Broadway lovers and teddy bear collectors came together on Sunday, February 15, at the BROADWAY BEARS XII auction, which raised a grand total of $152,116! The event was hosted by Bryan Batt with Lorna Kelly reprising her role as auctioneer. Forty specially made BROADWAY BEARS - each dressed in original, handmade costumes representing the theater's most legendary characters - were auctioned to the highest bidder in support of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Last year's BROADWAY BEARS raised $130,878 and the grand total for all 12 Broadway Bears auctions is $1,644,077.18 with over 500 bears auctioned.
Top ten winning bids for bears were:
$16,000 - Sir Robin from Spamalot, designed by JoAnna Cayot and signed by
Clay Aiken.
$10,000 - Alan Strang with Nugget from Equus, designed by
Nicolas Putvinski and signed by
Daniel Radcliffe,
Richard Griffiths and
Lorenzo Pisoni.
$7,000 - Glinda from
Wicked, designed by
John Henson and signed by
Kristin Chenoweth and
Kendra Kassebaum.
$5,500 - Growltiger from Cats, designed by Therese Stadelmeier-Tresco and signed by
Betty Buckley and
Stephen Hanan$4,000 -
Billy Elliot(s) from
Billy Elliot,designed by Jessica Scoblick and signed by
David Alvarez,
Kiril Kulish and
Trent Kowalik.
$4,000 - Tommy Walker from The Who's Tommy, designed by Andy Wallach and signed by
Michael Cerveris.
$3,800 - Ashley from Starlight Express, designed by Andy Wallach and signed by
Andrea McArdle.
$3,700 - Betty Haynes from
Irving Berlin's White Christmas, designed by the show's original designer
Carrie Robbins and signed by
Kerry O'Malley,
Stephen Bogardus,
Jeffry Denman and
Meredith Patterson.
$3,600 - Shrek from
Shrek The Musical, designed by Tricorn Inc. & Lynne Mackey Studios and signed by
Brian d'Arcy James.
$3,400 - Local 1/I.A.T.S.E. Brother Bear designed by Carol A. Ingram.
Several Broadway stars dropped by to lend their support to the event including
Bernadette Peters (Gypsy),
Christopher Sieber (
Shrek The Musical),
Michael Cerveris (Road Show & Sweeney Todd),
Kerry O'Malley (White Christmas),
David Alvarez,
Trent Kowalik and
Kiril Kulish (
Billy Elliot),
Kate Shindle (Legally Blonde),
Loretta Ables Sayre (
South Pacific),
Michael Berresse (A Chorus Line),
Blake Daniels (
Spring Awakening),
Kerry Butler (Xanadu),
Jennifer Smith (The Drowsy Chaperone),
West Side Story original cast members Jaime Sanchez and
George Marcy,
Christine Pedi (Forbidden Broadway),
Kris Koop (
The Phantom of the Opera),
Ann Harada (
Avenue Q).
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is the nation's leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grants 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, The
Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative, The
Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic at The Aurora in NYC, The Dancers' Resource and two supportive housing residences. BC/EFA also awards grants to over 400 AIDS and family service organizations yearly.
For more information, please visit the BC/EFA website at
www.BroadwayCares.org
Photo Credit: Genevieve Rafter-Keddy