The biggest day of the year for Broadway fans is only four days away as Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS sets the stage for the 27th AnnualBroadway Flea Market & Grand Auction (#bwayflea). The all-day, outdoor market features one-of-a-kind theatre treasures, once-in-a-lifetime onstage and backstage experiences and your favorite stars from Broadway's biggest shows.
Spend this Sunday, September 22, 2013, with Broadway Cares and thousands of other theatre fans in Shubert Alley and along West 44th Street (between Broadway and Eighth Avenue). Open 10 AM - 7 PM, this not-to-be-missed event for every Broadway theatergoer is free and open to the public.
Among the priceless lots available through this year's Grand Auction are private lunches with stage-and-screen icon Angela Lansbury and beloved two-time Tony Award winner Judith Light, opening night VIP tickets to 17 of this season's new Broadway shows, walk-on roles at nine Broadway shows, Elphaba's broom used by Idina Menzel in the Broadway production of Wicked and much more.
From posing for photos with your favorite Broadway and television stars, to buying that lost cast recording, rare costume sketches or special gift you can't find anywhere else - the Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction promises something for everyone.
Nearly 60 tables full of Broadway memorabilia and trinkets will line West 44th Street, between Broadway and Eighth Avenue. Among the shows scheduled to have tables this year are Annie, Avenue Q, The Book of Mormon, Cinderella, Kinky Boots, The Lion King, Mamma Mia!, Matilda The Musical, Motown The Musical, Naked Boys Singing, NEWSical The Musical, Newsies, Once, Pippin, The Phantom of the Opera, Rock of Ages, The Trip to Bountiful and Wicked.
The Grand Auction, always a highlight of the event, will take place this year in Shubert Alley. The Grand Auction is divided in two parts: a daylong series of silent auctions and a live auction that wraps up the day.
The live auction starts at 5 PM. Among the more than 40 amazing lots up for bid are:
This year's live auction will be hosted by Broadway and TV veteran Bryan Batt with BC/EFA's iconic auctioneer Lorna Kelly and Broadway actress and auctioneer Tasha Lawrence.
Earlier in the day, a new collection of silent auction lots will be up for bid every 30 minutes beginning at 10 AM. Among the one-of-kind theatre memorabilia available are:
More than 60 beloved and rising stars of stage and screen - including 18 Tony Award winners - are scheduled to appear at the always-popularAutograph Table and Photo Booth, hosted by the always entertaining Jim Caruso of the weekly "Jim Caruso's Cast Party" at Birdland. Each hour, beginning at 11 AM, a New Group of celebrities will take their places on the deck of Junior's Restaurant next to Shubert Alley. In exchange for donations to Broadway Cares, fans can get autographs and or step into the photo booth with their favorite stars. This year's line-up includes Tony winners LauraBenanti, Len Cariou, Gabriel Ebert, Sutton Foster, Harriet Harris, Shuler Hensley, Cherry Jones, Judith Light, Debra Monk, Donna Murphy, BebeNeuwirth, Bernadette Peters, Billy Porter and Faith Prince, as well as other Broadway favorites including Robert Cuccioli, Santino Fontana, JeremyJordan, Aaron Lazar, Jan Maxwell, Lindsay Mendez, Julia Murney, Rory O'Malley, Laura Osnes, Patrick Page, Christopher Sieber, Matthew JamesThomas, Patrick Wilson and many more. For a complete list of celebrities and their appearance times, go to broadwaycares.org. All appearances are subject to change.
On Sunday, a mobile-friendly map of the Broadway Flea Market tables as well as complete lists of all silent and live auction lots will be available for smartphone users at broadwaycares.org/flea.
Last year, the Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction raised a record-breaking $681,892, bringing the event's 26-year total to $9,870,369.
Produced by and benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, The 27th Annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction is sponsored by The New York Times and United Airlines.
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is one of the nation's leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. By drawing upon the talents, resources and generosity of the American theatre community, since 1988 BC/EFA has raised more than $225 million for essential services for people with AIDS and other critical illnesses across the United States.
Broadway Cares awards annual grants to more than 450 AIDS and family service organizations nationwide and is the major supporter of the social service programs at The Actors Fund, including the HIV/AIDS Initiative, the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative and the Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic.
For more information, please visit Broadway Cares online at broadwaycares.org, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/BCEFA, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/BCEFA, watch us on YouTube at youtube.com/BCEFAtv, pin us on Pinterest at pinterest.com/BCEFA and tag us on Instagram at instagram.com/BCEFA.
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