The 21st Annual Easter Bonnet Competition was a great success with a near record, $3,345,997 being raised this year by the over 60 participating Broadway, Off-Broadway, and National Tour companies to benefit Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS. This year's total marks the second-highest total ever raised at an Easter Bonnet Competition. The record was set in 2004 when $3,435,997 was raised for BC/EFA.
David Hyde Pierce (Curtains) and Vanessa Redgrave (The Year of Magical Thinking) were on hand to present the awards for top fund raising companies and the outstanding bonnet presentation. The winner for bonnet presentation was Journey's End for a musical piece entitled "Journey's End: The Underdogs of War," in the style of smash hit Jersey Boys, which lampooned their status as a critically acclaimed production which is struggling at the box office.
The year's fundraising award-winner was the National Tour of Jersey Boys, with $236,844. Placing as first, second, third and fourth runner-up, respectively, were Wicked, The Color Purple, Mary Poppins and The Lion King. This marks the first time in the history of Easter Bonnets that a national tour has won the fundraising award. Special awards were also given to the top fundraising Broadway play, Off-Broadway company, and touring company. This year, the top fundraising Broadway play was The Coast of Utopia ($18,412); and the top fundraising Off-Broadway company was In The Heights ($26,658).
This year's hosts included: Ashley Brown (Mary Poppins), Laura Bell Bundy & Bruiser (Legally Blonde), Hugh Dancy (Journey's End), Paige Davis (Chicago), Jared Gertner (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), Gideon Glick (Spring Awakening), Jonathan Groff (Spring Awakening ), Edward Hibbert (Curtains), Amy Irving (The Coast of Utopia), Ron Kunene (The Lion King), Gavin Lee (Mary Poppins), Tshidi Manye (The Lion King), Lea Michele (Spring Awakening ), Patrick Page (The Lion King), Christine Pedi (Talk Radio), Mo Rocca (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), Seth Rudetsky, Michael Howie Smith & Rod (Avenue Q), and Karen Ziemba (Curtains). This year's judges included: Stephanie J. Block (The Pirate Queen), John Connolly (Executive Director of Actors' Equity Association), Joan Didion (Author of The Year of Magical Thinking), Tom Jones (Lyricist of 110 In The Shade and The Fantasticks), Baayork Lee (A Chorus Line), Bebe Neuwirth (Chicago), and Richard M. Sherman (composer of Mary Poppins ).
Visit www.broadwaycares.org for more information.
Patrick Page and Paige Davis
Hairspray star Paul Vogt
Tshidi Manye, Christine Pedi and Amy Irving
Tshidi Manye and Christine Pedi
Multitalented cast member of Company
Legally Blonde star Laura Bell Bundy
Laura Bell Bundy
Laura Bell Bundy
The Color Purple's Natasha Yvette Williams and Beauty and the Beast'sBrooke Tansley
Natasha Yvette Williams and Brooke Tansley
In the Heights' Priscilla Lopez
Ray Fellman with Tess Adams of Les Miserables, and her mother, The Phantom of the Opera'sAnne Runolfsson
Journey's End stars
Richard Poe
Laura Bell Bundy
Laura Bell Bundy
Laura Bell Bundy and canine friend
Mo Rocca, Rod and Howie Michael Smith
Seth Rudetsky
Eric Gunhus and Laura Bell Bundy
Eric Gunhus and Laura Bell Bundy
Eric Gunhus and Laura Bell Bundy
Cast of Spamalot
Company star Raul Esparza with his back-up singers
Raul Esparza and back-up singers
Bonnets on parade
Vanessa Redgrave and David Hyde-Pierce
Vanessa Redgrave and David Hyde-Pierce
Vanessa Redgrave and David Hyde-Pierce
Vanessa Redgrave and David Hyde-Pierce
Vanessa Redgrave and David Hyde-Pierce
Vanessa Redgrave and David Hyde-Pierce
Vanessa Redgrave and David Hyde-Pierce
David Hyde Pierce and cast members of The Color Purple
David Hyde-Pierce and cast members of In the Heights
Jersey Boys touring company raises the most money
BC/EFA supporter
TV legend Joyce Randolph ("The Honeymooners")
Amy Irving
