The folks over at Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS are still counting up the cash earned at the June 17 11th annual Broadway Bares, but it's safe to say that 2001: A Strip Odyssey broke last year's $282,989 record with a take of over $320,000, according to a press representative at Boneau/Bryan-Brown. Tony Award-winning Broadway star (and Broadway Bares perennial) Alan Cumming, Off-Broadway dragster who recently achieved Broadway playwriting acclaim with The Tale of the Allergist's Wife Charles Busch, his star Michele Lee, Rent's Idina Menzel and downtown's drag queen Edie hosted the X-rated event at Roseland Ballroom.
Choreographer Jerry Mitchell (The Rocky Horror Show, The Full Monty), who once had to dance nearly naked on a drum in The Will Rogers Follies, found himself inspired to take it all off to raise money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The first year, he and seven other Will Rogers dancers raised $8,000 for BC/EFA.
150 dancers performed in various states of undress. Most other nights, they work it — with costumes on — in Aida, Chicago, Beauty and the Beast, The Phantom of the Opera, Follies, The Music Man, Fosse, Cabaret, The Lion King, The Producers, Contact, The Full Monty, Annie Get Your Gun, The Rocky Horror Show and Rent.
Tickets (all standing room) ranged from $500 VIP tickets with open bar reception, and VIP standing room to $35 general admission (over age 21 only). At the midnight show, known to be the raunchiest and most outrageous event on the BC/EFA calendar, all tickets were $35. For information on Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, visit http://www.broadwaycares.org.
— By Christine Ehren