The outdoor fundraiser in Shubert Alley raises money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and features a host of theatrical memorabilia donated by the theatrical community. The day-long event also boasts a Celebrity Autograph Table and Photo Booth, where theatre fans can purchase autographs by or photos with their favorite stars from Broadway, Off-Broadway and television serials. The well-attended event also includes a Grand Auction, where "singular items and opportunities such as walk-on roles in Broadway shows, television programs and films" are auctioned to the highest bidder.
Some of the items that will be featured in the Grand Auction include a walk-on role in Mamma Mia!, Jersey Boys, The Phantom of the Opera, Wicked or Chicago; opening-night tickets to Superior Donuts, Wishful Drinking, The Royal Family, Memphis, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Broadway Bound, Finian's Rainbow, Ragtime, Fela, A Little Night Music or The Addams Family; VIP tickets to tapings of "Saturday Night Live" and "The Colbert Report"; the jeans worn by Daniel Radcliffe onstage in Equus; the mask worn by Howard McGillin in his final Phantom of the Opera performance; Gwen Verdon's top hat from Chicago; and more.
Celebrities scheduled to appear at the Celebrity Autograph Table and Photo Booth in exchange for donations to BC/EFA include: Sebastian Arcelus, Elizabeth Ashley, Bryan Batt, P.J. Benjamin, Susan Blackwell, Stephanie J. Block, Danny Burstein, Matt Cavenaugh, Kathleen Chalfant, Will Chase, Alex Cole, Ewa da Cruz, Jason Danieley, Quentin Earl Darrington, Diana DeGarmo, Bonnie Dennison, Ellen Dolan, Marj Dusay, Bobbie Eakes, Tovah Feldshuh, Harvey Fierstein, John Glover, Montego Glover, Jonathan Groff, Haydn Gwynne, Van Hansis, Rosemary Harris, Jessica Hecht, Dana Ivey, Judith Ivey, Greg Jbara, Chad Kimball, Beth Leavel, Jessica Leccia, Priscilla Lopez, Rebecca Luker, David Andrew MacDonald, Constantine Maroulis, Marin Mazzie, Cady McClain, Debra Monk, Javier Munoz, Robert Newman, Dominic Nolfi, Christiane Noll, Karen Olivo, Steven Pasquale, Bernadette Peters, Julie Pinson, Anthony Rapp, Vanessa Ray, Alice Ripley, Chita Rivera, Mo Rocca, Thomas Sadoski, Loretta Ables Sayre, Marian Seldes, Marnie Schulenburg, Carole Shelley, Christopher Sieber, J. Robert Spencer, Chrishell Stause, Robin Strasser, Bobby Steggert and Caitlin Van Zandt.
Last year's Flea Market — held Sept. 21, 2008, in Shubert Alley — raised $496,380 for Broadway Cares. To date the annual event, which debuted in 1987, has raised a grand total of $7,758,752 for the charitable organization.
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is the nation's largest industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organization. Since its founding in 1988 the organization has distributed over $160 million for services for people with AIDS, HIV or HIV-related illnesses. For more information on the Flea Market and other BC/EFA events, visit the BC/EFA website at www.bcefa.org or call (212) 840-0770.
