STAGE TUBE: Easter Bonnet 2010

On Monday, April 26 and Tuesday, April 27, BC/EFA hosted the 24th ANNUAL EASTER BONNET COMPETITION.  This year, the competition raised an impressive $3,265,700 by the 64 participating Broadway, Off-Broadway, and National Tour companies benefiting Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS. Since it began in 1987, the 23 editions of the EASTER BONNET COMPETITION have raised over $42 million for BC/EFA. BroadwayWorld brings you the official video of the event, including interviews and clips of the most talked-about numbers.

Nathan Lane (The Addams Family), Bebe Neuwirth (The Addams Family), and Catherine Zeta-Jones (A Little Night Music) were on hand to present the awards for top fund raising companies and the outstanding bonnet presentation.

The company of Memphis took top honors for bonnet presentation while Next Fall was runner up.

This year's fundraising award winners were:

Top Fundraising Award: Wicked - Munchkinland Tour $251,332

Broadway Awards:
Forth Runner-up The Lion King $114,684
Third Runner-up In the Heights $117,660
Second Runner-up Billy Elliot the Musical $134,642
First Runner-up The Phantom of the Opera $153,444
Top Broadway Fundraiser Wicked $208,880

National Touring Shows:

Third Runner-up Mary Poppins $128,553
Second Runner-up Wicked - San Francisco $131,815
First Runner-up Jersey Boys - Sherry Tour $142,434
Top Tour Fundraiser Wicked - Emerald City Tour $239,883

A special award was also given to the top fundraising Broadway Play, Next Fall ($49,946) and for Off-Broadway company, Avenue Q ($22,326).

The results of this year's bonnet presentation were:
First Runner-up: Next Fall
Winner : Memphis

The special award for bonnet design was given to Fela!. The winning bonnet was created by Alfi McClendon, Chon Judson, Jill Vallery, Rujeko Dumbutshena, and Catherine Foster.

This year's EASTER BONNET COMPETITION hosts included Dylan Baker (God of Carnage), Corbin Bleu (In The Heights), Colman Domingo (The Scottsboro Boys), Chad Kimball (Memphis), Ron Kunene (The Lion King), Leigh Ann Larkin (A Little Night Music), Tshidi Manye (The Lion King), Constantine Maroulis (Rock of Ages), Jan Maxwell (Lend Me A Tenor), Laura Osnes (South Pacific), Emily Padgett (Rock of Ages), Loretta Ables Sayre (South Pacific), and Michael Urie (The Temperamentals).

The Easter Bonnet judges included Dan Butler (The Irish Curse), Jennifer Cody (Shrek The Musical), James Claffey, Jr. (President / Local One - IATSE), Katie Finneran (Promises, Promises), Laura Michelle Kelly (Mary Poppins), Beth Leavel (Mamma Mia!), Janet McTeer (God of Carnage), Alfred Molina (Red), Brian Stokes Mitchell (President of The Actors Fund of America), and Chris March ("Project Runway").

The Easter Bonnet judges were introduced by Million Dollar Quartet stars: Hunter Foster, Robert Britton Lyons and Elizabeth Stanley.

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 over $175 million for essential services for people with AIDS and other critical illnesses across the United States.

For more information, please visit the BC/EFA website at www.broadwaycares.org.