Broadway's brightest stars, more than 60 theatre-themed tables and exciting, on-the-spot "flash auction" experiences will help Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and tens of thousands of theatre fans celebrate the 25th Annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction today, September 25. Be sure to check into BroadwayWorld for the famed Grand Auction as we stream it LIVE right here beginning at 4:30pm!
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE LIVE STREAM STARTING AT 4:30 PM, TIMES SQUARE WIFI PENDING. Should the Times Square Internet not hold up, check back for highlights.
The event, which is free and open to the public, runs from 10 AM - 7 PM on West 44th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues, and, for the first time, now extends into Times Square, between 43rd and 44th Streets.
"Come sunshine or drizzle the Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction will go on. Only heavy rains in the morning would knock us out," said Tom Viola, BC/EFA's executive director. "Please check the website, Facebook and Twitter for an update on Sunday morning and throughout the day if clouds are gray. In the meantime, all prayers, entreaties and cosmic bribes are appreciated. I have great faith in the kindness of Mother Nature!"
From posing for photos with your favorite Broadway and television stars, to buying that lost cast recording, autographed show posters and Playbills, rare costume sketches or special gift you can't find anywhere else - the Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction promises something for everyone.
Broadway's biggest shows will be represented by tables offering show biz treasures not available anywhere else, including props and set pieces, custom-made keepsakes from costumes and rigging, handcrafted ornaments and dolls, and other theatrical riches.
The Grand Auction has always been a highlight of the event and this year will not disappoint.
New for 2011 are special "flash auctions" which feature instant experiences with Broadway stars live on the Grand Auction stage, including:
-Spamalot karaoke with Tony Award-nominated Spamalot star
Christopher Sieber-A coaching session with Chicago star and former "American Idol" judge
Kara DioGuardi-An on-the-spot appearance in the hit web series "Side by Side by
Susan Blackwell"
-Your favorites tunes sung especially for you by Rent star
Anthony Rapp and Wicked star Julia
Murney
-Your outgoing voice mail message recorded in the voice of the diva of your choice by singer and
comedian
Christine Pedi, known for her spot-on impersonations
The live auction wraps up the day, starting at 4:30 pm in Times Square between 43rd and 44th Streets. Among the more than 40 astounding lots included in the live auction are:
-Tickets to the by-invitation-only opening night of
Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway
-The ultimate Barbara Streisand package, featuring three wonderful items signed by Streisand
specifically for this year's Grand Auction. The items include an extremely rare, original movie
card from Funny Girl, a deluxe version of Ms. Streisand's new CD What Matters Most: Barbra
Streisand Sings the Lyrics of Alan and
Marilyn Bergman and the DVD One Night Only: Barbra
Streisand and Quartet at the Village Vanguard.
-A VIP evening at The Book of Mormon, including a backstage meet-and-greet with stars
Josh Gad and
Andrew Rannells.
-Backstage meet-and-greets with
Bernadette Peters,
Sutton Foster,
Patti LuPone and Mandy
Patinkin,
Reeve Carney and
Patrick Page,
Brooke Shields and
Roger Rees, the stars of Priscilla
Queen of the Desert, the cast of War Horse and the cast of Godspell
-A signed portrait of
Elizabeth Taylor in her dressing room, backstage at Broadway's Little Foxes,
one of her only two Broadway appearances. The photograph was generously autographed by
Taylor just last year as a special favor for Broadway Cares.
