Behind the Scenes Fall 2016

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BROADWAY FLEA MARKET

& GRAND AUCTION $5.6 MILLION SAFETY NET

THE ACTORS FUND BROADWAY BARES 462 ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTED

NATIONAL GRANTS EASTER BONNET COMPETITION

EDUCATION OUTREACH NEXT GENERATION

B R O A D WAY C A R E S . O R G


WHO’S WHO AT BROADWAY CARES

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Dear Friends:

Behind the Scenes is published by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS 165 West 46th Street, Suite 1300 New York, NY 10036 212.840.0770 info@broadwaycares.org broadwaycares.org Tom Viola, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Lane Beauchamp, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Larry Cook, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION Valerie Lau-Kee Lai, PRODUCING DIRECTOR Danny Whitman, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT BC/EFA OFFICERS Paul Libin, PRESIDENT Robert E. Wankel, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Ira Mont, FIRST VICE PRESIDENT Thomas Schumacher, SECOND VICE PRESIDENT Nina Lannan, THIRD VICE PRESIDENT Sherry Cohen, FOURTH VICE PRESIDENT Philip Birsh, TREASURER Judith Rice, SECRETARY BC/EFA BOARD OF TRUSTEES Cornelius Baker John Barnes Scott Barnes Joseph Benincasa David Binder Chris Boneau Barry Brown Kate Burton Robert Callely Kathleen Chalfant Gavin Creel Alan Cumming Gavin Darraugh Michael David B. Merle Debuskey Maria Di Dia Paul DiDonato Sam Ellis Richard Frankel Roy Harris Richard Hester Richard Jay-Alexander

Cherry Jones Nathan Lane Jay Laudato Peter Lawrence Joe Machota Nancy Mahon Mary McColl Kevin McCollum Terrence McNally Jerry Mitchell Bernadette Peters Chita Rivera Jordan Roth Nick Scandalios Robert Score Kate Shindle Philip J. Smith Charlotte St. Martin David Stone Stuart Thompson Tim Tompkins Tom Viola (ex-officio)

BEHIND THE SCENES Tom Viola, Lane Beauchamp, EDITORS Joy Nelson, LAYOUT & DESIGN Contributors Peter Borzotta, Sarah Cardillo, John Halpin, Chris Kenney, Sarah Mitchel, Francesca Toscano, Alona Volinsky Photographers Jenny Anderson, Mo Brady, Whitney Browne, Billy Bustamante, Sean Carroll, Kevin Thomas Garcia, Brandon Giles, Daniel T. Gramkee, Christian Grattan, Walter Haller, Genevieve Rafter Kennedy, Matthew Murphy, Joy Nelson, Benjamin Norman, Daniel Roberts, Starpix, Steve J. Sherman, Monica Simoes, Steven Sobotta, Matthew Stocke, Jonathan Tichler, Peter James Zielinski

broadwaycares.org

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Behind the Scenes

Autumn is one of my favorite times of year in New York City. I’m not alone in relishing the cooler weather and the less-than-steamy sidewalks. But fall’s arrival brings another reason that makes this time of year so special to me: Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS’ audience appeal season. Our twice-annual appeals give all of us at Broadway Cares the chance to step into our community and work with our most passionate supporters. We get to connect, create and brainstorm unique ways to fundraise with actors, stage managers and other members of the theatre community. And we get to see kind audience members face-to-face as they drop donations in our famous red buckets, and thank them for giving so generously. It still astounds me that these seemingly small donations add together to provide millions of dollars of support. We get to share that support - this year a momentous $6.6 million - with individuals needing our help to survive and thrive. Of course, the donations received from audience appeals are just part of the way we’re able to enrich the lives of so many. As you’ll read in this issue of Behind the Scenes, we’re grateful to celebrate another successful year of fundraising, from the 30th annual incarnation of the Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction to another record-breaking year of support at Broadway Bares. From our oldest celebration, the Easter Bonnet Competition, to our newest annual event, Broadway Bets, you’ll see how the full breadth of the theatrical community rallied together to give back. You’ll also see beautiful images and read incredible stories from events produced by Dancers Responding to AIDS and Classical Action. In this issue, we share how the funds raised at these events are changing the lives of real people in real places, thanks to the incredible work of 462 AIDS and family service organizations we’ve funded. You’ll also read how your support helps some of your favorite theatre artists in times of need through The Actors Fund. Two of our most-beloved supporters, Javier Muñoz of Hamilton and Krysta Rodriguez of Spring Awakening, shared a candid conversation about reaching out in times of personal need. Our audience appeals are a time we give thanks for you, our generous community. Through your support, we are not only able to look after our own but help so many others, too, proving that together, we can do more. Thank you. Sincerely,

Tom Viola Executive Director

Broadway Cares President Inducted into Theater Hall of Fame Paul Libin holds one of the most impressive and expansive resumes in theatre. Onstage, backstage and behind the scenes, Libin’s presence has been felt in more than 250 groundbreaking Broadway and Off-Broadway works for half a century. Libin, who’s been president of the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Board of Trustees since 1995 and currently is producing director and vice president of Jujamcyn Theaters as well as president of Circle in the Square Theatre, was inducted into the prestigious Theater Hall of Fame in November. The honor comes just three years after he received the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in Theatre. Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is forever grateful for Libin’s outstanding leadership and great friendship. Because he has stood with us, advocating for us at the Broadway community’s highest levels and with its most powerful players, tens of thousands in our community and hundreds of thousands more across the country have been offered a helping hand and support at their most critical moments. Their lives have been made better because Paul shares his with us.


2016 GRANT-MAKING “Where does all that money go?” Support for The Actors Fund HIV/AIDS INITIATIVE

$2,000,000

PHYLLIS NEWMAN WOMEN’S HEALTH INITIATIVE

$ 810,000

AL HIRSCHFELD FREE HEALTH CLINIC

$ 600,000

ARTISTS HEALTH INSURANCE RESOURCE CENTER (AHIRC)

$ 400,000

ADDICTION AND RECOVERY SERVICES

$ 400,000

THE DANCERS’ RESOURCE

$ 310,000

ACTORS FUND WORK PROGRAM / CAREER CENTER

$ 300,000

STAGE MANAGERS’ PROJECT

$ 200,000

MISCELLANEOUS Annual Gala, Memorial Donations, Benefit Support, etc.

$

82,550

FRIEDMAN CLINIC CAPITAL CAMPAIGN $ 500,000 One-time gift to move the Hirschfeld Clinic from the Friedman to 729 Seventh Ave.

THE ACTORS FUND

$ 5,602,550

National Grants FOOD SERVICE and MEAL DELIVERY PROGRAMS 118 Organizations in 37 States

$ 1,885,000

NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AIDS SERVICE and ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS 45 Agencies

$

842,000

LOCAL AIDS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS 299 Organizations in 50 States, Washington DC and Puerto Rico Direct Services and Case Management, Supportive Housing Programs, Emergency Financial Assistance, Harm Reduction Programs, Quality of Life Services

$ 2,289,400

SUPPLEMENTAL/EMERGENCY GRANTS

$

591,578

THEATRE COMMUNITY SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, RESEARCH GRANTS, SPECIAL ONE-TIME and SHARED SUPPORT

$

902,779

$

75,000

PHYSICIAN VOLUNTEERS FOR THE ARTS Broadway Flu Shot Initiative

NATIONAL GRANTS

$ 6,585,757

International Grants SOUTH AFRICA / THE LION KING Grants to 24 AIDS Service Organizations ACTORS FUND of CANADA

INTERNATIONAL GRANTS

2016 BC/EFA GRANT-MAKING TOTAL

$

336,500

$

54,700

$ 391,200

$12,579,507


BROADWAY CARES/EQUITY FIGHTS AIDS

MISSION STATEMENT Approved by the BC/EFA Board of Trustees – May 27, 2010

•  To mobilize the unique abilities within the entertainment industry to mitigate the suffering of individuals affected by HIV/AIDS; •  To ensure direct support specifically through social services and programs of the Actors Fund to all individuals in the entertainment industry affected by critical health issues, including but not limited to HIV/AIDS; •  To support organizations across the country which provide treatment or services for people specifically affected by HIV/AIDS and their families; •  To promote and encourage public support for national and international programs and services which benefit people with HIV/AIDS;

TABLE OF

CONTENTS   3 Where Does All That Money Go?   5 Flea Market & Grand Auction   9 The Actors Fund 12 Easter Bonnet Competition 15 National Grants 19 Broadway Bets 20 Broadway Bares 22 Broadway Bares Fire Island 23 Broadway Barks 24 Beyond the Footlights 25 Classical Action 26 Fire Island Dance Festival 28 Hudson Valley Dance Festival 29 Education Outreach 30 Leadership Council 31 Angels Circle

•  To increase public awareness and understanding of HIV/AIDS through the creation and dissemination of educational materials; •  To support efforts by the entertainment industry to address other critical health issues or respond to an emergency, in each case as approved by the Board of Trustees; •  To support efforts by the entertainment industry in other charitable or educational endeavors, in each case as approved by the Board of Trustees.

A HISTORY OF GRANT-MAKING The Actors Fund

1987–1992 Equity Fights AIDS $ 1988–May 1992 Broadway Cares BC/EFA Contributions 5/92–12/92 $ 1993 $ 1994 $ 1995 $ 1996 $ 1997 $ 1998 $ 1999 $ 2000 $ 2001 $ 2002 $ 2003 $ 2004 $ 2005 $ 2006 $ 2007 $ 2008 $ 2009 $ 2010 $ 2011 $ 2012 $ 2013 $ 2014 $ 2015 $ 2016 unaudited $ Total Support 1988–2016

National & Int’l Grants

Total

2,775,250 $ 1,067,000

$ 2,775,250 $ 1,067,000

634,000 1,654,000 1,758,000 1,791,000 2,010,000 2,247,500 2,471,000 2,700,000 2,955,336 2,829,500 2,732,000 3,022,500 3,360,500 3,516,500 3,517,500 3,671,500 4,302,000 3,400,000 4,160,000 4,014,500 4,625,000 4,300,000 4,603,000 5,175,500 5,602,550

$ 1,405,780 $ 2,838,119 $ 2,434,404 $ 2,498,916 $ 3,410,549 $ 3,589,700 $ 4,182,819 $ 5,739,841 $ 5,988,902 $ 6,068,265 $ 5,421,676 $ 6,138,469 $ 7,797,838 $ 7,986,298 $ 8,035,864 $ 8,824,046 $ 10,039,298 $ 7,892,489 $ 9,984,988 $ 9,320,200 $ 10,856,755 $ 10,518,706 $ 10,680,237 $ 12,023,620 $ 12,579,577

$ 771,780 $ 1,184,119 $ 676,404 $ 707,916 $ 1,400,549 $ 1,342,200 $ 1,711,819 $ 3,039,841 $ 3,033,566 $ 3,238,765 $ 2,689,679 $ 3,115,969 $ 4,437,338 $ 4,469,798 $ 4,518,364 $ 5,152,546 $ 5,737,298 $ 4,492,489 $   5,824,988 $   5,305,700 $   6,218,796 $   6,218,706 $   6,077,237 $   6,848,120 $   6,976,957

$ 83,828,636 $ 96,257,941

BC/EFA GRANT-MAKING TOTAL 1988–2016

$180,086,577


Sunday, September 25, 2016 Shubert Alley, West 44th Street & West 45th Street

10 am - 7 pm

BROADWAY FLEA MARKET & GRAND AUCTION The Biggest Day for Broadway Fans

broadwaycares.org #broadwayflea

®

Everything You Love about Broadway in One Magical Day

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stunning fall day set the perfect stage September 25 as Broadway fans searched for endless theatre treasures and once-in-a-lifetime experiences at the 30th Annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction, which raised a record $782,081. Everything you love about Broadway was all in one place as rare Broadway memorabilia, celebrity meet-and-greets and more wooed fans to New York City’s Shubert Alley and West 44th and 45th Streets. The day-long celebration featured 68 tables, 73 of the brightest stars on the Great White Way and 206 live and silent auction items. The 30 editions of the Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction have collectively raised $12.6 million. This year’s total shattered the previous record of $756,655, set last year. “I’m so proud and thrilled to see this remarkable event grow into the biggest day of the year for the Broadway fan in all of us - whether we work onstage, backstage or cheer from the audience,” Broadway Cares Executive Director Tom Viola

said. “The money we raise from a signed Playbill or prop, a walk-on experience or opening night ticket package can change someone’s life.” Fans added unique pieces to their own collections from tables representing Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, theatre owners and producing organizations, unions, guilds, marketing groups, ticket agencies, concessionaires and fan clubs. The tables this year raised $395,601. A special table, dubbed Act III, featured items from recently closed shows, including The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Finding Neverland, Fun Home, Les Misérables and Shuffle Along…. The Act III table raised $12,334. The day concluded in Shubert Alley with the live auction, which raised a record-breaking $301,400. Some of the most popular lots featured walk-on roles in Broadway’s hottest hits, including the day’s top-seller: a walk-on role in the Tony-winning Kinky Boots, which went for $15,000.

Behind the Scenes

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Tickets to the opening night of Hello Dolly!, starring the iconic Bette Midler, as well as passes to the star-studded after-party raised $13,000. In all, 19 opening night packages, which included passes to the VIP parties afterward, raised $67,150. Other popular auction items included a seat as a judge at Broadway Cares’ Gypsy of the Year and Easter Bonnet Competition, which raised $12,000; and walk-on roles in Wicked, which went for $10,500, Beautiful - The Carole King Musical for $9,750, The Phantom of the Opera for $8,000, Jersey Boys for $5,200 and The Lion King for $4,100. Two stars of Hamilton, Javier Muñoz and Rory O’Malley, made surprise appearances for two lots that included VIP house seats to that Tony Award-winning smash hit. The two lots raised $11,250. Similar packages included tickets to Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 and a meeting with its star Josh Groban, which raised $5,000; seats at On Your Feet! with a chance to meet Gloria and Emilio Estefan for $5,000; and tickets to The Front Page with a meet-and-greet with star Nathan Lane for $5,000.

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Behind the Scenes

Broadway and television favorite Bryan Batt joined Grand Auction first-timer acclaimed auctioneer Nick Nicholson, of Freeman’s in Philadelphia, to host the live auction. Nicholson follows in the footsteps of his friend Lorna Kelly, Broadway Cares’ longtime auctioneer and friend who passed away this summer. Throughout the day, favorites Jen Cody and Michael Goddard co-hosted, with auctioneer Dan Perry, the silent auction, which raised $80,080. The top selling silent auction item at $3,250 was an “At This Performance” sign from Shuffle Along…, autographed by its star-studded cast. In addition to exploring the endless gems at the tables and auctions, fans also met their favorite stars at the Autograph Table and Photo Booth, which raised $22,511. The Broadway stars who appeared at the table were Christy Altomare, Michael Arden, James Barbour, Bryan Batt, Richard H. Blake, John Bolton, Alex Brightman, Danny Burstein, Haven


Burton, Carolee Carmello, Will Chase, Leanne Cope, Corey Cott, Jason Danieley, Ariana DeBose, Jennifer DiNoia, Jordan Donica, Brandon Victor Dixon, Ali Ewoldt, Robert Fairchild, Aaron C. Finley, Lora Lee Gayer, Drew Gehling, John Glover, Mandy Gonzalez, Joel Grey, Josh Grisetti, Ann Harada, Heather Headley, Jessica Hecht, James Monroe Iglehart, Ben Jacoby, Rachel Bay Jones, Judy Kaye, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Chilina Kennedy, Derek Klena, Jeremy Kushnier, Diane Lane, Lexi Lawson, Kara Lindsay, Lesli Margherita, Marin Mazzie, Rob McClure, Andy Mientus, Melanie Moore, Javier Muñoz, Bebe Neuwirth, Kelli O’Hara, Rory O’Malley, Christopher John O’Neill, Brad Oscar, Ben Platt, Courtney Reed, Jelani Remy, Nic Rouleau, Megan Sikora, Carrie St. Louis, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Jenna Ushkowitz, Ana Villafañe, Max von Essen, Adrienne Warren and Jessica Keenan Wynn. Special guests from two TV musicals also joined the table. From NBC’s Hairspray Live! were Maddie Baillio, Harvey Fierstein, Shahadi Wright Joseph and Jerry Mitchell. And from Fox TV’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again were Reeve Carney, Victoria Justice, Ryan McCartan and Ben Vereen. Jim Caruso of Jim Caruso’s Cast Party at Birdland returned as host of the Autograph Table.

TOP 10 TABLES Hamilton...............................…..............$38,976 Wicked..................................................$22,185 TDF’s Pik-a-Tik................................…...$17,621 Creative Goods Merchandise................$16,821 ATPAM........................................…...$16,148 Waitress......................................…...$11,705 Justin “Squigs” Robertson….................$11,602 Reel Time Video Production…...............$11,115 School of Rock - The Musical...........…...$10,433 The Color Purple…................................$10,404

The biggest day of the year for Broadway fans created a lasting memory for those who took part. “When people stand together in the light of something positive and support those who might not otherwise have a chance or a voice, that’s powerful,” On Your Feet! star Ana Villafañe said. “And that’s why we’re here.” The Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction was sponsored by The New York Times and United Airlines. n

broadwaycares.org/fleamarket2016

PHOTOS & VIDEO

Behind the Scenes

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Auctioneer Lorna Kelly Leaves Legacy of Sass and Success

L

orna Kelly was 30 when she was told she was too unpredictable to continue as a secretary at esteemed auction house Sotheby’s. Her reaction was to knock on the Sotheby’s president’s office door and convince him to let her conduct her own sales. The confident Kelly subsequently blazed the trail for female auctioneers with her fiery personality and eccentric spirit. Along her journey, she became the “official auctioneer” for - and a longtime friend of - Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, where she could be found holding court at any event with a podium and gavel. On June 15, Kelly passed away unexpectedly at the age of 70 after a stroke. “Lorna was more than our auctioneer; she was family,” Broadway Cares Executive Director Tom Viola said. “She came to love us and the community, and we loved her.” Kelly joined the Broadway Cares family in September 1989, during production of the third annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction. The previous year’s market barely filled Shubert Alley, and its live auction had a lackluster outcome. Viola knew he needed an expert if the auction was going to be a success. Kelly’s reputation preceded her, as she was renowned as the first female auctioneer at Sotheby’s. Viola approached her to be involved with Broadway Cares, and, in true Kelly fashion, she immediately offered suggestions and critiqued strategies with her signature sass. “It’s an entertainment, Tom, where you relieve people of their money for something they may not even know they want,” Viola

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Behind the Scenes

remembered Kelly saying at their first meeting. “But it is also an art and a good auctioneer is essential. I’m one of the best.” And she was right. Kelly surpassed all expectations in her first year presiding over the flea market’s live auction, raising $12,000 of the day’s $52,000 grand total, shattering the previous year’s $1,500 auction total. From that day on, Broadway Cares had a friend and champion. The secret to Kelly’s auctioneer expertise was her uncanny ability to create an affectionate, playful atmosphere with bidders. “I’ll wait,” she’d gleefully mock. “Don’t look at him. Look at me.” At 26 editions of the Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction and 15 The Broadway Bears auctions, Kelly teased and charmed more than $6.3 million from donors and Broadway enthusiasts. Kelly, whose hair in recent years included at least a streak of her favorite color, pink, was honored at the 30th Annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction in September. The Grand Auction’s new auctioneer, Nick Nicholson, was a dear friend of Kelly’s and inherited her beloved gavel. And the official event T-shirt was bright pink in her honor. Whether coaxing auction attendees to open their wallets a little bit wider, or sitting enthusiastically in the aisle seat at Broadway Cares events, Kelly enriched the organization with her innate talent and unique, infectious spirit. Lorna Kelly, iconic auctioneer, philanthropist and friend, will forever be synonymous with Broadway Cares. “Chicka-cha, chicka-cha, chicka-cha. Chick! Sold to you, sir! And aren’t you glad!” n


THE ACTORS FUND

Providing Lifelines of Support for Those Onstage and Offstage

D

uring a recent conversation in New York City’s Chelsea Market, Javier Muñoz and Krysta Rodriguez finished each other’s sentences. As accomplished actors who performed together in Broadway’s In the Heights, their closeness is not surprising.

But the sentences they finish have nothing to do with lines from a show or backstage stories. It’s when they talk about the side effects of prescription medicine or the isolation of being sick or simply the challenge of asking others for help. In their separate journeys of living with HIV and cancer, Muñoz and Rodriguez find common ground in the good days and bad ones, the shared experiences in doctors’ offices and discussions with social workers. They both know firsthand how The Actors Fund shines as a beacon of light and hope for so many.

I spent about two days in complete and utter depression, not sure what I even had available as far as options. I had no money to pay for medications, and I didn’t know how to even start.” Muñoz ultimately ended up at The Actors Fund. “That’s how I got my doctor, that’s how I got my insurance taken care of, that’s how I got my AIDS Drug Assistance Program put in place,” he said. “I remember hitting a point ... I mean, taking care of yourself is so expensive. What you need medically and emotionally is just ridiculous and I needed help.” In the fall of 2014, Rodriguez, who’s appeared in seven Broadway shows including the recent revival of Spring Awakening, was diagnosed with breast cancer on the eve of her 30th birthday. Even for someone with a successful career, the reality that comes after diagnosis can be daunting.

For more than 25 years, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS has been strengthening The Actors Fund’s vital safety net of social services as The Fund’s largest single supporter. Since 1988, Broadway Cares has awarded $73 million to The Actors Fund, “I’m chugging along paying for everything and all of the stuff was including a record $5.6 million in 2016. starting to add up,” Rodriguez said. “The surgeries were going to be tens of thousands of dollars. My biggest problem was that I Muñoz, who stars as Alexander Hamilton in Broadway’s didn’t have any money.” history-making hit Hamilton, first encountered the services of The Actors Fund in 2002 after being diagnosed with HIV. Rodriguez knew about The Actors Fund and its HIV/AIDS " It was July 2 and I got my result that I tested positive,” Muñoz shared with Rodriguez. "I spent about two days in complete and utter depression, not sure what I even had available as far as options. I had no money to pay for medications, and I didn't know how to even start."

Initiative, but not the extent of other services offered.

“I was very aware of The Actors Fund because I had been collecting for Broadway Cares for years, but I didn’t have AIDS or HIV, so I thought, ‘Well, that’s that,’” she said. Rodriguez’s manager, however, knew of The Actors Fund’s support of Behind the Scenes

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women’s health and connected her to the organization. After sharing her challenges with The Actors Fund, Rodriguez was amazed by the support she received. “My social worker, Allison, came in and said, ‘We can have a check for you,’” Rodriguez remembered. "I started shaking, I started crying. I said, ‘Where does this money come from?’ And she was like, ‘You helped raise it. It came from you.’” Rodriguez’s assistance came through the Phyllis Newman Women’s Health Initiative. In 1996, thanks in part to a $10,000 grant from Broadway Cares, The Actors Fund established the initiative to provide a safety net for women in the industry tailored to their unique needs and illnesses. These concerns include HIV/AIDS, breast, cervical and ovarian cancers, domestic violence, chemical dependency and mental health issues. Since that first grant, Broadway Cares has awarded $9.4 million to the women’s health initiative.

weekly support groups, access to vital medication and long-term holistic planning. In 2016, Broadway Cares awarded $2 million to the initiative. “I felt so much comfort, so much safety,” Muñoz said. “For the first time I got help within my community.” Today, Rodriguez’s cancer is in remission and Muñoz has learned how to manage his diagnosis. Neither depends on the kindness of The Actors Fund at the moment, but because the safety net provided by Broadway Cares played such a key role in their journeys to recovery, they are eager to give back. During the run of Spring Awakening, Rodriguez shared her personal story as part of Broadway Cares’ fundraising appeal: "The money doesn't go to a vault somewhere, it's getting put back into the community. It's me, it's somebody next to me, it's four people behind me, it's somebody in the next show you're going to see."

The money doesn’t go to a vault somewhere, it’s getting put back into the community. It’s me, it’s somebody next to me, it’s four people behind me, it’s somebody in the next show you’re going to see.” Muñoz enjoys holding Broadway Cares’ iconic red donation bucket after shows because it gives him an opportunity to connect with fans in an inspiring way.

For both Rodriguez and Muñoz, The Actors Fund provided access to financial assistance, countless resources and a safe, understanding community.

“It feels wonderful to say thank you to the person, to connect with the audience member,” Muñoz said. “Not only have they helped our industry, but some of the money they’re donating may be a resource for them later in life from some organization that they don’t even realize Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS helps support. We’re asking for their help because here we are, living proof that it works.” n

Muñoz appreciated how The Actors Fund recognized the unique struggles of people in the entertainment industry and provided customized financial and emotional support based on those needs. “As an artist who doesn’t always work all the time, doesn’t always have insurance all the time, all the things we deal with in and out of contracts,” Muñoz explains, “The Actors Fund knows exactly what our needs are, and there’s integrity in whatever the need is.” For Muñoz, his connection to treatment and support was provided by the HIV/AIDS Initiative. Established more than 25 years ago, the initiative offers support to performing arts professionals through financial assistance, counseling services,

broadwaycares.org/actorsfund

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Behind the Scenes

VIDEO


All performing arts and entertainment professionals in need, crisis or transition are eligible for the vital social service programs available through The Actors Fund. Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is the largest single financial supporter of The Actors Fund, helping ensure health care, addiction and recovery services, emergency financial assistance, affordable housing, insurance counseling and senior care.

HIV/AIDS INITIATIVE

AL HIRSCHFELD FREE HEALTH CLINIC

The experienced social workers of the HIV/AIDS Initiative help men and women in the industry create confidential, holistic support systems that address emotional, medical and financial needs over the long term.

The Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic provides quality primary and specialty urgent care, vaccinations, physical examinations, blood testing, mammograms and more. It is the only full-time free clinic in New York City.

2016 grant: $2,000,000 | Since 1988: $48,750,000

2016 grant: $600,000 | Since 2004: $9,011,000

PHYLLIS NEWMAN WOMEN'S HEALTH INITIATIVE

ARTISTS HEALTH INSURANCE RESOURCE CENTER

The Phyllis Newman Women’s Health Initiative provides a safety net for women who are coping with critical health concerns. The initiative is a place where women artists get help and advice without fear and stigma.

The Artists Health Insurance Resource Center, known as AHIRC, works with unions and local performing arts organizations to connect entertainment industry workers to health insurance and the Affordable Care Act.

2016 grant: $810,000 | Since 1996: $9,400,000

2016 grant: $400,000 | Since 2014: $1,300,000

ADDICTION AND RECOVERY SERVICES

THE DANCERS' RESOURCE

Addiction and Recovery Services services help entertainment professionals and their families cope with situations of drug and alcohol abuse or addiction. The program provides intensive case management to address addiction and its causes

The Dancers’ Resource addresses the unique challenges dancers face due to the physically demanding nature of their work, coupled with the significant financial challenges of earning a living in dance.

2016 grant: $400,000 | Since 2015: $850,000

2016 grant: $310,000 | Since 2007: $2,035,000

THE CAREER CENTER

THE STAGE MANAGERS' PROJECT

The Career Center, formerly known as the Actors Fund Work Program, assists those in the entertainment community identify and find meaningful sideline employment or a new career.

The Stage Managers’ Project is a reliable directory of doctors, specialists and other health care providers in 28 cities for Broadway, Off-Broadway and national touring productions.

2016 grant: $300,000 | Since 1998: $4,285,000

2016 grant: $200,000 | Since 2005: $596,000

actorsfund.org

LEARN MORE

Behind the Scenes

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30 th Annual

EASTER

30TH ANNUAL EASTER BONNET COMPETITION

BONNET Com peti tion

Monday, April 25, 2016 at 4:30 pm Tuesday, April 26, 2016 at 2 pm

Minskoff Theatre broadwaycares.org #broadwaybonnets

Spring Fundraising by 58 Shows Sets Highest Total Ever

T

he 30th annual Easter Bonnet Competition, celebrating six weeks of fundraising by 58 Broadway, Off-Broadway and national touring companies, raised a recordshattering $5,528,568, the largest grand total in Broadway Cares history. The staggering total was announced April 26 by Christian Borle, Jennifer Hudson and Jesse Tyler Ferguson following two afternoons of inspiring and creative performances by more than 230 of the best actors, singers and dancers in New York. The production featured 17 extravagant, handmade bonnets presented by some of Broadway’s most popular shows. Borle, Ferguson and Hudson also presented awards for the best presentation and best bonnet design. The company of Hamilton took top presentation honors for transforming their opening number into an homage to Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd. Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda chillingly portrayed the “demon barber of Fleet Street” as his fellow cast members retold the dark, twisted tale.

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Behind the Scenes

The company of Fun Home was runner-up for turning West Side Story’s “Gee Officer Krupke!” into a plea to Miranda to write a show for them. Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Stevie Nicks made a surprise appearance to join the kids’ band from School of Rock - The Musical. The audience screamed as Nicks - with her distinctive, legendary voice - led the band in a rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s classic hit “Rhiannon,” which Nicks wrote. Max von Essen and Brandon Uranowitz from An American in Paris lamented theatre audiences’ addiction to taking photos and using smartphones during shows with the comedic “Turn It Off, Seriously.” The performance was topped off by the presentation of a clever, two-sided bonnet designed by Billy Hipkins featuring an exploding smartphone, which garnered the award for bonnet design. Other astonishingly creative performances by Broadway and Off-Broadway companies included Avenue Q, Chicago, Disaster!, Kinky Boots, The Lion King, Straight and Wicked.


Broadway Inspirational Voices offered a roof-raising rendition of Sondheim’s “Sunday” from Sunday in the Park with George. Rachel York from Disaster! ended the show both days delivering an emotional and powerful rendition of the traditional Easter Bonnet Competition anthem, “Help is on the Way,” written by David Friedman. This year’s Easter Bonnet Competition opened with a rousing production number honoring the 25th anniversary of the Tony Award-winning The Will Rogers Follies. Original cast member Cady Huffman led the Easter Bonnet Competition dancers in a grand tribute to the Best Musical of 1991. Joined by fellow original cast members Dana Moore and Wendy Waring and The Lion King’s L. Steven Taylor, the number reimagined the Broadway classic with an ethnically diverse, modern-day twist. The show also featured a special number honoring the tireless volunteers of Broadway Cares’ Bucket Brigade, conceived and directed by Jonathan Cerullo and featuring Esi Sogah and Bryan Austermann representing 167 volunteers. There was also a tribute to the hard-working national touring productions raising money across the country, choreographed by Kellen Stancil. Broadway Cares’ affiliate organizations - Broadway Green Alliance, Broadway Serves and R.Evolución Latina presented bonnets with a featured performance by D1 Dance Company, a Peruvian troupe of young dancers which regularly collaborates with R.Evolución Latina. The Bonnet Competition was hosted by Cynthia Erivo from The Color Purple and Leslie Odom Jr. from Hamilton, Disaster!’s Kerry Butler and Jennifer Simard, Alex Brightman from School of Rock - the Musical and Carmen Cusack from Bright Star, Adam Kantor and Alexandra Silber from Fiddler on the Roof, and The Lion King’s Tshidi Manye and L. Steven Taylor. Behind the Scenes

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The Crucible’s Tina Benko, Jason Butler Harner, Ciarán Hines, Saoirse Ronan, Ray Anthony Thomas and Ben Whishaw - with a special appearance by the show’s wolf-like canine, Luchta, and her trainer, Bill Berloni - thanked the 47 shows that raised funds this spring but did not perform. This year's judges were introduced by Laura Benanti from She Loves Me and Roger Bart from Disaster!. The judges were Nicholas Barasch, Reed Birney, Sierra Boggess, Joseph Leo Bwarie, Robert Creighton, Jayne Houdyshell, Alix Korey, Kyle Scatliffe and Nancy Van Duyne, vice president of congressional affairs at United Airlines, a longtime Broadway Cares corporate sponsor. Lee Perlman and Amy Rocchi, who won their spots by bidding on VIP packages at the 29th Annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction in September, also joined the panel. The Easter Bonnet Competition was directed by Kathleen Purvis with Arabella Powell serving as production stage manager, leading a team of 12 expert stage managers. Ben Cohn was music supervisor. Lighting design was by Martin Vreeland and sound by Alain Van Achte. The Easter Bonnet Competition is generously sponsored by The New York Times and United Airlines. n

FUNDRAISING AWARDS BROADWAY MUSICALS Top Fundraiser

Hamilton.............................$516,029

1st Runner Up

Jersey Boys...........................$266,996

2nd Runner Up

The Book of Mormon.......$259,496

3rd Runner Up

The Lion King.......................$164,151

BROADWAY PLAYS Top Fundraisers-Tie

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time........................$68,282 The Humans........................................................$68,083

NATIONAL TOURING SHOWS Top Fundraiser The Book of Mormon - Latter Day............$362,842 1st Runner Up Wicked - Munchkinland..................................$320,581 2nd Runner Up

Kinky Boots..........................$266,812

3rd Runner Up

Newsies.................................$246,523

OFF-BROADWAY Top Fundraiser

broadwaycares.org/easterbonnet2016

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Behind the Scenes

PHOTOS & VIDEO

Avenue Q...............................$27,501

58 COMPANIES RAISED $5,528,568


NATIONAL GRANTS

Organizations Nationwide Give Hope to People in Need

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n Manhattan’s diverse neighborhood of Harlem, the incidence of HIV/AIDS is staggering. With limited access to quality care and connections to treatment, the rate of infection is five times the national average and HIV-positive people in Harlem are 50 percent more likely to die than in Manhattan as a whole. “I was at my lowest when I was first diagnosed,” said Fayetta, who’s been living with HIV for 30 years. “I couldn’t get more depressed. I didn’t even want to wake up anymore. At the time, it seemed like the worst news in the world.” Feeling alone and hopeless, Fayetta reached out to Harlem United Community AIDS Center, one of the 462 AIDS and family service organizations nationwide that received a grant in 2016 from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. “I started having grandchildren and I realized I want to be around for them,” Fayetta said. “Now, thanks to Harlem United, I know how to let the medicine work for me. I went from living on the streets and scraping the pavement to having a place to sleep at night and recovering.” Broadway Cares awarded a record-breaking $6.6 million this year to AIDS and family service organizations in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, DC. These grants give hope, opportunity and empowerment to those in need nationwide. Valentine was living in California when he was first diagnosed with HIV. He assumed his life in music would become a casualty of his status. “I had lost a bunch of weight,” Valentine said. “Friends and family were visiting and it felt like they were paying their last respects.” Although people are living longer thanks to advancements in medication and awareness, HIV transmission rates remain the same today as they did in the 1990s. Of the 1.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS, 76 percent are men.

After moving to Coeur d’Alene, ID, Valentine sought help from the North Idaho AIDS Coalition. Once he was given the correct medication to regain his strength and the mentorship to fuel his self worth, he was able to rekindle his love of music. He now channels his emotional journey into his songwriting. “My diagnosis impacted my spirit,” Valentine said. “My music is emotional and those emotions come from my spirit. I feel like I was given the chance to start over. I may have old experiences that determine my path, but I am so thankful for this new life I get to live.” North Idaho AIDS Coalition’s 2016 grant of $10,000 was part of this summer’s largest grant round, which awarded more than $2.2 million to 299 organizations. The funding supports direct services and case management, supportive housing programs, emergency financial assistance, harm reduction programs and quality of life services. Earlier this year, Broadway Cares awarded $1.8 million to 118 organizations for food service and meal delivery programs. Helping ensure nutritious meals reach those in need remains a high priority for Broadway Cares as it is an essential part of a lifesaving regimen. In March, $842,000 was awarded to 45 nationally recognized AIDS service and advocacy agencies, which directly impact the hundreds of service providers Broadway Cares funds. With support and encouragement from the AIDS and family service organizations Broadway Cares awards grants to, the most vulnerable among us are given a newfound sense of hope and purpose. “I choose to think of this virus as a blessing,” Fayetta said. “I have the right medication and it’s working. I’m living to see my grandchildren become adults; they’re 19 and 17. I never thought I’d get this far.” n Behind the Scenes

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More than 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV, yet 1 in 8 don't know they are infected. When Jacob was diagnosed with HIV at 22, he didn’t see a light at the end of the tunnel. “But now I feel on top of the world. I’m very lucky to have the medication and education I need thanks to HIV Alliance in Eugene, Oregon."

2 01 6 N AT I O N A L G R A N TS Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS awarded $6.6 million to 462 AIDS and family service organizations in all 50 states The bright lights of Broadway help hundreds of thousands of individual points of light shine in cities and towns in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, DC.

Rachel was 23 when she contracted HIV. As a client of AIDS Service Foundation Orange County in Irvine, CA, she now shares her story to raise awareness about the disease and increase prevention. “If people who are infected can stand up and start educating people about HIV and AIDS, we'll find we are more well-received because we can talk openly about it.”

broadwaycares.org/nationalgrants

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Behind the Scenes

PHOTOS & VIDEO

HIV wasn’t going to be my life. It was going to be a part of my life, yes. It’s going to be with me until I die, yes. But this wasn’t going to be the focus of my life. There is so much more out there. Rene, San Antonio AIDS Foundation


Three years after learning he was HIV-positive, James from Memphis realized that he wasn't going to die from the disease. “God has a plan for me," he thought. With the support of his social workers at Hope House, James is learning about proper nutrition, applying for jobs and earning his high school degree.

Twenty years ago, my mom was preparing me for hospice care because I thought I was going to die from AIDS complications. I pulled through and I’m doing much better. Now I'm giving back through education, advocacy and other volunteer work I do. I am so grateful to still be here. It's truly been quite a bittersweet journey.

Nancy, The Well Project in Brooklyn, NY

Louisiana has one of the highest HIV infection rates per capita in the United States, and ranks third in both AIDS and estimated HIV case rates.

Miami-Dade County leads the nation in new HIV infections as the number of reported HIV cases in Florida has jumped 23 percent. The proportion of Floridians infected with HIV is at its highest in seven years.

Behind the Scenes

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GRANTS TO ORLANDO & BATON ROUGE

Broadway Community Responds to Tragedies with Support

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hen tragedy strikes, the Broadway community responds. Whether it’s because of a man-made catastrophe or the heavy hand of Mother Nature, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS represents the theatrical community and a legion of generous supporters by providing much-needed financial assistance to those affected. This summer, two incidents tore at our hearts: the devastating mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando in June, which left 49 people dead, and ravaging flood waters in Baton Rouge, LA, in August. Thanks to our donors and the continuous support of the theatre community, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS presented grants totaling $150,000 to three Orlando-based organizations dealing with the aftermath of the tragedy and a $15,000 grant to Aspirations in Baton Rouge to help in that area’s recovery. “Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS historically has moved quickly and responsibly on behalf of the New York theatre community to assist those affected by extraordinary, traumatic events,” Executive Director Tom Viola said. “When disaster strikes, we respond with love and real resources.” The Orlando grants were given to Equality Florida, The GLBT Community Center of Central Florida and the One Orlando Fund to provide immediate emergency assistance and longterm support to the victims of shooting and their friends and families. The three chosen organizations are at the epicenter of Orlando’s LGBT community and received overwhelming support in the wake of the tragedy. “Broadway Cares has carefully vetted the three organizations receiving these emergency funds,” Viola said. “By partnering

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Behind the Scenes

with these credible, established entities within the Orlando community, we can be confident these funds raised by the Broadway community will deliver meaningful, immediate and long-lasting help.” Terry De Carlo, executive director of The GLBT Center of Central Florida, said: “This grant is a blessing and allows us to respond to [the victims’ families] now and for weeks to come. The Broadway community will be forever in our hearts.” These emergency grants were in addition to the $253,500 provided in 2016 by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS through its annual National Grants Program to 26 HIV/AIDS and family service organizations across Florida. Aspirations in Baton Rouge is the only Broadway Cares grantee based in Baton Rouge, the epicenter of destruction from unprecedented rainfall and immense flooding. An unrelenting storm dumped three times as much rain on Louisiana as Hurricane Katrina did. The storm is thought to be the worst US natural disaster since Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Federal agencies estimate as many as 146,000 homes were flooded. Instead of a $5,000 grant check scheduled to go out in July as part of annual funding, Broadway Cares increased this year’s grant to $15,000. The organization used the funds to immediately reach out to clients and neighbors overwhelmed by the floods while long-term plans are being implemented by state and federal agencies. Upon receiving news of the grant, Dr. Joyce Turner Keller, CEO and founder of Aspirations, burst into tears. “Please tell everyone on Broadway thank you,” she said. “This means so much to us right now.” n


BROADWAY BETS

Poker Tournament 'Shuffles Up and Deals' Record Numbers

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layers from all corners of the theatre industry - from theatre owners and advertising agencies to production companies, producers and performers - went “all in” May 16 for the second annual edition of Broadway Bets, Broadway’s official poker tournament. The high-stakes, high-fun evening raised a spectacular $247,800 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. This year’s impressive total far surpassed the inaugural edition’s final tally of $137,200. The fundraising total was revealed after a spirited evening of Texas Hold ‘em poker at Sardi's restaurant in the heart of New York City’s theatre district. Among the Broadway luminaries participating in the evening’s fun were Paige Davis, Josh Grisetti, Steve Martin, Joe Mantello, Patrick Page, Scott Rudin, Aaron Tveit, Tony Yazbeck, the cast of the Tony Award-winning Best Play The Humans, as well as world poker champion Eric Seidel. This year’s Broadway Bets started with 22 Texas Hold ‘em poker tables and more than 200 card players filling the two floors of the iconic restaurant before 10 final players outlasted their competitors to reach the championship table.

Santore with SpotCo, Jeff Loeb from Nederlander’s Hollywood Pantages Theatre and John Sabat of Cubist Systematic Strategies. The founding co-chairs of Broadway Bets are Paul Libin, executive vice president of Jujamcyn Theaters and BC/EFA Board of Trustees president, and Robert E. Wankel, president and co-CEO of The Shubert Organization and BC/EFA executive vice president. This year’s co-chairs were Lauren Reid of Key Brand Entertainment and Al Nocciolino of NAC Entertainment Ltd. Tournament Directors were Micah Hollingworth of Jujamcyn Theaters, Mark Shacket of Foresight Theatrical and Brett Sirota of The Road Company. The “Royal Flush” bar sponsor was The Humans. “Full House” sponsors were AKA, Ambassador Theatre Group, The Araca Group, Foresight Theatrical, John Gore/Broadway. com, Independent Presenters Network, Jujamcyn Theaters, The Nederlander Organization, The Road Company, Road Concierge/ALTOUR, Serino/Coyne, The Shubert Organization, Situation Interactive and SpotCo. “Two Pair” sponsors were Disney Theatrical Productions, Entertainment Benefits Group, Production Resource Group, David Stone, Sweet Hospitality Group and Ticketmaster. n

The ultimate head-to-head battle found Jamesin Seidel facing off against Bryan LaPlant. The final pair skillfully battled each other until Seidel, a guest of Tony Award nominee Yazbeck, bested LaPlant to become this year’s Broadway Bets champion. As winner, she received a World Poker Tournament VIP experience at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City. The final table also featured Carl Pasbjerg of Alchemy Production Group, Joel Szulc from Theatre Under the Stars in Houston, actress Lorinda Lisitza, Tejal Patel with Jujamcyn Theaters, David Broser of Harbor Entertainment, Stephen

broadwaycares.org/broadwaybets2016

PHOTOS

Behind the Scenes

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BROADWAY BARES SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2016

HAMMERSTEIN BALLROOM

Live In Living Color: Stripping and Sizzling 'On Demand'

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hiseled morning show hosts, rock-hard reality show contestants and pumped up politicos took over the airwaves at June's ratings-raising edition of Broadway Bares, an evening of elaborately staged burlesque production numbers that gave a new meaning to “Bares TV.” Broadway Bares: On Demand featured 198 of New York’s sexiest and most talented dancers, entertaining standing-room-only audiences at two performances June 19 at New York City's Hammerstein Ballroom. The evening, which raised an impressive $1,482,724, followed a fledgling TV network’s efforts to turn itself into an audience favorite by asking its stars to drop their drawers and opt for “all nude, all the time.” For the first time in the event’s history, Stripathon, an online fundraiser by the show’s cast and crew, was the single largest contributor to the total, raising by showtime a record $612,212. This year’s guest performers included Tony and Grammy Award winner Billy Porter, Olivier Award winner Lesli Margherita, twotime Tony nominee Christopher Sieber, Frankie J. Grande, Daniel Dae Kim, Michael Longoria and NY1 News’ Frank DiLella and Roma Torre. The show also included special “on demand” video appearances by seven-time Grammy Award winner Gloria Estefan, Tony nominee Andrew Rannells, Emmy Award nominee Wendy Williams,

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RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Bob the Drag Queen, Cassandra Peterson as her horror hostess alter ego Elvira and HGTV’s Property Brothers, Drew Scott and Jonathan Scott. The evening followed a fledgling TV network’s efforts to turn itself into an audience favorite by asking its stars to drop their drawers and opt for “all nude, all the time.” The show opened with Broadway’s Erik Altemus and Morgan Weed as the chirpy and cheeky morning show hosts of “Crack of Dawn.” As the network’s executive producer, Lesli Margherita addressed their bottom-basement ratings by tapping into America’s salacious fantasies and creating “Bares TV.” Weatherman Jelani Remy was flanked by his sassy trio of “weather girls,” and the pole dancing Rommel Pierre O’choa reported on the ups and downs of the stock market.


The opening number was choreographed by Nick Kenkel, who returned for the fourth year as director of Broadway Bares. The opening was written by Hunter Bell and Wade Dooley with music by Matt Sklar and lyrics by Amanda Green. Broadway Bares: On Demand ultimately laid bare every iconic genre of television, from sports and politics to home improvement and cooking shows, from soap operas to late-night horror flicks, from Game of Thrones to American Idol. Joining Kenkel in choreographing numbers for the show were John Alix, Laya Barak, Jim Cooney, Armando Farfan Jr, Eamon Foley, James Harkness, Ryan Lyons, Brice Mousset, Michael Lee Scott, Kellen Stancil, Charlie Sutton and Sidney Erik Wright. Closing each performance, Sieber led the show’s famous “rotation,” where the cast danced freestyle to encourage tips from the audience and raised an additional $22,621.

This year’s top Stripathon fundraiser was Ricky Schroeder, who raised a remarkable $21,500. He was closely followed by Ariana DeBose, raising an impressive $16,116 – setting a record for most money raised by a woman in Broadway Bares history. Rounding out the top five were Ben Ryan, Ed Stanley and Madeline Reed. Presenting sponsor M∙A∙C VIVA Glam delivered a $300,000 check, presented by Jennifer Balbier, M∙A∙C senior vice president of global product development and M∙A∙C AIDS Fund board member. Balbier also saluted the extraordinary skills of more than 70 M∙A∙C makeup artists who volunteered to create the show’s incredible looks. Broadway Bares was created by Tony-winning director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell in 1992. To date, Broadway Bares has raised $15.8 million for Broadway Cares. This year’s Broadway Bares was dedicated to the victims, families and friends of the Pulse nightclub tragedy, which occurred in Orlando just a week earlier. Broadway Bares: On Demand was led by Broadway Cares Producing Director Valerie Lau-Kee Lai, Production Stage Manager Kathleen Purvis and a team of 33 stage managers with more than 700 other volunteers behind the scenes. Generous support for Broadway Bares: On Demand also came from United Airlines, Mark Fisher Fitness, Showtime, CAA, Devotion Vodka, Get Services, New York Marriott Marquis and Next magazine. n

broadwaycares.org/broadwaybares2016

PHOTOS & VIDEO

Behind the Scenes

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BROADWAY BARES FIRE ISLAND

Audiences Swipe Right for App-Inspired Stripteases

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roadway Bares opened the summer season on Fire Island with another seductive edition of Broadway Bares Fire Island. The sexy men and women of Broadway Bares returned June 4 to Fire Island Pines, NY, for two sold-out performances, raising $51,733.

Other audience favorites featured Matthew Steffens as a business man in need of a car wash in “De-tail,” Judah Frank as a shorn sheep with a naughty side in “Plow’d” and Ringler as a Marie Antoinette-inspired drag queen letting her hungry subjects “eat cake” in “We-Kiki-Pedia.”

Created exclusively for Fire Island, this intimate version of the annual New York City extravaganza took audiences on a sensual romp inspired by mobile apps. From lusty lumberjacks to frisky fitness instructors, Broadway Bares Fire Island brought these highly intimate electronic encounters to life onstage.

Broadway Bares Fire Island featured some of Broadway’s best dancers in stunning displays of physical artistry. Kristine Bendul and Waldemar Quiñones-Villanueva performed a stirring pas de deux. “Yearn” featured dancer Matthew Griffin illuminated solely by LED-lighted gloves worn by Abreu, Barrett Davis, Henry, Andrew Slane, Quiñones-Villanueva and J. Morgan White.

"We live in an age where our best friends are our smartphones and every problem has us saying 'there’s an app for that,'" Director Michael Lee Scott said. "Whether it’s a dating app, a streaming app or even just a weather app, all of us can relate to being glued to our smartphones. For one night, though, our audience’s eyes were glued to our performers as they revealed the sultry side of the techno era." The show began with Broadway’s Marya Grandy backed by a quartet of tap-dancing boys - Josh Bates, Justin Henry, Alex Ringler and Sidney Erik Wright - and a cameo appearance by a hoofing Donald Trump impersonator, played by Brad Bradley. Grandy and company sang “Tap That,” an original song about the ease of finding your fantasies on your mobile phone. The show took the audience through imaginary mobile apps, inspired by real-life dating, fitness and lifestyle programs. “PumpIt” featured Adam Pellegrine as a fitness instructor with Heather Lea Bair, Lauren Gemelli and Rebecca Magazine as ladies ready to sweat. “Lumberjack’d” chronicled a flannel-clad Tom Feeney on his journey from bumbling buffoon to sexy woodsman, with help from Cesar Abreu, David Baur and John Paul LaPorte.

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Broadway Bares Fire Island also included performances by Andrés Acosta, Dave August, Anthony Crouchelli and Benjamin L. Horen. As director, Scott was assisted by Tammy Colucci, Bendul, Davis and Wright. Philip B. Richard II served as production stage manager. The presenting sponsor of Broadway Bares is M•A•C VIVA Glam, with generous support from BC/EFA corporate partner United Airlines. Broadway Bares Fire Island is presented in association with Fire Island Pines Art Project. n


BROADWAY BARKS

Passing Showers Don’t Dampen Day for Dogs and Cats

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t may have seemed like it was raining cats and dogs on July 30, but the dozens of felines and canines in Shubert Alley were there for the 18th annual edition of Broadway Barks, the pet adoption event founded by Mary Tyler Moore and Bernadette Peters. Mother Nature unleashed a downpour but it did little to dampen the spirits of hundreds of pet lovers gathered in the heart of New York City’s theatre district. “These dogs need a home whether they’re wet or dry,” music legend Gloria Estefan, who joined Peters as co-host this year, told the crowd. “It’s very hard not to go home with all of them.” Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell, who rescued his dog 13 years ago, said, “I can’t think of a better reason to be out in the rain than to adopt all these wonderful dogs.” The menagerie of dogs and cats that filled Shubert Alley came from 29 area shelters and rescue organizations. The event, produced by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, raised awareness and funds for the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals, a coalition of 150 nonprofit shelters and rescue groups working to end the killing of healthy and treatable cats and dogs at city shelters. As always, the most anticipated part of the afternoon was the introduction of the dogs and cats by 60 Broadway and OffBroadway performers. The stars introduced each shelter and rescue group represented at the event and urged the audience to adopt a new friend.

broadwaycares.org/broadwaybarks2016

“You just have to find the best kind of dog or cat that will fulfill your life,” said Estefan, who added that she’s had as many as 14 rescue dogs at home. “Whether it’s a puppy or an older dog, they all have so much unconditional love to give.” This year’s lineup of special guests included James Barbour, Giuseppe Bausilio, Bill Berloni, Reed Birney, Richard H. Blake, Sierra Boggess, Ava Briglia, Andréa Burns, Scott J. Campbell, Sophia Anne Caruso, Allison Case, Michael Cerveris, Leanne Cope, Alma Cuervo, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Drew Gehling, Tyler Hanes, Sean Hayes, Jessica Hecht, Rick Holmes, Jayne Houdyshell, Judy Kaye, Chilina Kennedy, Michael Lomenda, Beth Malone, Kim Maresca, Samantha Massell, Willow McCarthy, Rob McClure, Rita McKenzie, Judy McLane, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Jessie Mueller, Michael Mulheren, Tori Murray, Bebe Neuwirth, Rory O’Malley, Brad Oscar, Jill Paice, Georgina Pazcoguin, Paul Pecorino, Mauricio Perez, Gabriella Pizzolo, Ben Rappaport, Ektor Rivera, Dominic Scaglione Jr., Peter Scolari, Emily Skeggs, Corey John Snide, Amy Spanger, Carrie St. Louis, Alexandria Suarez, Ricky Ubeda, Quinn VanAntwerp, Ana Villafañe, Max von Essen, Aviva Winick, Amra-Faye Wright and Jessica Keenan Wynn. Jane Hoffman, president of the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals, shared Mayor Bill De Blasio's proclamation that declared July 30, 2016, as "Broadway Barks Day" in New York. Earlier in the afternoon, Peters and Estefan greeted fans in Shubert Alley to sign autographs. Broadway Barks was sponsored by The New York Times. It was produced by Scott T. Stevens, Patty Saccente and Richard Hester. n

PHOTOS

Behind the Scenes

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BEYOND THE FOOTLIGHTS

SpotCo Book Launch Supports Broadway Cares

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he lush coffee table book On Broadway: From Rent to Revolution reveals the creative process involved in bringing a Broadway show to the stage through the words of the most famous theatre personalities and the art of SpotCo, one of Broadway’s leading marketing agencies. The book launched in May with a special reception and live auction at the famed Rizzoli bookstore in New York City. The evening benefited Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. A standing-room crowd of theatre fans bid on 13 autographed, custom-framed prints based on SpotCo’s iconic art for some of Broadway’s most celebrated shows. Each print, signed by key members of the production, featured the final poster art along with three rare, never-before-published

preliminary posters from Avenue Q, Chicago, The Drowsy Chaperone, Fun Home, Gypsy, Hamilton, In the Heights, La Cage aux Folles, No Man’s Land/ Waiting for Godot, One Man, Two Guvnors, Rent, The Vagina Monologues and Young Frankenstein. On Broadway: From Rent to Revolution, a visual and oral history of the past 20 years of theatre, celebrates the work of SpotCo and was written by the agency’s founder and longtime Broadway Cares friend and supporter, Drew Hodges. The auction raised $23,000. n

ActorsFCU Program Sends Donations to BC/EFA

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he Actors Federal Credit Union, a nonprofit financial organization benefiting members of the Actors’ Equity Association and select member organizations, has been supporting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS since 1993. Ten years ago, David Finch, then a producer at Broadway Cares, and ActorsFCU Director of Marketing Steven Sobotta had the idea to create a Refer-a-Friend program. The initiative rewards referrals to the credit union with $50 for the referrer and $50 donated to Broadway Cares. The program has provided an incredible $25,000 - and counting - for BC/EFA. "It has been an absolute thrill to be able to give back to the community that supports the Credit Union,” Sobotta said. Since 1993, ActorsFCU has raised $54,028 for Broadway Cares through the Refer-a-Friend program, general donations and fundraising events. n

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CLASSICAL ACTION

Hersch and Salvant Astound in Michael Palm Series Kick-off

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wo generations of musical genius - pianist Fred Hersch and vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant - joined forces September 27 to launch the 13th season of Classical Action’s acclaimed Michael Palm Series house concerts. Hersch is lauded as one of the world’s premier solo jazz pianists, recently winning the 2016 Doris Duke Artist Award. He has shaped the course of jazz music in more than three decades of performing and educating. Hersch is also a longtime friend of and champion for Classical Action. Salvant, a wunderkind jazz talent and legend in the making, was awarded the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album. The pair began the evening with soulful renditions of Kurt Weill and Ogden Nash’s “Speak Low” and Cole Porter’s classic “You’re The Top,” immediately immersing the audience in Salvant’s arresting vocals and Hersch’s complex melodies. Hersch then performed two impressive original solo works. He dedicated “Pastorale,” a stunning piece conjuring images of innocence and childhood, to 19th century composer Robert Schumann. Salvant returned to the stage with a breathtaking a cappella rendition of Bessie Smith’s “You Ought to be Ashamed.” The next great voice of a generation, Salvant’s rich vocals and captivating storytelling skills entranced the room. The duo concluded the evening with a show-stopping version of Hersch and Norma Winstone’s “A Wish (Valentine).” The song seemed particularly appropriate as the audience left swooning over this magical evening with two incomparable artists. Hosts Simon Yates and Kevin Roon again graciously offered their magnificent Tribeca loft for the concert. The sole underwriter for the series is the Michael Palm Foundation, with additional sponsorship from United Airlines. n

Yuja Wang Brings Unique Style to House Concert

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rilliant pianist Yuja Wang made a triumphant return to the Classical Action house concert stage on April 25. An artist widely recognized as one of the most important of her generation, Wang presented a recital program she was preparing for her North American tour, which included a performance at Carnegie Hall a few weeks later. Wang performed a full range of works by composers Johannes Brahms and Ludwig van Beethoven, bringing her signature sense of style and sass to the classical compositions. After an extended standing ovation from the ecstatic audience after the final chord was struck, Wang delighted audiences with a jazzy rendition of Nikolai Kapustin’s “Toccatina” and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Turkish Rondo.” n

classicalaction.org

PHOTOS

Behind the Scenes

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FIRE ISLAND DANCE FESTIVAL

Five Premieres Help Shatter Fundraising Record

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n a picturesque waterfront stage overlooking the Great South Bay, Fire Island Dance Festival welcomed ballet, modern and contemporary dance powerhouses on July 15-17. The 22nd annual edition of the summer’s most talked-about cultural and charitable event in Fire Island Pines raised a recordbreaking $560,133. This year's sold-out festival was hosted by the inimitable Tituss Burgess, a Broadway favorite and star of the hit Netflix series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, for which he has received two Emmy nominations. The festival included the world premieres of five works, which were choreographed by Al Blackstone, whose Freddie Falls in Love debuted at New York’s Signature Theatre; Jonathan

Campbell and Austin Diaz, artistic directors and co-founders of MADBOOTS DANCE; Abdul Latif, a former Broadway dancer and owner of performing arts firm Abdul Latif – D2D/T; Andrea Miller, a Guggenheim Fellow and founder, artistic director and choreographer of Gallim Dance; and Darrell Grand Moultrie, an in-demand choreographer who has worked with such diverse talents as Beyoncé and Tony Award-winning director Diane Paulus. “We are in awe of how this community continues to champion our efforts each year to help those in need on Fire Island and across the country,” Denise Roberts Hurlin, founding director of Dancers Responding to AIDS, told the three sold-out audiences. “This year we feature 32 professional dancers building on the festival’s 22-year legacy of making a difference with and for our community.” Ballet legend Wendy Whelan and contemporary choreographer Brian Brooks performed First Fall, a piece that found Whelan and Brooks physically and emotionally tangled in each other, set to orchestral string music by Philip Glass. In response to the mass shooting at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub earlier in the summer, MADBOOTS DANCE’s Campbell and Diaz performed For Us, a gripping piece about love, with the iconic voices of Judy Garland and Shirley Bassey providing the soundtrack. Cuba’s Ballet Contemporáneo de Camagüey performed for the first time ever in the United States. Armando Gomez Brydson and

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Behind the Scenes


Jesus Arias Pagues presented Lasting Embrace, a poetic duet that exposed the sinewy dancers’ virility and sensitivity. Dance Theatre of Harlem debuted Equilibrium (BROTHERHOOD) by Moultrie, which explored the importance of male bonding and how it brings stability to one's life. Gallim Dance’s Miller created Mike and Harvey as a tribute to two friends and Fire Island Pines residents who passed away last year, set to the sweeping “Adagio for Strings” by Samuel Barber.

to its feet. This exclusive performance, sponsored by DIRECTV, was part of the opening event for the festival's Leadership Supporters. Fire Island Dance Festival was generously sponsored by The New York Times, United Airlines, DIRECTV, Movmnt Magazine, Sayville Ferry and Tony’s Barge Inc. n

Using the high-spirited and youthful verve of Leonard Bernstein’s On the Town, KEIGWIN + COMPANY’s excerpts from Episodes seamlessly combined a sense of theatricality with vigorous athleticism. Husband-and-wife Glenn Allen Sims and Linda Celeste Sims, both dancers with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, opened the show with Latif’s choreography in MATCH - The First Installment, bringing his vision to life with silky and supple movement atop a spinning set piece. Blackstone, a festival favorite, reimagined a portion of his highly successful recent work, Freddie Falls in Love, to create “Gay Paree,” a lighthearted finale to this year’s performances. His piece followed an American couple’s visit to Paris that took them to unexpected places. Dorrance Dance kicked off the festival on July 15, with an intricate, ferocious and virtuosic tap performance that brought the audience

dradance.org/fireisland2016

PHOTOS & VIDEO

Behind the Scenes

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returns to Historic Catskill Point

October 8 2 pm and 5 pm

HUDSON VALLEY DANCE FESTIVAL

Dazzling and exhilarating world-class dance

GET TICKETS at dradance.org Tickets start at $40 Sponsors Champion Nina Matis & Alan Gosule Underwriter Deborah & Charles Adelman Joe Baker & Stuart Thompson Mary Sharp Cronson Duke Dang & Charles E. Rosen in loving memory of David Panzer

Benefactor Gerry & Hank Alpert Jon Kerry Clayton & Paige Royer Erik Piecuch & Alex B. Wright Barbara & Bob Rohdie Nancey Rosensweig & Dan Arshack Suzy Brodie Vogler & William F. Vogler Andrew Zobler

Produced by and benefiting

#hvdance A program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS

Fourth Annual Edition Shines with Two Shows

D

ance lovers gathered on the shores of the Hudson River on October 8 to celebrate the fourth annual Hudson Valley Dance Festival in Catskill, NY. For the first time, the festival included two performances at Historic Catskill Point, which raised a record-breaking $136,767. The shows featured performances ranging from tap to ballet to contemporary by acclaimed dance companies Caleb Teicher & Company, Jennifer Muller/The Works, Kyle Abraham/ Abraham.In.Motion, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo and MADBOOTS DANCE, and an original piece from Broadway choreographer Nick Kenkel. Caleb Teicher & Company opened the show with an excerpt from Variations, a tap number creatively set to Johann Sebastian Bach’s classic “Goldberg Variations.” Three performers - Teicher, Brittany DeStefano and Emma Wylie - lit up the stage with energetic choreography, alternating between frenetic taps and gentle brushes, providing a contemporary narrative to Bach’s well-known melody. Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion previewed a stunning solo excerpt from Dearest Home, an interactive dance piece set to debut in 2017. Performing in gripping silence, Connie Shiau, the spellbinding soloist, explored the depths of love and connection through a mix of bold, striking movements and fluid, elegant motion.

The co-creators of MADBOOTS DANCE, Jonathan Campbell and Austin Diaz, shared For Us, a stirring response to June’s Orlando massacre at Pulse nightclub, which targeted the LGBT community. The duo channeled their charged emotions into a poignant and inspiring modern dance piece that premiered in the summer at Fire Island Dance Festival. Jennifer Muller/The Works performed an excerpt from Alchemy, a four-movement piece about transformation, drawing inspiration from the elements: air, fire, earth and water. The world-renowned contemporary company entranced audiences with the air and fire portions, showing powerful, kinetic movement to a medley of electronically driven songs. Closing out each performance was the all-male dance troupe Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, performing a playfully parodied rendition of the pas de deux from Le Corsaire, one of classical ballet’s most famous excerpts. The audience smiled and frequently applauded as the refined ballerinos presented the traditional form in an imaginative, unexpected way. Hudson Valley Dance Festival was generously sponsored by City National Bank, Joe’s Garage, The New York Times and United Airlines. n

Kenkel debuted an electrifying duet called Seduction Sweet, which explored an intoxicating dynamic between a seductress and the object of her desire. Inspired by the energy of the late ‘60s and set to the vocal stylings of Aretha Franklin, this simultaneously sensual and high-energy piece, danced by Bahiyah Hibah and Nicholas Palmquist, displayed Kenkel’s fierce choreography and Broadway sensibility.

dradance.org/hudsonvalley2016

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Behind the Scenes

PHOTOS & VIDEO


EDUCATION OUTREACH

Social Media Campaign Empowers Next Generation

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or more than 30 years the Broadway community has stood with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS on the front lines of social activism. From the AIDS crisis to women’s health to marriage equality and more, theatre artists have used their voices for the good of those in need. Now, again with the help of the Broadway community, Broadway Cares is ushering in the next generation of change makers. Across all of Broadway Cares' social media channels in August, the “next generation campaign” was launched with the support of seasoned Broadway professionals and fresh theatrical talent. The campaign celebrates theatre students who are working passionately to support Broadway Cares and encourages their peers to join them by using their talents to impact lives across the country. The month-long campaign kicked off with a Broadway Cares video that spoke directly to students and young artists. The video, "5 Tips for a Broadway Cares Audience Appeal," features fan favorites Carolee Carmello, Ali Ewoldt, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Lesli Margherita and Javier Muñoz. The Broadway performers thanked students for the good work they are doing on their campuses and shared their own insider tips for successful Broadway Cares fundraising. In the video, Muñoz, who’s currently starring on Broadway in Hamilton, encourages students to learn more about the cause and where the money they are raising goes. Margherita, who recently returned to her critically acclaimed role of Mrs. Wormwood in Matilda The Musical, reminds students to have fun and shares some of her favorite fundraising laugh-lines, including "we accept cash, credit cards, jewelry, ex-spouses, whatever!"

The month of student outreach also included a weekly Instagram series featuring young Broadway artists sharing what inspires them to give back to their community. More than a dozen Broadway actors highlighted family, music and a passion for teaching as inspiration for them to hold a red bucket, perform in a Broadway Cares benefit or volunteer at the Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction. The Broadway performers let students know that they, too, can use what they are passionate about to make a difference through Broadway Cares. "I can't wait to start college now so that I can try to get a Broadway Cares event started!" one student shared on Facebook after seeing the next generation campaign. To put words into action, students who visited Broadway Cares' social media pages were asked to take the Broadway Cares pledge. By taking the pledge, students joined the next generation of advocates using their unique abilities to impact and strengthen the community around them. As a part of this new network, young actors, stage managers, designers and theatre lovers will have the opportunity to join together on the front lines of social activism and work directly with the Broadway Cares’ Education Outreach team. Inspired and guided by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, these students will continue to support, educate and affect positive change in their communities. Today’s young artists are the next generation of Broadway Cares, and what they do together will make a difference for years to come. n

broadwaycares.org/pledge

PHOTOS & VIDEO

Behind the Scenes

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LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

Tony Awards Watch Party Celebrates Night of Winners

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ome of the most loyal theatregoers gathered together on Broadway's biggest night for the Tony Awards at Feinstein’s/54 Below in support of Broadway Cares.

The evening started off with a cocktail hour and live entertainment by our hosts, Tony Award nominee Christopher Sieber and Olivier Award winner Lesli Margherita. The duo, who appeared together on Broadway in Matilda The Musical, shared some of their most hilarious stories of onstage antics and behind-the-scenes mishaps and near-disasters. Margherita had the audience in stitches recounting a performance on the West End when a rat ran across the stage as her character lay dead. She also treated the audience to a performance of “That Mister Man of Mine” from Dames at Sea. All eyes turned to the club’s giant television screens when the awards broadcast kicked off at 8 o’clock. Guests enjoyed a delicious dinner as they watched Hamilton, The Humans, The Color Purple and A View from the Bridge take top honors.

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Behind the Scenes

Feinstein’s/54 Below’s chef created a special menu for the evening inspired by the season’s nominated shows. "Long Day’s Journey into Short Ribs,” “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Eats Your Snapper” and “If I Were a Fish Man” were just a few of the delicious dishes. The evening raised a record $64,250. It was presented by Broadway Cares’ Leadership Council, led by co-chairs Rob O’Neill and Bob Tuschman. The Leadership Council also includes Cristina Carlson, Kenneth Cooke, Drew Desky, Ken Fakler, Elliot Fishman, Marsi Gardiner, Sue Gilad, Jennifer Hatch, Dawn Landino, Peter McKown, Clif Mathews, Leslie Mayer, Elizabeth Murray, Jonathan Rebell and Matt Tumminello. The Tony Awards at Feinstein’s/54 Below was sponsored by Rob O’Neill and Shawn Anderson; The Rolfe Company, Inc., New York’s exclusive theatrical design representation firm; and Peg and Gary Wendlandt. Premium VIP Supporters were Richard David and Mark Held; I. Steven Goldstein and William A. Popeleski Jr.; Amy Lai; and Steven F. Lutz. n


ANGELS CIRCLE 2015-2016 THE ANGELS CIRCLE

Providing a Sustainable Foundation The following are members of the Angels Circle as of October 14, 2016. Names in bold indicate Broadway Cares Archangels, donors who increased their gift by 25 percent or more over the previous year. Members of the Angels Circle include individuals, organizations, family foundations and corporations. Contributions are unrestricted and not related to event or merchandise purchases. On behalf of our volunteers, staff, Board of Trustees and the many men, women and children with HIV/AIDS and other lifethreatening illnesses who count on Broadway Cares for assistance, we salute these donors. In appreciation of an annual contribution of $1,000 or more, Angels receive VIP status at some of Broadway Cares’ most high-profile events, including Gypsy of the Year and the Easter Bonnet Competition, as well as a host of other exciting benefits. There are many ways to become a member of the Angels Circle. You can join as an individual, a couple, a family or even as part of a group of friends, co-workers, fan club or sports league. You can charge your membership on a monthly or quarterly basis. In addition, if your employer matches charitable contributions, a gift of $500 or more can qualify you for membership at the $1,000 level. For more information about the benefits of the Angels Circle, please contact John Halpin, major gifts officer, at halpin@broadwaycares.org or 212.840.0770, ext. 275.

George & Irina Schaeffer Foundation Harriett D. Kittner Foundation gifts of $100,000 and above John W. Holloway James C. Hormel & Michael P. Nguyen The Fred Ebb Foundation Jerry & Terri Kohl William J. Levy Florence Rowe Libin & Paul Libin Mary D. Fisher Fund gifts from $50,000 to $99,999 Mary Lea Johnson Richards 1997 Dwight H. Curry Charitable Trust in memory of The Shubert Organization Mary Lea Johnson Richards Brian S. Snyder & Martin Richards Jane Morison Stanley Newman & Dr. Brian Rosenthal Newman’s Own Foundation gifts from $25,000 to $49,999 NJ Center for Pain & Rehabilitation LLC, Laura M. Boedeker Jose Rojas, Jr. Jules Fisher & Graciela Daniele The Richmond/Ermet Myrna & Freddie Gershon remember Aid Foundation, San Francisco Marvin Hamlisch, Peter Allen, Tom Eyen, Mickey Rolfe & Bruce Tracy Arthur Laurents, Marty Richards and Lou Eileen T. Stapleton Reed Sweet Hospitality Group H. van Ameringen Foundation Theatrical Stage Employees Local One/ The Palette Fund IATSE Thomas Schumacher & Matthew White Robert Tuschman Happy Shipley John Voege & Geoffrey Paul in memory of John T. Rowe Jr. The Waldman Foundation Hollis Stern Diane M. & Kevin Wilshere The Ted Snowdon Foundation Anonymous (2) Lizzie & Jonathan M. Tisch

Executive Producer

Producer

Director

House Seat

gifts from $10,000 to $24,999 Sam Altman in memory of Murray Schapiro and Shirley Herz Scott Brady & Nancy Karpf Paul Boskind City National Bank William W. Donnell Frank Duff & John Okuloski

Orchestra Seat

gifts from $5,000 to $9,999 Actors’ Equity Foundation James D. Akins Jr. ATPAM - Association of Theatrical Press Agents & Managers The Barrington Foundation, Inc. Ben & Jerry’s Times Square Andrew Berdon* Casey Blass & Lee Manford

The Carl Jacobs Foundation Samantha & Drew Cohen The Column Awards Scott Dainton Deborah Dakin The Dorothy Strelsin Foundation Dr. Gerald J. & Dorothy R. Friedman Foundation in honor of Samuel J. Friedman William D. Eichman & Michael C. Yount Ken Fakler The Fosdick Fund Dan Goggin I. Steven Goldstein & William Popeleski, Jr. Jill & Marty Handelsman Alan Hassell* in loving memory of H. Thomas Axt The Jackman Family Foundation The Joe & Hellen Darion Foundation, Inc. George E. Jordan in memory of Michel G. Delhaise Karma Foundation Tom Lombardi Larry Luing & Dario Espinosa Mary McColl David R. McShane & The Samantha Fund The Merle Reskin Income Charitable Fund Jonathan Mintzer Miriam Schaeffer Family Foundation Calvin Mitchell Jerry Mitchell Ira Mont & Jill Cordle Mont in memory of Annette Mont Paul Oppedisano Tony Origlio The PATH Fund/Rockers on Broadway Playbill Inc. ® Dr. Amit Rakhit & Mr. Brad Senatore Michael Raymond Reel Time Video Production: Jonathan Frank & Alex Pearlman

Rose Brand The Stephanie & Carter McClelland Foundation David Terveen Theatrical Wardrobe Union Local 764 IATSE Stuart Thompson & Joe Baker The Venable Foundation David Wackman & Jason Rardin Nina & Gary Wexler Barbara Whitman Lois Whitman Wyncote Foundation

Box Seat

gifts from $2,500 to $4,999 Actors Federal Credit Union James J. Andrews* James L. Ansin Gerald M. Appelstein* David Glenn Armstrong & Jeffrey Miller in memory of Todd Coroliuc Liz Armstrong Rich Aronstein Bob Avian & Peter Pileski Paris Baldacci & Andrew S. Dolkart Anne Banfield Jordan Barbakoff & Philip Jeffery in loving memory of Rob Sinacore John Barnes & Charles Champagne Nan & Joe Benincasa Nancy Duggan Benson Elaine D. Berger James & Melanie Berichon George L. Bielitz & John Derco Robert Billig & Richard Vida Paula Marie Black Chuck Blasius in memory of Linda Accardi Walter Bobbie & David Frye John Bowab Roy Brayton & Mickey Sullivan

Behind the Scenes

31


Briggs, Inc. Carleton Carpenter David Cartee Deborah & Steven Cavalier CESD Talent Agency Stockard Channing The Charles & Betti Saunders Foundation Fund Charles and Margaret Levin Family Foundation Charlie & Moll Anderson Foundation Cathy Chernoff Donna & Edward Chernoff Gloria & Charles I. Clough, Jr. William Ludel & Tracy Cohen Paul & Kelly Cole Casey Cook & Gary Steinkohl Thomas Cott* in memory of Philip Carlson Paula Kaminsky Davis Merle Debuskey & Pearl Somner Jamie deRoy in memory of Bradshaw Smith Drew Desky & Dane Levens Christopher Durang & John Augustine Joe Evall & Richard Lynn Bill Evans & Chuck Fischer in memory of Mike Nichols Robert Evers Donald Filicetti Kevin & Helen Flanagan* Maggie Flanigan & Richard Dow Kevin Foley-Littell & Stephen Littell Kenneth R. Fulton Vincent Gaeta Marianne Ganzer in memory of John Ganzer Richard Gerrig & Timothy Peterson John Paul Geurts & Robert W. Stolt Roger Gindi & Gregory Victor Dale Glasser in memory of Steven Glasser Marilyn & Michael Glosserman in honor of Daryl & Steven Roth Robert D. Gonzales Jerry Herman Robert Hickman Geoffrey Hoefer & Thomas Wei William S. Hoover, MD Matthew P. Hui James L. Simon Charitable Fund Jerome S. Glazer Foundation John L. McHugh Foundation Howard & Janet Kagan Kelly Karavites in memory of Francis P. King Karen & Howard Kellman Sarah & Joshua Kellman Kathryn Keneally & Thomas Marshall Karen Kennedy in memory of Muriel & Bob Kennedy David Lam Nina & Timothy Lannan Angela Lansbury William Lauch Jay Laudato & Thomas Watson Stephanie Lee/Group Sales Box Office Michael Leppen

32

Behind the Scenes

Judith Light & Robert Desiderio Kevin R. Lyle Fran Macferran John J. Mackerey Joseph R Mantello Marangi Disposal James Martin Elliott & Cathy Masie Scott & Harriet Mauro Marin Mazzie & Jason Danieley in memory of Gary Bonasorte Matt McClanahan Keith Miller Marianne McGrath Mills Brian Stokes Mitchell & Allyson Tucker in honor of Tom Viola Debra Monk William Morey Ruth Neale James L. Nederlander Judith A. Nelson* in memory of Wayne McCarthy Phyllis Newman in honor of Adolph Green Joseph Obermayer Rob O’Neill & Shawn Anderson David Oviedo in memory of Warren Anthony Perkins Joe Pacetti & Tristan Nieves Michael Paleos Gilbert Parker in memory of Richard Bauman Lee Perlman & Linda Riefberg Brad Plunkett Richard E. Rauh Michael C. Ray Jonathan Rebell & Noah Levine Bob Rhodehamel & Dana Snyder Richard F. Walsh/Alfred W. Di Tolla/ Harold P. Spivak Foundation Warren D. Riffle & Kurt A. Fleagle Michael Risinger David Romero & David Greiss The Ross Foundation Steven Schnepp & Mark Basile in memory of Paul Penfield & John Heppenstall D Mark Schumann Elliott R. