio City Music Hall. Photo: Noemad Reid/MSG Entertainment.
Anna Chen, a 10-year-old Queens resident, performs “Sonatina op.36 No.3” on the piano. She has taken weekly piano lessons since age 5.
Wé McDonald and KayCee Arianna perform “The Schuyler Sisters.”
