The Palace Theatre, the home of Disney's Aida, will host the annual event, which comes after six weeks of intensive fundraising by various shows on and off Broadway as well as touring productions throughout the country. It's a chance to celebrate the Broadway gypsies while raising funds for the worthy organization.
Awards are presented in two categories: for best skit and for most money raised for BC/EFA. Last season, the competition raised a record breaking $2,623,825. Hairspray and Rent raised the most for BC/EFA at the 14th annual Gypsy event, with Hairspray pulling in $375,607 and Jonathan Larson's Rent taking in $237,689. Presentation awards went to Urinetown: The Musical (winner) and Les Misérables (first runner-up).
This year's event promises to break all records. Several shows have been auctioning items following their curtain calls for thousands of dollars. Recently, Wicked star Joel Grey auctioned a champagne reception in his dressing room with co-stars Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel. That prize went for $5,000; an additional $500 brought Grey's award-winning rendition of his Cabaret anthem, "Wilkommen." Some of the other items sold include Bernadette Peters' necklace from her "Rose's Turn" number in Gypsy, Hugh Jackman's Peter Allen inspired shirt from The Boy From Oz and Harvey Fierstein's Act I Hairspray shoes. Fittingly, Peters, Fierstein and Jackman will be on hand for the second day of the competition (Dec. 9) to present awards to the winners of the annual contest.
Among this year's judges, who will be present at both the Dec. 8 and 9 performances, are Delta Burke, who is currently making her Broadway debut in Thoroughly Modern Millie; and Tony Award winner Priscilla Lopez, now on the boards in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Anna in the Tropics.
Tickets for this year's event are available by calling (212) 840-0770. For further information, visit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS on the web at http://www.bcefa.org. Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA) is the nation's leading industry based, not-for-profit AIDS fundraising and grant making organization.
