Broadway Bears Auction Raises Over $127,000: A Full Report
By: Eugene Lovendusky Feb. 18, 2008
Today's the day the Teddy Bears had their picnic! And they brought along all their Broadway-loving friends for another successful and entertaining Broadway Bears auction, presented by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS! And much to the thrill of bear and fan-boy alike, the 11th Annual event raised over $127,000!
The three top-winning Bears were Cyrano de Bergerac ($8000), The Lion King ($9000) and Spamalot ($17,000)! Details on every lot and bid below...
The auction, which took place Sunday, February 17 at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, hosted over 40 Broadway Bears available for online, telephone and live-bidding! Master of "Bearamonies" and BC/EFA favorite, Bryan Batt (AMC's "Mad Men," Beauty and the Beast) filled each lot with hilarious one-liners, which hit the mark every time as fodder for those who daren't raise their paddles!
The expert and elegant Lorna Kelly, as auctioneer, wielded the fate-sealing gavel through an evening filled with endless cheers, high-bidding tension, witty stories and phenomenal bear-tailored costumes that amaze and impress year after year! BC/EFA is extremely grateful to North American Bear Company, Inc. for donating the original as well as ongoing casts of naked but adorable "celebearities!"
BroadwayWorld News Desk Editor, Eugene Lovendusky, attended the evening and reports the top bid for each lot and some entertaining tidbits and bonuses associated with some Bears.
An enormous amount of credit MUST go to the other-worldly-skilled designers of these bears. Their incredible fancywork -- from intricate beading to hand-stitched seams, from resized special pieces to unparalleled exactness -- make these Bears true works of art!
Applause to Christine Pedi and John Treacy Egan for their jovial Opening Number, penned by Douglas Braverman. And a huge bravo! to talented Music Director Michael Lavine on piano.
Special thanks to Bobby McGuire, friends and production staff at BC/EFA for another superb special event. Broadway Cares has provided a heart and unflinching attention and love to the Broadway community. But even more angelic, Broadway Cares continues to raise the bar in hosting and creating fund-raising events that exist not just for a wonderful cause; but ultimately unify a family of people who share one common passion: The Theatre!
Everyone just had such a great time! Who couldn't with a night dedicated to miniature high-fashion on teddy bears! Congratulations to another winning season of "beary" good fun!
CLICK HERE to view the Broadway Bears 2008 Collection!
Visit www.broadwaycares.org for more information.
Bear Photography (and event Video Projection) by Christopher Economakos
COME RELIVE THE AUCTION!
Lot 7: Chip Tolentino (from The 25th Putnam County Spelling Bee) signed by Jose Llana
Bonus to Lot: Autographed caricature of Original Broadway Cast (commissioned by Jesse Tyler Ferguson); Prop board that Marcy Park kicks in the show
Top Bid: $1100
Lot 24: Miss Celie (from The Color Purple) signed by Oprah Winfrey and Fantasia Barrino
Tidbit: Jokingly added that Presidential hopeful Barack Obama would add his autograph
Top Bid: $1600
Lot 4: Cyrano (from Cyrano de Bergerac 2007 Revival) signed by Jennifer Garner, Kevin Kline and Daniel Sunjata
Bonus to Lot: Kevin Kline's prosthetic nose for Cyrano's Broadway make-up/costume
Tidbit: One of the highest winners of the evening, this one got the evening rolling!
Top Bid: $8000
Lot 34: Elle Woods (from Legally Blonde) signed by Laura Bell Bundy
Top Bid: $1500
Special Lot: Angela Arden (from Die Mommie Die) signed by Charles Busch
Bonus to Lot: Basket (prop) filled with goodies including prop pills, autographed photo of Angela Arden, autographed poster, Die Mommie Die DVD, lip-stick pens and more
Tidbit: Bryan Batt amused that this would make the perfect Mother's Day Gift... naturally the Busch-loving boys in the house went bid-crazy
Top Bid: $1400
Lot 36: Sandy (from Grease 2007 Revival) signed by Laura Osnes and Max Crumm
Top Bid: $1800
Lot 40: The Monster (from Young Frankenstein) signed by Mel Brooks and Shuler Hensley
Bonus to Lot: Shuler Hensley's prosthetic forehead for The Monster make-up/costume
Top Bid: $4000
Lot 2: The Centaur (from Xanadu) signed by Kerry Butler, Cheyenne Jackson, Tony Roberts and Andre Ward
Tidbit: Andre Ward anxiously and amusingly presented the Bear, and later learned the mo-hawk is made of yak-hair!
