William Prather
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Will Prather was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He is a 1991 graduate of the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University, where he was active in Hotel Ezra Cornell, a student-operated hotel. Upon graduation, he spent a year working as a restaurant manager for the Harvey Hotel Company in Dallas, Texas.
Will is the Executive Producer and CEO of Prather Productions. He currently operates Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre in Fort Myers, Florida; the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; and APEX Touring, an international touring company that brings productions around the country and across the world. APEX Touring is currently producing Chicago. The entire company entertains half a million guests each year and employs over 300 people. He is past president of the Lee County Alliance for the Arts and a member of the Fort Myers Rotary Club. He is a Senior Advisor for The Collaboratory and a member of the Advisory Board of Florida Gulf Coast University's Hospitality/Resort Management Program. He also serves on the board of directors of Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties and the United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades. He is past secretary of the National Dinner Theatre Association, which consists of more than 20 dinner theatres across the country, and past Chairman of the Lee County Democratic Party.
Will's impressive community involvement illustrates his strong commitment to Southwest Florida. He constantly strives to increase public awareness about the arts and tourism in the region. Will is a proud father of his son TJ and a loving husband to his wife, Maureen. When not working or volunteering, he spends time on the golf course or on the waters of Southwest Florida kayaking and fishing.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:
- That a second-generation family business can thrive for 30 years by creating memorable experiences.
- How Will reinvented a struggling dinner theatre industry before and after COVID with innovative touring.
- How Prather Productions entertains half a million guests and employs over 300 team members annually.
- Why hands-on leadership and risk-taking are essential for solving evolving problems in live entertainment.
- How empathy and compassion help resolve people challenges while delivering positive customer outcomes in hospitality.
- That Will's approach blends a Cornell hospitality education with real-world restaurant management experience in Dallas.
- Why community leadership strengthens regional arts, tourism, and housing through organizations like Habitat for Humanity.
- How APEX Touring takes Broadway-scale productions like Chicago across the country and around the world.
- That balancing family, golf, kayaking, and fishing keeps a busy CEO grounded while scaling live theatre.
- Why taking care of hundreds of employees and their families drives long-term success in entertainment.
about the show
Legacy Makers is an entrepreneur TV series and business documentary experience built around powerful founder stories, leadership lessons, personal branding, and the strategies behind lasting success.
Each episode takes viewers inside the minds of influential entrepreneurs, industry leaders, pro athletes, executives, and business titans to uncover the moments, decisions, challenges, and breakthroughs that shaped their journey.
Through cinematic storytelling and in-depth conversation, Legacy Makers highlights the real experiences behind success, from building a brand and overcoming obstacles to developing expertise, creating impact, and leaving a legacy that reaches beyond business.
