BC/EFA Annual Report 2004 - Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS

BROADWAY CARES/EQUITY FIGHTS AIDS
EVENTS
Thanks to the commitment of the celebrities and other vital members of the theatrical community
who devote countless hours to our cause, BC/EFA not only raises desperately needed funds for the organizations, foundations and
individuals nationwide who depend on our support, but does it in a way that’s fun for our supporters.
The following pages present the highlights of a year of BC/EFA fundraising events, from October 1, 2003, through September
30, 2004.
The Gypsy of the Year and Easter Bonnet Competitions are the mainstays of the BC/EFA event roster and together raised a record-breaking
$6.7 million this year! Both events mark the culmination of an intensive six-week fundraising campaign on Broadway, off-Broadway,
and by the many national touring shows traveling across the country.
Three other events loom almost as large on our yearly calendar: The Broadway Flea Market and Grand Auction, The Broadway Bears Auction,
and Broadway Bares. The oldest of these is the Broadway Flea Market, which began as a table sale outside the stage door of A Chorus Line in
Shubert Alley in the fall of 1986. In June 2004, we hosted our 14th Broadway Bares, which began as seven dancers cavorting for cash
on a bar in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood and has become one of the most anticipated AIDS fundraisers – one many donors
plan their summer travel schedule around. The Broadway Bears Auction may be the baby of our major events, but it has grown like a
weed…or should we say…a bear. The creative enthusiasm brought to The Broadway Bears by the wardrobe and costume design
community has earned it a yearly home at BC/EFA since 1998. In addition to our annual events, each year brings a collection of
special fundraisers of every size and variety.
The following pages also feature 2004’s high-profile one-time only events: Heather Headley’s acclaimed concert at The New
Amsterdam Theatre, a staged reading of Auntie Mame by Charles Busch and an all-star cast at the John Jay College Theater, and The
Broadway Inspirational Voices’ Gospel Celebration. All of these events are supported by many smaller events produced every year to
benefit BC/EFA by individuals in the community that are not represented on the following pages – special cabaret performances,
dance presentations, club shows, concerts, and much more.
Each one is an important part of our annual fundraising calendar. Whether appearing with a hundred others in a bonnet
presentation at the New Amsterdam Theatre or in a solo for an audience of twenty in a quiet club on the Upper West Side, by
volunteering their time and talent, these dedicated entertainment professionals make BC/EFA’s grant-making efforts possible.
The casts of Fiddler on the Roof and Avenue Q came together to present “Avenue Jew” – the award-winning skit at The Easter Bonnet Competition;
cast members from Mamma Mia! at The Broadway Flea Market; Avenue Q’s John Tartaglia and “Rod” in rare bare form at Broadway Bares.
events
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