Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction Raises Record-Setting $782,081 for BC/EFA!

A stunning fall day set the perfect stage September 30, 2016, as Broadway fans searched for endless theatre treasures and once-in-a-lifetime experiences at the 30th Annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction, which raised a record $782,081 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Everything you love about Broadway was all in one place as rare Broadway memorabilia, celebrity meet-and-greets and more wooed fans to Shubert Alley and West 44th and 45th Streets. The day-long celebration of all things Broadway featured 68 tables, 73 of the brightest stars on the Great White Way and 206 live and silent auction items.

The 30 editions of the Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction(#broadwayflea) have collectively raised $12.6 million. This year's total shattered the previous record of $756,655, set last year.

"I'm so proud and thrilled to see this remarkable event grow into the biggest day of the year for the Broadway fan in all of us - whether we work onstage, backstage or cheer from the audience," Broadway Cares Executive Director Tom Viola said. "Every dollar earned at the Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction will go back into our community and across the country as Broadway Cares continues to provide vital, lifesaving support to the people who need it most. The money we raise from a signed Playbill or prop, a walk-on experience or opening night ticket package has the potential to change someone's life."

Fans added unique pieces to their own theatrical collections from the tables representing Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, theatre owners and producing organizations, unions, guilds, marketing groups, ticket agencies, concessionaires and fan clubs.

Notable finds included a smashed, autographed guitar from Waitress from a moment cut from the show, a dazzling silver jacket costume piece fromOn Your Feet!, signed by Gloria and Emilio Estefan, and copies of the "Reynolds Pamphlet," signed by the cast of Hamilton.

The tables this year raised $395,601. The top 10 tables were: Hamiltonwith $38,976; Wicked with $22,185; TDF's fan favorite "Pik-a-Tik" with $17,621; Creative Goods Merchandise with $16,821; ATPAM with $16,148;Waitress with $11,705; artist Justin "Squigs" Robertson and The Lights of Broadway Show Cards with $11,602; Reel Time Video Production with $11,115; School of Rock - The Musical with $10,433; and The Color Purplewith $10,404.

A special table, dubbed Act III, featured items from recently closed shows, including The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Finding Neverland, Fun Home, LES MISERABLES and Shuffle Along..., and raised $12,334.

The day concluded in Shubert Alley with the live auction, which raised a record-breaking $301,400.

Some of the most popular lots featured walk-on roles in Broadway's hottest hits. The top-selling lot of the evening was a walk-on role in the Tony Award-winning Kinky Boots, which went for $15,000.

Tickets to the opening night of Hello Dolly! starring the iconic Bette Midleras well as passes to the star-studded after-party raised $13,000. In all, 19 opening night packages, which included passes to the VIP celebratory parties afterward, raised $67,150.

Other popular auction items included a seat as a judge at Broadway Cares'Gypsy of the Year and Easter Bonnet Competition, which raised $12,000; and walk-on roles in Wicked, which went for $10,500, Beautiful - The Carole King Musical for $9,750, and The Phantom of the Opera for $8,000.

Broadway and television favorite Bryan Batt joined Grand Auction first-timer acclaimed auctioneer Nick Nicholson of Freeman's to host the live auction. Nicholson followed in the footsteps of longtime auctioneer and friend of Broadway Cares, the incomparable Lorna Kelly, who passed away this summer.

Auction favorites Jen Cody and Michael Goddard co-hosted the silent auction throughout the day, which raised $80,080. The top selling silent auction item at $3,250 was an "At This Performance" sign from Shuffle Along..., autographed by its star-studded cast. Two Hamilton items - a poster signed by the original cast and a handwritten and signed musical phrase of "Just You Wait" - each raised $3,000.

In addition to exploring the endless gems at the tables and auctions, fans also met their favorite Broadway stars at the Autograph Table and Photo Booth, which raised $22,511.

The Broadway stars who appeared at the table were Christy Altomare,Michael Arden, James Barbour, Bryan Batt, Richard H. Blake, John Bolton, Alex Brightman, Danny Burstein, Haven Burton, CaroleeCarmello, Will Chase, Leanne Cope, Corey Cott, Jason Danieley,Ariana DeBose, Jennifer DiNoia, Jordan Donica, Brandon VictorDixon, Ali Ewoldt, Robert Fairchild, Aaron C. Finley, Lora Lee Gayer,Drew Gehling, John Glover, Mandy Gonzalez, Joel Grey, Josh Grisetti,Ann Harada, Heather Headley, Jessica Hecht, James Monroe Iglehart,Ben Jacoby, Rachel Bay Jones, Judy Kaye, Andrew Keenan-Bolger,Celia Keenan-Bolger, Chilina Kennedy, Derek Klena, JeremyKushnier, Diane Lane, Lexi Lawson, Kara Lindsay, Lesli Margherita,Marin Mazzie, Rob McClure, Andy Mientus, Melanie Moore, JavierMuñoz, Bebe Neuwirth, Kelli O'Hara, Rory O'Malley, Christopher JohnO'Neill, Brad Oscar, Ben Platt, Courtney Reed, Jelani Remy, NicRouleau, Megan Sikora, Carrie St. Louis, Jennifer Laura Thompson,Jenna Ushkowitz, Ana Villafañe, Max von Essen, Adrienne Warren andJessica Keenan Wynn.

Special guests from two upcoming television musicals joined the table. From NBC's production of Hairspray Live! were Maddie Baillio, HarveyFierstein, Shahadi Wright Joseph and Jerry Mitchell. From Fox TV's upcoming The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Againwere Reeve Carney, Victoria Justice, Ryan McCartan and Ben Vereen.

Jim Caruso of Jim Caruso's Cast Party at Birdland returned as host of the Autograph Table and Photo Booth.

The 30th Annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction was sponsored by The New York Times and United Airlines.

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is one of the nation's leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. By drawing upon the talents, resources, and generosity of the American theatre community, since 1988 BC/EFA has raised more than $285 million for essential services for people with AIDS and other critical illnesses across the United States.

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is the major supporter of the social service programs at The Actors Fund, including the HIV/AIDS Initiative, the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative and the Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic. Broadway Cares also awards annual grants to more than 450 AIDS and family service organizations in all 50 states.

For more information, please visit Broadway Cares online atbroadwaycares.org, at facebook.com/BCEFA, at instagram.com/BCEFA, attwitter.com/BCEFA and at youtube.com/BCEFA.