Featuring a Grand Auction, a Celebrity Table and a host of stands featuring merchandise from most every show on Broadway, the annual outdoor fundraiser in Shubert Alley is a day-long event (10 AM-7 PM) that raises money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
More than 50 stars from Broadway, Off-Broadway and television serials will take part in the Celebrity Table, where theatre fans can purchase autographs by or photos with their favorite stars. Jim Caruso and WPLJ radio personality Jason Drew will co-host the Celebrity Table, which runs from 11 AM-4 PM. As of press time those scheduled to take part in the Celebrity Table include the following talents:
11 AM-12 noon: Real Andrews, Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Christian Borle, Delta Burke, Kerry Butler, Martha Byrne, Hunter Foster, Ann Harada, Dana Ivey, Rebecca Luker, Joe Machota, Tina Madigan, Mary Beth Peil, Chita Rivera
12 noon-1 PM: Bradley Cole, Ellen Dolan, Harvey Fierstein, Eileen Fulton, Ricky Paull Goldin, Joel Grey, Dick Latessa, Jeff McCarthy, Matthew Morrison, Denis O'Hare, Elizabeth Parkinson, Louise Pitre, John Selya, John Tartaglia, Ashley Tuttle
1-2 PM: Mario Cantone, Sean Dugan, Lesli Kay, Nathan Lane, Beth Leavel, Grayson McCouch, Donna Mckechnie, James Mitchell, Austin Pendleton, Bernadette Peters, Billy Porter, Roger Rees, Peter Samuel 2-3 PM: Polly Bergen, Rebecca Budig, Marj Dusay, Tovah Feldshuh, Patricia Elliott, Ilene Kristen, Barbara Luna, Donna Murphy, Bebe Neuwirth, Phyllis Newman, Angelica Torn, Ann Wedgeworth
3-4 PM: Jennifer Bassey, Barbara Cook, Andre DeShields, Penny Fuller, Randy Graff, Sandra Joseph, Swoosie Kurtz, Andrea McArdle, Mark Menard, Betsy Palmer, Eden Riegel, Jana Robbins, Tamara Tunie, B. D. Wong
The well-attended event also includes a Grand Auction (beginning at 4:30 PM), where "unique and priceless items" are auctioned to the highest bidder. Sotheby's Lorna Kelly will host the Grand Auction, which will also see appearances by Nathan Lane, Charles Busch, Sutton and Hunter Foster as well as the casts of Avenue Q and Take Me Out. For a complete list of this year's auction items — including opening-night tickets to The Boy From Oz or Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, signed theatrical posters by Paul Newman and original Broadway casts, a day with The Phantom of the Opera, New Year's Eve Producers tickets and much more — visit the Broadway Cares website at www.bcefa.org or call (212) 840 0770.
Although the weather forecast is positive, should Hurricane Isabel make another appearance, the Flea Market will be rescheduled for Sunday, Sept. 28. The Broadway Cares website would announce such a postponement.
Last year's auction raised $450,000 for BC/EFA. During the Grand Auction, the walk-on parts in Broadway musicals garnered the highest bids — Mamma Mia! raised the most ($13,000) with The Phantom of the Opera and Hairspray taking $6,000. Opening-night tickets and party passes to Dance of the Vampires went for $4,000 with Man of La Mancha a close second at $3,600.
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 $65 million for services for people with AIDS, HIV or HIV-related illnesses.
