Produced by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, sponsored by the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) with additional sponsorship by the New York Times, the canine and feline-friendly event was held in Shubert Alley (located between 44th and 45th Streets, between Broadway and Eighth Avenues).
The festivities began at 3:30 PM; celebrity presentations of pets from animal shelters citywide began at 5 PM. (From noon-2 PM, Tony winner Peters was in Shubert Alley with famed illustrator/author Hilary Knight, the designer of this year’s Barks! poster and Playbill cover, to autograph copies of each.)
The celebrity presentations kicked off with a performance from the cast of Jersey Boys.
Celebrity presenters included Annaleigh Ashford, Matt Bogart, Charl Brown, Bertie Carvel, Bryan Terrell Clark, Victoria Clark, Lilla Crawford, Robert Cuccioli, Charlotte d’Amboise, Brandon Victor Dixon, John Dossett, Gabriel Ebert, Harvey Fierstein, Drew Gehling, Sophia Gennusa, Ann Harada, Morgan James, Andy Karl, Isabel Keating, Oona Laurence, Valisia LeKae, Terrence Mann, Lesli Margherita, Andrea Martin, Judy McLane, Michael Mulheren, Bebe Neuwirth, Laura Osnes, David Hyde Pierce, Billy Porter, Andrew Rannells, Bailey Ryon, Stark Sands, Milly Shapiro, Matthew James Thomas, Clarke Thorell, Michael Urie, Lauren Ward, Sigourney Weaver, Joanna Christie, Corey Cott, Lavon Fisher-Wilson, Carol Kane, Kara Lindsay, Jane Lynch, Dominic Scaglione, Felicia Finley and Liesel Allen Yeager. Broadway Barks! helps hundreds of New York City’s shelter animals find permanent homes by informing New Yorkers about the plight of the thousands of homeless dogs and cats in the metropolitan area.
“The ASPCA is proud to sponsor Broadway Barks as it celebrates 15 years of showcasing rescued cats and dogs,” said Matt Bershadker, president and CEO of the ASPCA, in a previous statement. “This event clearly highlights the joys that animals have to offer, but it’s important that we not forget the larger issue of animal homelessness in this city, where thousands of animals are still at risk each year. This event reminds potential pet owners to make pet adoption their first option.”
“Since 2003, the lives of more than 237,000 dogs and cats have been saved through the combined efforts of the Alliance Participating Organizations, many of which, including Animal Care & Control of NYC, have participated in Broadway Barks over the years," added Jane Hoffman, president of the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals. “This spirit of a collaborative community, manifested so clearly in Broadway Barks, is moving us closer to the day when no New York City dog or cat of reasonable health and temperament will be killed simply because we do not have a home for them. We congratulate Bernadette Peters and Mary Tyler Moore for 15 brilliant years of saving lives through Broadway Barks.”
The event features adoptable animals from the following New York City animal shelters and adoption agencies: ASPCA, Abandoned Angels Cocker Spaniel Rescue, Adopt a Boxer Rescue, Animal Care and Control of NYC (AC&C), Animal Haven, Anjellicle Cats Rescue, Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons (ARF), BARC (Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition), Bideawee, Bobbi & the Strays, City Critters, Humane Society of New York (HSNY), Husky House, KittyKind, Loving Touch Animal Center, Manhattan Valley Cat Rescue, Metropolitan Maltese Rescue, Mid Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League, NY Pet-I-Care, PetResQ, P.L.U.T.O. Rescue (Pet Lovers United Together As One), Russell Refuge, Save Kitty Foundation, Sean Casey Animal Rescue, Stray from the Heart, Tigger Foundation and Urban Cat League.
