LI's Syndee Winters stars in music video to aid theater community

Syndee Winters is giving her regards to Broadway and especially to theater workers who have been struggling during the pandemic.

The Brentwood-raised performer who's appeared in "The Lion King," "Hamilton" and other hit musicals is one of four Broadway veterans starring in the music video "When Broadway Is Back," designed to benefit The Actors Fund and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The video for the optimistic anthem was penned by librettist Barbara Bellman and pianist Emiliano Messiez.

Winters, 34, who lives in New York City, recorded her portion from home, while fellow singers Carmen Ruby Floyd, Dale Sampson and Dana Aber and the orchestra worked in the studio.

While Winters was excited to be part of the project, she joked, "Just to be asked to do anything these days is gratifying." She added, "To help be a voice of inspiration or anything cool like that, I'm very grateful."

At the time of the Broadway lockdown in March, Winters was preparing for a new Disney stage musical, which she hopes will be revived when theaters reopen. Since then, she made a music video for "Warrior," a song that she co-wrote with "Lion King" co-star Mikari Tarpley, who was undergoing cancer treatment and is now in recovery. In July, Winters also started her virtual ROAR (Resourcefulness, Optimism, Authenticity and Resilience) School and a YouTube channel aimed at kids and teens.

"I want to help keep young artists motivated and encouraged while Broadway is not accessible. I even created a game show on the role management plays," she said.

While she misses performing for a live audience, she said the pandemic has helped her find new outlets, such as the school, for sharing her talents.

"The word of the year is 'Pivot,' " she said.