26th Annual EASTER BONNET Competition to Take Place 4/23-24 at Minskoff Theatre

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS will present the 26th Annual EASTER BONNET COMPETITION on Monday, April 23 (4:30 PM) and Tuesday, April 24 (2 PM) at the Minskoff Theatre (200 West 45th Street, NYC), home to the long-running musical hit Disney's The Lion King. Proceeds from the event will benefit BC/EFA.

The EASTER BONNET COMPETITION is a two-day Broadway spectacular featuring the companies of Broadway, Off-Broadway and national touring productions. Performers sing, dance and wear stunningly creative, celebratory and outrageously original Easter bonnets in this well-loved annual Broadway tradition.

The 25 previous editions of the EASTER BONNET COMPETITION have raised more than $46 million for Broadway Cares, including $3,706,085 in last year's competition.

The EASTER BONNET COMPETITION is the culmination of six weeks of intensive fundraising efforts by company members of Broadway, Off-Broadway and national touring productions. Curtain speeches, bucket collections, autographed poster and program sales, auctions and cabaret performances bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars from audiences prior to the performances on April 23 and 24. The winner of the Easter Bonnet Competition will be the company that raises the largest amount of donations for BC/EFA. Awards are presented to the top fundraising Broadway musical, Broadway play, national tour and Off-Broadway production. Awards also are given to the companies with the best bonnet design and best presentation during the performances on April 23 and 24.

Hosts, judges and special guests for this year's EASTER BONNET COMPETITION will be announced in the coming weeks.

Tickets prices for the EASTER BONNET COMPETITION are $350 for VIP orchestra; $200 priority center orchestra; $120 side orchestra and front mezzanine; $40 rear side orchestra and middle mezzanine; and $20 rear mezzanine.

Tickets are available now at broadwaycares.org or by calling 212.840.0770, ext. 268.

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 $195 million for essential services for people with AIDS and other critical illnesses across the United States.

Broadway Cares awards annual grants to more than 400 AIDS and family service organizations nationwide and 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.

Tickets are available now at www.broadwaycares.org or by calling (212) 840-0770 Ext. 268.