Broadway Cares Book 'Broadway Bares' On Sale 4/1

Broadway Bares: Backstage Pass, a titillating photographic chronicle of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS's annual Broadway Bares event, will be available June 2008 from Universe Publishing, a division of Rizzoli New York. The book is by Tony Awardâ winner Jerry Mitchell, creator and executive producer of Broadway Bares.

Starting tomorrow, April 1, Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS will begin accepting pre-orders for Backstage Pass via their website: www.BroadwayCares.org. Books ordered via BC/EFA start at $55 and proceeds from all copies of the book benefit BC/EFA.

Backstage Pass is the photographic chronicle of how one bright young man in a loincloth, dancing atop a giant drum on a Broadway stage, began one of the Great White Way's most worthy and exciting traditions! Jerry Mitchell was amazed at the tremendous attention his nearly naked body garnered in Tommy Tune's production of The Will Rogers Follies in 1990. He quickly capitalized on this fascination with exposed skin to raise funds for the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA) organization. Over the next 18 years, this "ah-ha" moment grew into the annual tradition that is BROADWAY BARES —an event where the most beautiful bodies of New York City's theater community take it all off and do what they do best—strut their stuff!

The book features sizzling behind-the-scene photos, performance shots, and stunning studio stills of men and women from the Broadway stage who have been a part of this spectacular burlesque event over the years. It includes as little text as costumes worn in the show, but the history is succinctly outlined and mentions the names of the A-list celebrities who have proudly participated in the proceedings, including Cyndi Lauper, Alan Cumming, David Hyde Pierce, and Nathan Lane. Over 7,000 people attended the two shows in 2007 and the event has raised over $4.5 million dollars to date.  Proceeds from the sales of Backstage Pass will go to benefit BC/EFA.

Jerry Mitchell is the creator and Executive Producer of the annual charitable event named Broadway Bares, the first thirteen versions of which he also staged. Mitchell is one of Broadway's most acclaimed choreographers, responsible for the original productions of Hairspray, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and The Full Monty, as well as the Broadway revival of La Cage aux Folles, for which he won the Tony Awardâ. His choreography is featured in films such as Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Scent of a Woman, and In & Out. Most recently, he directed and choreographed the Broadway smash hit Legally Blonde, and is presently the co-host of Bravo's "Step It Up and Dance" television series.

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA) is the nation's leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organization. By drawing upon the talents, resources, and generosity of the American theater community, BC/EFA raises funds for AIDS-related causes and other critical illnesses across the United States. 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 New York City, The Dancers' Resource, and two supportive housing residences. BC/EFA also awards grants to more than four hundred AIDS and family service organizations yearly. All royalties from Broadway Bares: Backstage Pass will benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. www.broadwaycares.org