White Elephant Cabaret Theater announce Open House, Grand Opening Gala and Fundraiser

Great news for the Orlando arts community as new theater company The White Elephant Theatre Company, founded by local entertainer and drag performer Robert Crane is getting ready to officially open the doors to a new theater space for Orlando - The White Elephant Cabaret Theatre.

Robert Crane is a long-time performer and theatrical producer who moved to Orlando from Kansas City, Missouri where he made his stage debut at ten years of age. Crane is a former WDW entertainment cast member who has produced and directed Orlando Fringe festival favs such as “The Gay 90’s Musical”, “F*ckig Men”, and most recently “Miss Gulch Returns”.

Disheartened by the lack of availability of any truly affordable rehearsal and performance spaces in or around Orlando’s city center, Crane set out to create a space that would fill that void.

After an 18-month exhaustive search Crane finally found and has rented a former church, located on Fairbanks Avenue just a block east of Orlando’s Edgewater Drive, which he and his team of volunteers (Crane calls them “Angels”) have transformed into a legit theater and cabaret venue complete with dressing room, stage, theatrical lighting and sound capabilities, a tech booth, and lobby bar. Crane explains, “One of the biggest assets White Elephant has to offer its potential producers, artists, and patrons is our adjacent surface level off-street lot offering plenty of free and hassle-free parking for all!”

To celebrate the opening of The White Elephant Cabaret Theatre, Crane will be hosting an open house, together with a grand opening gala and fundraiser, read on for ore details!

Community Open House

On Sunday, June 11, 2023,Crane and his Angels will be on hand to welcome visitors and will tour them through the White Elephant Cabaret Theater during a Community Open House. Visitors may drop-in anytime between the hours of 11 am and 4 pm on June 11 for this pre-opening opportunity to see all areas of the building. There is no charge to drop in. A cash bar will be available as well as fundraising raffle ticket sales.

PARADE Gala and Fundraiser

On Monday evening, June 12, 2023, Michael Wanzie will emcee an extra special variety show that will serve as the centerpiece of a ticketed Gala and Fundraiser entitled PARADE which will officially marks the opening of founder Robert Crane’s White Elephant Theater here in Orlando.

The evening will be a wonderful celebration where attendees are encouraged to dress in a celebratory manner – from cocktail attire to evening wear, from sequins to feathers and everything in between – fun and festive attire is what is called for. The centerpiece of the evening will be variety show emceed by Michael Wanzie with a sensational line-up of talent which is still being expanded at press time but as of this writing includes the talents of Julian Bond, Matthew Lincoln-Bugg, Sarah Lee Dobbs, Christopher Leavy, Brett McMahon, Burt Rodriguez, select members of

Orlando Gay Chorus, the singing trio SINCERELY THREE, and the stand-up comedy of RAUCE PADGETT

Tickets for PARADE are advance priced at $30 and are available through Eventbrite.com or will cost $50 at the door if available. The evening will include complimentary lite-bites, live piano music, cash bar, silent auction, a raffle, and the variety show.

Doors will open at 7 pm for the cash bar reception with showtime slated for 8 pm-ish. Ticket available is extremely limited.

Fundraising Raffle

Many of Greater Orlando’s most notable theaters and producers have graciously donated pairs of tickets valid for attending one of each producer’s future shows which are being combined into one fantastic theater-going bundle as the main prize in a raffle being conducted to help offset the tremendous costs associated with transforming the church – located at 1123 W. Fairbanks Avenue - into a theater.

Ticket donations are still coming in, but those who contributed at least one pair of tickets to their shows thus far include – Orlando Shakes | Theatre West End | The Ensemble Company in Residence at Penguin Point | SAK Comedy Lab | Winter Park Playhouse | Breakthrough Theatre | Sleuth’s Mystery Dinner Shows | and tickets for two for the entire 2023/2024 season at the Sonnentag Theater at the Ice House. The combined total value of this ticket bundle grand prize currently exceeds $700 and is expected to increase. 100 % of proceeds from the raffle will be divided evenly between GOPAR – Greater Orlando Performing Arts Relief - and White Elephant Theatre Productions Inc. which are both registered 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit organizations.

White Elephant is proud to become a partnering organization in support of GOPAR. Raffle tickets priced at $5 per chance, five chances for $20, or 15 chances for $50 and will be available for purchase during the June 11th Open House and during PARADE, the White Elephant Grand Opening Gala and Fundraiser being held the following evening during which the prize winner will be drawn and announced.

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