Top Bid: $1000
Lot 38: Queen Elizabeth (from The Pirate Queen) signed by Linda Balgord
Tidbit: One of the most glamorous (and heavy) Bears in all collections, Linda Balgord presented the Bear... and Stephanie J. Block gave it her all to take it home! Alas, she was underbid in the last minute... but not before passionately emphasizing how the replicated gown was a show-stopper in The Pirate Queen
Top Bid: $4000
Lot 23: Genghis (from Cats) signed by Betty Buckley
Tidbit: The Siamese Cat mask is removable!
Top Bid: $4000
Lot 20: Deena Jones (from Dreamgirls) signed by Anika Noni Rose
Top Bid: $1700
Lot 39: Old Max (from Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas) signed by John Cullum and Rusty Ross
Top Bid: $1700
Lot 31: Franki Valli (from Jersey Boys) signed by John Lloyd Young, J. Robert Spencer, Christian Hoff, Daniel Reichard and Franki Valli
Top Bid: $1600
Lot 1: Fantine (from Les Miserables 2006 Revival) signed by Judy Kuhn and Patti LuPone
Tidbit: Inside Fantine's locket is a photo of Cosette Bear; Underneath Fantine's dress is her not-so-presentable "Lovely Ladies" costume.
Top Bid: $650
Lot 26: Pumbaa (from The Lion King) signed by Tom Alan Robbins
Tidbit: The second-highest bid item, Pumbaa was created from over 200 hours of labor. The entire costume is removable; the rear-legs move; an exact miniature replica of the original Broadway costume
Top Bid: $9000
Lot 37: Bert (from Mary Poppins) signed by Gavin Lee
Tidbit: Gavin Lee was thrilled to learn that beneath this Bear's costume are stirrups and a harness worn by Bert during the upside-down "Step In Time" routine; plus tap-shoes and a miniature chimney-sweep broom
Top Bid: $2600
Lot 35: Sir Robin (from Spamalot) signed by Clay Aiken and David Hyde Pierce
Tidbit: This was the hair-raising moment, ladies and gentlemen! The live audience up against the telephone-bidders, this Bear was the highest-winner of the evening! Plus, the rubber chickens cluck and lay-eggs!
Top Bid: $17,000
Lot 25: Elphaba (from Wicked) signed by Idina Menzel
Bonus to Lot: Presented by Stephanie J. Block, she invited the winning bidder (and a young fan) to watch the "greenifying" process backstage
Tidbit: The sweater is made from the same material as the original Broadway costume. Plus, the Bears were green this year!
Top Bid: $5000
Special Lot: Galadriel (The Lord of the Rings) signed by Laura Michelle Kelly, Rob Howell and Matthew Warchus
Bonus to Lot: The Ring placed at the cent of the stand and a program signed by the entire original West End cast
Tidbit: If you squeeze the Bear's left-paw, it sings!
Top Bid: $1100
Lot 28: Liliane La Fleur (from Nine) signed by Chita Rivera
Tidbit: Presenter Sara Gettelfinger informed that this Bear's luxurious gown matches that worn by Chita Rivera during the "movie scene," where she crossed a water-filled stage. But as a special surprise, the gown and hat can be removed to reveal a sultry dominatrix costume, replicated that worn Eartha Kitt (who later assumed the role)
Top Bid: $900
Lot 29: John Darling (from Peter Pan) signed by Sandy Duncan
Top Bid: $1900
Lot 10: Maureen (from Rent) signed by Idina Menzel
Bonus to Lot: Prop protest poster from the film of Rent, autographed by original Broadway cast members Idina Menzel and Anthony Rapp
Top Bid: $1400
Lot 3: Gertrude McFuzz (from Seussical) signed by Janine LaManna
Top Bid: $850
Lot 33: Moritz (from Spring Awakening) signed by Tom Hulce, Duncan Sheik and John Gallagher Jr.
Tidbit: Bear holds a miniature microphone and chalkboard... he's "Totally Stuffed!"
