Anthony Hollock, Mr. Hair, was crowned Mr. Broadway 2009 at the 3rd annual Broadway Beauty Pageant held Monday evening at Symphony Space. The popular event is the annual benefit of New York's Ali Forney Center, which provides shelter for homeless LGBT youth in New York City.
The Broadway Beauty Pageant, formerly titled Mr. Broadway, featured male cast members representing their respective Broadway shows. Other contestants included James Brown III (Mr. Little Mermaid), Adam Fleming (Mr. Wicked), Tony James (Mr. Lion King) and David Larsen (Mr. Billy Elliot). Contestants competed for the title crown through talent, interview and swimsuit competitions.
Each contestant went head to head in front of a panel of celebrity judges, but ultimately, the final vote was in the audience's hands. The judges were Ana Gasteyer (Saturday Night Live, Wicked), Beth Leavel (The Drowsy Chaperone, Young Frankenstein), Charles Busch (The Third Story, The Tale of the Allergist's Wife) and Seth Rudetsky (Rhapsody in Seth, Chatterbox, The Ritz). The evening was hosted by the award-winning actress and current star of Irena's Vow, Ms. Tovah Feldshuh.
Following the coronation, the audience was given the opportunity to make an additional donation to the Ali Forney Center, resulting in over $9,000 raised at the door. Overall, the event raised more than $30,000; more than double last year's amount.
The Broadway Beauty Pageant is written and conceived by Jeffery Self and directed by Ryan J. Davis, with musical direction by Sonny Paladino. The evening is produced by Ryan J. Davis, Jeffrey Self and Wil Fisher in association with Matthew Oberstein and Tim Hur.
The Ali Forney Center (AFC) was started in June 2002 in response to the lack of safe shelter for LGBT youth in New York City. They have grown quickly to become the nation's largest and most comprehensive organization dedicated to homeless LGBT youth.
www.aliforneycenter.org/beauty
