BROADWAY BARES 18: WONDERLAND was an astounding success raising a record shattering $874,372 to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
The previous record was set in 2007, with $743,787 raised. The first Broadway Bares in 1992 featured seven dancers stripping on a bar and raised over $8,000. Since then, the 18 editions of BROADWAY BARES have collectively raised over $5.6 million to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
BROADWAY BARES is produced by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, executive produced by Tony Award®-winner
Jerry Mitchell (
Legally Blonde,
Hairspray, La Cage Aux Folles, The Full Monty) and directed by
Denis Jones (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,
Legally Blonde) with associate director
Peter Gregus (
Jersey Boys).
During the "Finale" Nancy Mahon, the executive director of The M•A•C AIDS Fund presented BC/EFA with an initial check for $115,000 and then, as a surprise, presented a second check for $50,000 as a "challenge match" for the evening's highly anticipated "rotation" which closes the event. This marks M•A•C's 11th year sponsoring BROADWAY BARES.
The evening featured the work of 14 choreographers and over 200 of the sexiest male and female dancers from Broadway's biggest shows baring nearly all to benefit BC/EFA.
Highlights from this year's BROADWAY BARES 18: WONDERLAND included:
Actress
Mary Birdsong (Fame Becomes Me, "Reno: 911"), as the evening's leading lady, 'Alice,' and
Tituss Burgess (
The Little Mermaid,
Jersey Boys) as the 'White Rabbit' kicked off the show and brought down the house with an opening number written by [title of show] co-creator
Jeff Bowen. Bowen's [title of show] partner
Hunter Bell penned the book scenes for the show.
Tony®-nominated actor
Matthew Morrison (
South Pacific,
Hairspray) made his Broadway Bares debut as a featured dancer in the role of 'Humpty Dumpty,' taking it all off in a rousing and bawdy rendition of Digital Underground's "The Humpty Dance."
Tony Award®-winners
Nathan Lane (The Producers, November) and
Andrea Martin (
Young Frankenstein) were a perrrrrrrfect pair as the "Cheshire Cat" and his lovely wife "Mrs. Cheshire Cat," respectively.
Broadway veterans
Tyler Maynard (
The Little Mermaid) and
Jennifer Cody (Shrek The Musical, Urinetown) caught the audience by surprise in the "Duchess" number, playing Joan Crawford and her daughter Christina, respectively, recreating favorite moments from the cult-classic film Mommie Dearest.
Tony Award®-winner
Julie White (The Little Dog Laughed, From Up Here) made a hilarious cameo and stopped the show with her mockingly vulgar, yet observant, 'Mock Turtle.'
It was almost "off with his head" for Tony Award®-nominee
Christopher Sieber (Shrek The Musical, Spamalot), who made an appearance as 'The Knave of Hearts,' catching up with 'Alice' on her tawdry journey just after stealing tarts from the Queen of Hearts.
Mary Birdsong led the finale number when the full company took to the stage to perform a dance beat driven medley of John Mayer's hit song "Your Body Is A Wonderland" and Earth, Wind and Fire's "Boogie Wonderland".
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA) is the nation's leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fund raising and grant making organization. BC/EFA is the on-going, committed response from the American theater community to an urgent worldwide health crisis. By drawing upon the talents, resources and generosity of this community, BC/EFA raises funds for AIDS-related causes across the United States. Since it's founding in 1988, BC/EFA has raised over $140 million for critically needed services for people with AIDS, HIV, or HIV-related illnesses.
For more information and photos, call (212) 840-0770 or visit
www.BroadwayCares.org.
