GYPSY OF THE YEAR 2009 Sets Records! Winners and Totals Are...

The 21st Annual GYPSY OF THE YEAR COMPETITION announced an all time record total of $4,630,695 had been raised by the 60 participating Broadway, Off-Broadway, and National Tour companies to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. This year's total breaks the previous record when $3,927,000 was raised for the 2007 GYPSY OF THE YEAR COMPETITION.

In addition, A Steady Rain starring Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman raised the most money of any show in the history of GYPSY OF THE YEAR by collecting $1,549,952. The previous all time fundraising record holder was in 2003 when The Boy From Oz starring Jackman raised $632,998.

THE GYPSY OF THE YEAR COMPETITION is the culmination of a period of intensive fundraising where New York's most talented "gypsies," chorus members from Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, join in a competition/variety show as six weeks of intensive fundraising by the community come to a close.

This year's competition ended with the following top-dollar raising shows:

All Time Top Fundraiser: A Steady Rain raising $1,549,952

Broadway:
Fourth Runner-up Wicked $147,611
Third Runner-up Hair $153,648
Second Runner-up Billy Elliot $153,677
Top Broadway Fundraiser The Phantom of the Opera $161,060

National Touring Shows:

 

 

Third Runner-up Jersey Boys - Chicago $190,466
Second Runner-up Jersey Boys - Sherry Tour $225,225
First Runner-up Wicked - The Emerald City Tour $237,000
Top Tour Fundraiser Rent $242,383

A special award was given to the top fundraising Broadway Play which was Superior Donuts ($76,309). In addition, Avenue Q won the Off-Broadway fundraising competition by raising $27,917.

The results of this year's presentation awards were:

First Runner Up: West Side Story

Winner: Chicago

This year's GYPSY OF THE YEAR was hosted by Tony Award winner Julie White (The Understudy) and noted Broadway personality Seth Rudetsky ("Seth's Big Fat Broadway" on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio).

White and Rudetsky were joined by two-time Tony Award winner and long-time BC/EFA friend and Trustee Bernadette Peters and Michael McKean (Superior Donuts) for the presentation of the afternoon's awards.

This year's judges were introduced by A Steady Rain stars Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman. The judges included Michael Cerveris (In The Next Room), (Ana Gasteyer (The Royal Family), John Glover (The Royal Family), Montego Glover (Memphis), BC/EFA's President and Jujamcyn Producing Director Paul Libin, Marcia Milgrom Dodge (Ragtime), Jim Norton (Finian's Rainbow), and longtime BC/EFA friend Marion Duckworth Smith.

Other highlights from this year's presentations included:
The opening number, created by Melissa Mahon, Sean McKnight, and Seth Farber, which was a parody of the hit Fox reality show "So You Think You Can Dance" and will featured a panel that included Christopher Sieber (Shrek The Musical) playing ‘Nigel Lythgoe,' Mary Birdsong ("Reno: 911") as ‘Mary Murphy,' and Broadway casting director Bernie Telsey as himself. The number also featured a special appearance by "SYTYCD" season five contestant Ryan Kasprzak.

Hosts Julie White and Seth Rudetsky kept the audience in stitches, especially when they recounted their respective attempts at musical theatre stardom: Julie when she played ‘Adelaide' in an Austin, TX production of Guys and Dolls and Seth when he made an audition tape of himself singing "Tomorrow" from Annie when he was 11 years old.

A special a piece representing gypsies from national touring productions was directed and choreographed by Shea Sullivan with her associate choreographer Pamela Remler that featured singer/composer Katie Thompson singing a song entitled "Your Side" with a troupe of exquisite dancers.

The "Merry Men of Chicago" singing a side-splitting parody of the song "A Boy Like That/I Have A Love" including amazing live counter tenor vocals from Ryan Lowe who plays ‘Mary Sunshine' on Broadway.

The companies of Avenue Q and In The Heights coming together to perform Shafrika, The White Girl, a show created by Avenue Q's Anika Larsen with April Nickell and Joshua Henry.

Jersey Boys cast members Russell Fischer and Taylor Sternberg offering a smoky, jazz infused, spoken word rendition of classic Broadway tunes ala William Shatner.

The cast of Bye Bye Birdie honoring artists who have been lost because of AIDS by singing the Queen classic "Bohemian Raphsody."

Wicked cast member Carrie Manolakos sang an original song called "In Your Own Grace" that featured moving performances by dancers Kenway Kua and Samantha Zack.

Broadway Cares / Equity Fights 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 $170 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, The Phyllis 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