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Photo Coverage: BC/EFA Easter Bonnet Competition

The 23rd ANNUAL EASTER BONNET COMPETITION was a great success with $3,402,147 being raised this year by the 58 participating Broadway, Off-Broadway, and National Tour companies to benefit Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS. Since it began in 1987, 23 editions of the Annual Easter Bonnet Competition have raised nearly $39 million for BC/EFA.

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS presented the 23rd Annual Easter Bonnet Competition on Monday, April 27 and Tuesday, April 28 at the Minskoff Theatre (200 West 45th Street). The proceeds from the event benefited BC/EFA. For more Easter Bonnet photo fun click here.

This year's winners were announced by Jane Fonda, Susan Sarandon and Geoffrey Rush.

Special guests include Don Richard and Jen Cody reprising their beloved portrayals of Urinetown's 'Officer Lockstock' and 'Little Sally' and Andrea Burns (In The Heights) singing "Help Is On The Way," the official anthem of BC/EFA.

The Easter Bonnet judges included Laura Benanti (Why Torture Is Wrong and The People Who Love Them), Brian d'Arcy James (Shrek), Marsha Mason (Impressionism), Steven Pasquale (reasons to be pretty), Alice Ripley (Next to Normal), and The Cast of God Of Carnage: Jeff Daniels, Hope Davis, Marcia Gay Harden, and James Gandolfini.

This year's EASTER BONNET COMPETITION hosts included Joan Allen (Impressionism), Danny Burstein (South Pacific), Andre De Shields (Impressionism), Tovah Feldshuh (Irena's Vow), Gavin Creel (Hair), Joh Anna Day (August: Osage County), Rebecca Luker (Mary Poppins), Karen Olivo (West Side Story), Javier Munoz (In The Heights), Thomas Sadoski (reasons to be pretty), Will Swenson (Hair), and John Tartaglia (Shrek The Musical).

The Easter Bonnet Competition, the two-day Broadway spectacular that features the companies of more than 20 Broadway, off-Broadway and touring productions singing, dancing, and donning original Easter bonnets, has become an annual Broadway tradition.

The Easter Bonnet Competition is the culmination of six intensive weeks of fundraising efforts by Broadway and Off-Broadway company members as well as numeroUs Productions currently on national tour. Curtain speeches, autographed poster and program sales, auctions, and cabaret performances bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars from audiences prior to the competition. The winner of the competition will be the company that raises the largest amount of money for BC/EFA. A second award is granted to the company with the best bonnet design and presentation. Awards are also presented to the Broadway Play, National Tour and Off-Broadway production raising the most money for BC/EFA.

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is the nation's leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organization. By drawing upon the talents, resources and generosity of the American theatre community, BC/EFA raises funds for AIDS-related causes and other critical illnesses across the United States. Since its founding in 1988, BC/EFA has raised over $150 million dollars for critically needed services for people with AIDS and other serious illnesses. BC/EFA is the major supporter of seven programs at The Actors' Fund - including The AIDS Initiative, ThePhyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative, The Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic, The Dancers' Resource and three supportive housing residences. BC/EFA also awards annuAl Grants to over 400 AIDS and family service organizations nationwide.

For more information visit www.broadwaycares.org

Photos by Peter James Zielinski

Aisha de Haas in the opening number

Norm Lewis

Susan Blackwell, Heidi Blickenstaff and Julia Murney

Susan Blackwell, Heidi Blickenstaff, Seth Rudetsky and Julia Murney

Norm Lewis, Stephanie Gibson, Susan Blackwell, Heidi Blickenstaff, Aisha de Haas, Seth Rudetsky and Julia Murney

Norm Lewis and Aisha de Haas

Norm Lewis and Liza Minnelli

Liza Minnelli

Norm Lewis, Liza Minnelli, Stephanie Gibson and the opening number cast

Norm Lewis, Liza Minnelli and the company

Norm Lewis and Susan Blackwell

Liza Minnelli, Stephanie Gibson and the opening number cast

Liza Minnelli and the opening number cast

Liza Minnelli

Danny Burstein and Rebecca Luker

The Guys and Dolls cast get set to reveal...

Guys and Dolls

fellow 'Guy' Nick Adams

Naked Boys Singing

Naked Boys Singing's Eric Potter

Naked Boys Singing

Shrek The Musical

John Tartaglia

Mary Poppins

Joan Allen

Tovah Feldshuh

Tovah Feldshuh and Joan Allen

Chicago

Jersey Boys

Impressionism

The Marvelous Wonderettes

The Defying Inequality Group

Nicole Parker , Adam Fleming and The Cast of Wicked

Wicked

Nicole Parker and The Cast of Wicked

Adam Fleming, Nicole Parker and The Cast of Wicked

Nicole Parker and The Cast of Wicked

The Lion King

Don Richard and Jennifer Cody

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As an Equity actor, Peter is photographing the industry from the inside out. He has performed in numerous shows regionally, sung a duet with Richard Chamberlain in the National Tour of "Scrooge," and starred in "The Zoo Project" which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. When not on stage, he can be found photographing headshots and live theatre in NYC, Chicago and LA. As an Adobe Certified Expert in Photoshop, he also acts as a retouching artist for photographers city-wide. For more information, please visit: http://www.pjzstudios.com

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