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

BROADWAY CARES/EQUITY FIGHTS AIDS
EASTER BONNET
TOTALS THROUGH HISTORY
1987 $ 18,740
1988 $ 51,757
1989 $ 137,523
1990 $ 226,819
1991 $ 279,000
1992 $ 500,049
1993 $ 848,000
1994 $ 1,001,649
1995 $ 1,127,000
1996 $ 1,304,525
1997 $ 1,474,222
1998 $ 1,793,137
1999 $ 2,096,862
2000 $ 2,129,168
2001 $ 2,275,000
2002 $ 1,826,392
2003 $ 2,149,744
2004 $ 3,439,075
TOTAL $22,678,662
“Getting Married Today.” Thoroughly Modern Millie won third prize in the bonnet presentation category for a moving performance
entitled “Letters from Home," which incorporated “thank you” letters from Actors’ Fund clients and beneficiaries from BC/EFA’s
National Grants Program.
The afternoon featured guest hosts Bernadette Peters, Joel Grey, Ann Harada, Tovah Feldshuh, Randy Graff, Joe Machota,
Michael Mulheren, John Tartaglia (and “Rod”), Christopher Sieber, Ron Kunene, and Tsidii Manye. Harvey Fierstein, Audra
McDonald and Sean Combs announced the winners after Wicked’s Idina Menzel belted out the David Friedman anthem “Help Is On
the Way.”
BC/EFA is blessed to be a part of such an extraordinary theatrical family. And on behalf of the thousands of clients at The Actors’
Fund and hundreds of social service agencies across the country whose essential work will be supported by the funds raised, a very
special thanks to all who made and continue to make these efforts possible.
ONCE UPON A BONNET: EASTER BONNET HISTORY
The precursor to the first Easter Bonnet Competition was an informal show instigated by wardrobe supervisor Gayle Patton in 1986
backstage at the Palace Theatre during the original Broadway run of La Cage aux Folles. La Cage cast members dressed for a contest in
which they were judged in the categories “Poise,” “Personality,” and “Talent.” The company voted by stuffing dollar bills into jars
marked for each contestant. $1,200 was raised and donated to the then fledging AIDS service organization Gay Men’s Health Crisis.
By 1990 the Easter Bonnet Competition had become the Broadway community’s premier AIDS fundraising event with funds now
going to Broadway Cares. Produced by Susanne Ishee and a host of dedicated volunteers for its first eight years, the Easter Bonnet
returned to the Palace Theatre in 1995 where it was produced for the first time by BC/EFA. In 1998, the show moved to the gloriously
renovated New Amsterdam Theatre, its home ever since. Eighteen years and over 380 bonnets later, BC/EFA’s Easter Bonnet Competition
is one of New York City’s most popular annual events and has raised over $22,678,662 – all still based on a whole lot of “Poise,”
“Personality,” and “Talent.”
(clockwise) Our very own Ziegfeld ‘girl’ - Doris Eaton Travis - made her 7th appearance with us on stage at The New Amsterdam, where she first appeared
in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1918, 1919 and 1920; Deborah Cox, starring as Aida, along with the boys from Aida, presented their bonnet to Deborah's remixed dance version
of “Easy As Life”; the cast of Naked Boys Singing! — nearly naked and, of course, singing; the bonnet from off-Broadway’s Menopause, the Musical.
events
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