TV EXCLUSIVE: Inside the Record-Breaking 2012 Broadway Backwards Benefit - Betty Buckley and More!

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BROADWAY BACKWARDS 7, the once-a-year celebration of the gay and lesbian community, raised a record-breaking $329,000 on Monday, March 5, to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. This year's spectacular total surpassed last year's previous record of $281,200. Check out BroadwayWorld's exclusive footage of the big event!

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The sold-out show left the audience cheering after unforgettable performances by Tony Award winner and Broadway legend Betty Buckley (Cats, Sunset Boulevard), Tony winners LaChanze (The Color Purple) and Len Cariou (TV's "Blue Bloods," Sweeney Todd), this year's best actor Tony nominee Andrew Rannells (The Book of Mormon) and special appearances by Emmy-winning comedian Bruce Vilanch and television icon George Takei ("Star Trek"). Featured throughout the show were two-time Tony nominee Robin De Jesús (La Cage aux Folles, In the Heights) and Jason Patrick Snow (The Book of Mormon). Other featured performers included Charles Busch (The Divine Sister), Dan Butler ("Frasier"), Mario Cantone (Laugh Whore), Nancy Dussault (Into the Woods), Anthony Federov ("American Idol"), Barrett Foa ("NCIS: LA," Avenue Q), Telly Leung (Godspell)) and Brian Charles Rooney (The Threepenny Opera).

BROADWAY BACKWARDS 7 was presented this year in the historic Al Hirschfeld Theatre, currently home to the hit revival How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

Not just another night on Broadway, BROADWAY BACKWARDS 7 featured an immensely talented 65-person cast and live orchestra performing the great songs of musical theatre with a twist: women sang songs originally written for men and men sang songs written for women. By keeping the lyrics intact, including the original pronouns, each song took on a new dimension.

Creator Robert Bartley directed and choreographed with music direction by Mary-Mitchell Campbell. The creative team also included co-choreographers Stephanie Klemons and Patrick O'Neill, lighting designer Ryan O'Gara and costume designer Philip Heckman.

BROADWAY BACKWARDS began as a grassroots concert performed at the Center in 2006. In subsequent years, the event grew quickly, performing Off-Broadway at 37 Arts, followed by Roundabout's American Airlines Theatre, Lincoln Center Theater at the Vivian Beaumont and last year at Broadway's Longacre Theatre.

For more information, visit broadwaycares.org.