Theater Community Raises 3.7M for BC/EFA at Easter Bonnet; WICKED, HOW TO SUCCEED, CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON Deliver Big!

The 25th Annual EASTER BONNET COMPETITION raised $3,706,085, the result of six weeks of intensive fundraising for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS by 52 Broadway, Off-Broadway and national touring companies.

The grand total was announced at this year's EASTER BONNET COMPETITION, which ended in two shows featuring original presentations, songs and elaborate, custom-made bonnets from 17 of the participating shows.

Since the EASTER BONNET COMPETITION began in 1987, the event has raised more than $46 million for BC/EFA.

Harvey Fierstein (La Cage aux Folles), Sutton Foster (Anything Goes) and Daniel Radcliffe (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) were on hand to announce the grand total to a sold-out audience at the Minskoff Theatre, home to Disney's The Lion King. The trio also presented awards to the top fundraising companies and the outstanding bonnet presentation.

Broadway stars appearing in the EASTER BONNET included Christie Brinkley (Chicago), Kerry Butler (Catch Me If You Can), Christopher Sieber (La Cage aux Folles), Aaron Tveit (Catch Me If You Can), and Robin Williams (Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo),

This year's hosts included Heidi Blickenstaff (The Addams Family), Maxwell Caulfield (Cactus Flower), Josh Gad (The Book of Mormon), Renée Elise Goldsberry (Good People), Jayne Houdyshell (The Importance of Being Ernest), Ron Kunene (The Lion King), Dan Lauria (Lombardi), Judith Light (Lombardi), Jose Llana (Wonderland), Selloane Nkhela (The Lion King), Andrew Rannells (The Book of Mormon) and Roger Rees (The Addams Family).

The company of La Cage aux Folles took top honors for bonnet presentation while The Addams Family was runner up.

The special award for bonnet design was given to Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo. The winning bonnet was created by Moira MacGregor-Conrad and Tree Sarvay.

The EASTER BONNET COMPETITION, directed this year by Kristin Newhouse, is the culmination of spring fundraising efforts for BC/EFA by company members of Broadway, Off-Broadway and national touring productions.

This year's top fundraising award went to Wicked - Munchkinland tour, which raised $360,021.

Other winners were:

Broadway
Top Fundraiser: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying - $271,916
First Runner-up: Wicked - $165,979
Second Runner-up: Billy Elliot - $151,363
Third Runner-up: The Phantom of the Opera - $149,194

National Touring Shows
Top Fundraiser: Wicked - Emerald City - $242,212
First Runner-up: Mary Poppins - $150,472
Second Runner-up: Les Misérables - $124,019
Third Runner-up: Billy Elliot - $116,384

Broadway Play
Top Fundraiser: That Championship Season - $163,542
First Runner-up: Lombardi $86,099

Off-Broadway
Top Fundraiser: Avenue Q - $44,072
First Runner-up: Freud's Last Session - $24,500

The 24 previous editions of the Easter Bonnet Competition have raised more than $42 million for BC/EFA.

The Easter Bonnet Competition is the culmination of six intensive weeks of fundraising efforts by company members of Broadway, Off-Broadway and national touring productions. Curtain speeches, bucket collections, autographed poster and program sales, auctions and cabaret performances bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars from audiences prior to the competition. The winner of the Easter Bonnet Competition will be the company that raises the largest amount of money for BC/EFA. A second award is granted to the company with the best bonnet design and presentation. Awards are also presented to the Broadway Play, National Tour and Off-Broadway production raising the most money for BC/EFA.

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 $195 million for essential services for people with AIDS and other critical illnesses across the United States.

BC/EFA also awards annual grants to more than 400 AIDS and family service organizations nationwide and is the major supporter of seven programs at The Actors Fund, including The HIV/AIDS Initiative, The Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative, The Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic and more.

For more information, visit www.broadwaycares.org.