-Opening night tickets for Bonnie & Clyde, Carrie, An Evening with
Patti LuPone and Mandy
Patinkin, Evita, Lysistrata Jones, Man and Boy, The Mountaintop, On a Clear Day You Can See
Forever, The Gershwin's Porgy & Bess, Noel Coward's Private Lives, Seminar, Stick Fly and Venus
in Fur
-Walk-on roles in Chicago, Disney's The Lion King, Jersey Boys, Mamma Mia!, Memphis, The
Phantom of the Opera, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Rock of Ages, Sister Act and Wicked
-An behind-the-scenes look at Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark including watching the pre-show
"flight call" for the flying sequences and a post-show backstage tour
-Set visits (including hotel and airfare) to the hit TV shows "Modern Family," "NCIS: Los Angeles,"
and "Harry's Law" in Los Angeles
Prior to the live auction, beginning at 10 am, a new collection of silent auction lots will be up for bid every 30 minutes. Among the one-of-kind theater memorabilia available are:
-Autographed props and wardrobe pieces from American Idiot, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,
Driving Miss Daisy, Next to Normal, The Normal Heart, Shrek, A Steady Rain and more
-Musical phrases handwritten and signed by
Billie Joe Armstrong,
Mel Brooks,
Joe DiPietro and
David Bryan,
Lin-Manuel Miranda,
Stephen Schwartz,
Marc Shaiman and
Scott Wittman, Duncan
Sheik and
Steven Sater,
Stephen Sondheim and others
-An Equus marquee photo, taken by photographer Peter James Zielenski and signed by Equus star
Daniel Radcliffe-A
Kristin Chenoweth autographed package of CDs
-A Hello, Dolly! poster signed by
Carol Channing-A framed photograph and check signed by comedy legend
Lucille Ball-Official posters autographed by dozens of participants in past Tony Awards, Gypsy of the Year,
Easter Bonnet Competition and Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction
-Playbills, posters, CDs and other theatre memorabilia signed by the companies of American Idiot,
Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, Catch Me If You Can, In the Heights, Jerusalem, La Bête, La
Cage aux Folles, Mamma Mia!, Master Class, The Motherf**ker with the Hat, The Scottsboro
Boys, That Championship Season, War Horse and more
More than 60 celebrities are scheduled to appear at the always popular Autograph Table and Photo Booth. Each hour beginning at 11 AM a
New Group of celebrities will their places on the deck of Junior's Restaurant near the Flea Market. In exchange for donations to Broadway Cares, fans can get autographs and pictures with Broadway and television stars.
This year's line-up includes
Josh Gad,
Nikki M. James,
Andrew Rannells and
Rory O'Malley from The Book of Mormon;
Colin Donnell,
Sutton Foster,
Adam Godley and
Joel Grey from Anything Goes;
Victoria Clark and
Patina Miller from Sister Act;
Danny Burstein,
Jayne Houdyshell,
Jan Maxwell, Rob Raines and
Terri White from Follies;
Nick Adams and
Tony Sheldon from Priscilla Queen of the Desert;
Jackie Hoffman,
Brad Oscar and
Roger Rees from The Addams Family,
Christopher J. Hanke and
Rose Hemingway from How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying as well as other stars like
Bryan Batt,
Charles Busch,
Bobby Cannavale,
Jason Danieley,
Brian d'Arcy James,
Joyce Dewitt,
Michael Emerson,
Ana Gasteyer,
Montego Glover,
Jonathan Groff,
Megan Hilty,
Beth Leavel,
Telly Leung,
Marin Mazzie,
Laura Osnes,
Patrick Page,
Adam Pascal,
Anthony Rapp,
Alice Ripley and many more.
For a complete list of celebrities and their appearance times, visit
www.broadwaycares.org. All appearances are subject to change.
On Sunday, a map of the Flea Market tables, complete lists of all silent and live auction lots, and the autograph table and photo booth schedule will be available for smartphone users at www.broadwaycares.org/flea.
To celebrate the extension in Times Square, there will be an "official photo spot" at Broadway and 44th Street where fans can take an iconic picture that can be shared with Broadway Cares' followers on Facebook and Twitter. Any pictures taken at the Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction can be emailed to pics@broadwaycares.org.
Attendees checking in on Foursquare at the Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction location will receive a special discount on purchases of official Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS merchandise.
Last year, the 24th Annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction raised an astounding $476,917, bringing the event's 24-year total to $8,638,669.
Produced by and benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, the 25TH Annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction is sponsored by United Airlines and The New York Times.
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.
BC/EFA awards annual grants to more than 400 AIDS and family service organizations nationwide and is the major supporter of seven programs at The Actors Fund, including the HIV/AIDS Initiative, the
Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative and the
Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic.
For more information, please visit Broadway Cares online at
broadwaycares.org.