Top Bid: $3400
Lot 12: George (from Sunday in the Park with George) signed by Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters
Tidbit: Bear comes with easel, pallet, paintbrush, and miniature George Seurat painting
Top Bid: $1900
Lot 11: Alice Beane (from Titanic) signed by Victoria Clark
Bonus to Lot: 2 tickets for a week vacation aboard the Rosie O'Donnell Cruise Line, plus airfare
Top Bid: $3250
Lot 30: Maria (from West Side Story) signed by Carol Lawrence
Bonus to Lot: A framed copy of the original 1957 Broadway poster signed by more than two dozen original cast members; DVD of the 2007 Gypsy of the Year West Side Story tribute and ceremony
Tidbit: Presented by original Chino, Jaime Sanchez
Top Bid: $3000
Lot 27: Jack Jefferson (from The Great White Hope) signed by Jane Alexander and James Earl Jones
Top Bid: $600
Lot 5: Marian Paroo (from The Music Man) signed by Barbara Cook
Tidbit: The Bear's dress was matched exactly to the aqua shade of the original Broadway costume
Top Bid: $1400
Lot 21: Gaston (from Beauty and the Beast)
Bonus to Lot: Beauty and the Beast poster signed by Donny Osmond
Top Bid: $1400
Lot 22: The Three Kings (from The Capeman)
Tidbit: The 3 mini-sized Bears were created from 1 regular-sized Bear
Top Bid: $800
Lot 8: Baroness Bomburst (from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) signed by Jan Maxwell
Top Bid: $700
Lot 19: Mr. Bojangles (from Fosse) signed by Ann Reinking
Tidbit: Bryan Batt (and others) couldn't help noticing the bulges and contours in "all the right places." The Bear was souped-up to match the posture and build of a dancer in a photograph.
Top Bid: $3800
Lot 6: Georgia Hendricks (from Curtains) signed by Rupert Holmes, John Kander and Karen Ziemba
Bonus to Lot: Rupert Holmes will autograph the Bear and take the top bidder out for pina coladas
Top Bid: $650
Lot 15: Cymbeline, King of Britain (from Cymbeline) signed by John Cullum
Top Bid: $1800
Lot 17: The Drowsy Chaperone (from The Drowsy Chaperone) signed by Beth Leavel
Tidbit: Present Troy Britton Johnson joked that the Bear is in the same grounded-stance as Beatrice Stockwell when she's belting the last note of "As We Stumble Along"... and won't mind if you spill your drink on her.
Bonus to Lot: Lyricist Lisa Lambert will pen a personal singing-telegram for the top bidder
Top Bid: $2400
Special Lot: Nala (from The Lion King) signed by Heather Headley
Top Bid: $4200
Lot 32: Pruddie and Rhetta Cupp (from Pump Boys and Dinettes) signed by Debra Monk and Cass Morgan
Bonus to Lot: Homemade pie
Top Bid: $2200
Lot 16: Sarah (from Ragtime) signed by Brian Stokes Mitchell
Top Bid: $1100
Lot 9: Terk (from Tarzan) signed by Chester Gregory II, Jenn Gambatese and Josh Strickland
Top Bid: $900
Lot 18: Penelope Pennywise (from Urinetown) signed by Nancy Opel
Top Bid: $3200
Special Lot: The Bad Idea Bears (from Avenue Q) signed by Rick Lyon and Jennifer Barnhart
Tidbit: Entertainingly presented by Rick Lyon and Jennifer Barnhart with their Bad Idea Bears Puppets in-tow, who clamored over their gorgeous and colorful their Broadway Bear counter-parts (whom had legs!); if you squeeze their left-paw, they sing and cheer
Top Bid: $2500
Special Lot: Victoria Grant as Victor Grazinsky (from Victor/Victoria) signed by Julie Andrews
Tidbit: Designed by Tonner Doll Company with a face like Julie Andrews'
Top Bid: $1900
Lot 13: Ursula (from The Little Mermaid) signed by Sherie Rene Scott
Tidbit: With elaborate wig and eight arms
Top Bid: $5000
Lot 14: Aurora (from Kiss of the Spider Woman) signed by Chita Rivera and John Kander
Tidbit: If a bidder reached $5000, they would be told a top-secret story about Chita during the San Francisco tour (alas, that story stays in the vaults)
Top Bid: $1700
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