Photo Coverage: 17th Annual Gypsy of the Year Competition

By: Ben Strothmann Dec. 07, 2005

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The 17th Annual GYPSY OF THE YEAR COMPETITION announced a total of $2,972,721 had been raised by the 59 participating Broadway, Off-Broadway, and National Tour companies to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS beating last year's total of $2,754,632 by over $200,000.

This year the Broadway production of SPAMALOT raised the most money of any show this period with $367,083.

THE GYPSY OF THE YEAR COMPETITION is the culmination of six weeks of intensive fundraising where New York's most talented "gypsies," chorus members from Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, join in a competition/variety show as six weeks of intensive fundraising by the community come to a close.

This year's competition ended with the following dollar figures:

Fourth Runner Up: MAMMA MIA! $129,034
Third Runner Up: RENT $130,791
Second Runner Up: THE LION KING $137,118
Runner up: WICKED $221,298
Top Fundraiser: SPAMALOT $367,083

Special awards were given for the top fundraising Broadway play, Off-Broadway company, and touring company. This year the top fundraising play was DOUBT with $105,715, THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL took the Off-Broadway award for raising $34,661 and WICKED – CHICAGO SHIZ COMPANY took the touring prize for raising $214,000.

The results of this year's presentation awards were:

First Runner Up: CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG
Winner: THE LION KING

Brad Garrett and Lee Wilkoff (The Odd Couple) hosted this year's event with Tim Curry (Spamalot), Harvey Fierstein (Fiddler on the Roof), and Patti Lupone (Sweeney Todd) joining them onstage during the awards presentation.

This year's celebrity judges included Bryan Batt, Judy Kaye, Hal Luftig, and Andrea McArdle.

Highlights from this year's presentations included Huey Lewis and the cast of Chicago doing a version of the '80s hit "The Heart of Rock 'N Roll" which launched Lewis and his band The News into pop stardom; Cathy Rigby and the cast of Peter Pan doing an homage to The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee entitled "The 25th Anniversary Cathy Rigby Peter Pan Farewell Tour;" Brynn Williams, one of the young cast members of In My Life, walking onstage in a gypsy robe singing "I Am Still Here;" the young cast members of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang singing a parody of The Sound of Music classic "So Long, Farewell" (a nod to their upcoming closing); and Ray Mercer and Gabriel Croom, from the cast of The Lion King, doing a moving dance piece entitled "I Remember He Said" which received a standing ovation from the industry crowd..

The competition's opening number created by Broadway gypsies Lance Horne, Lorin Latarro, Jason Rhodes, Lee A. Wilkins, and Mary-Mitchell Campbell featured Shoshana Bean and Luther Creek lamenting how just once they want to sing some of theatre's best roles that were written for other sex. Bean sang a dazzling rendition of The Who's Tommy and ended with a song from Jesus Christ Superstar. Creek, then tackled Bean's role of Elphaba in Wicked by singing a portion of "Defying Gravity" complete with black cape, green face make up, and falsetto voice. Other gypsies joined in the fun including Billy Porter singing the Dreamgirls classic "And I am Telling You I'm Not Going," female gypsies doing classic dance moves from On The Town, and male gypsies doing mambo dance steps from West Side Story.

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 distributed over $100 million for critically needed services for people with AIDS, HIV, or HIV-related illnesses.

Lee Wilkof and Brad Garrett

The opening!

Todd Buonopane

Billy Porter

Keith Roberts

Shoshana Bean

Shoshana Bean gets a lift

Luther Creek

Excited first time host Brad Garrett

Lee Wilkof

The company of Peter Pan - "The 25th Annual Cathy Rigby Peter Pan Farewell Tour"

Cathy Rigby

A high-flying exit

Cathy's "replacement" - "Tonya Harding!"

Jennifer Cody and Don Richard revisiting their Officer Lockstock, Little Sally roles from Urinetown...

Sweeney Todd's "Tourettes Todd"

Beauty and the Beast's Baby Mine

Poor baby!

Welcoming the newest Disney 'baby' - Tarzan

The Phantom of the Opera

Photo Coverage: 17th Annual Gypsy of the Year Competition Image

The Great American Trailer Park Musical - "Big Balls"

The Lion King "I Remember He Said..." performed by Ray Mercer and Gabriel Croom

Fiddler on the Roof

The Naked Cowboy makes a cameo

Rosie O'Donnell

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee "John Doylers' Spelling Bee"

Menopause, The Musical "The Path We Choose"

Representing shows not in attendance - Chris Sieber, Ann Harada, and Jason Ritter

In My Life "Broadway Baby" - Brynn Williams

Curtain Call!

Chicago - The Heart of Rock and Roll - Huey Lewis and Company

Huey Lewis

Wicked - "Team Wicked"

Hairspray - "Love's in Need of Love Today"

Mamma Mia - "A Minute of Your Time"

Rosie O'Donnell and Bobby Pearce

Walter Bobbie

Presenting a check for $25,000 to Bryan Batt for Hurricane Relief

Naked Boys Singing - "The Ballad of Naked Boys"

Naked Boys present their fundraising total

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang "Chitty Chitty Bye Bye"

Movin' Out "One Perfect Sunrise"

Harvey Fierstein, Patti LuPone, and Tim Curry

Presenting the winners!

Cherry Jones cheers on the Chitty Kids


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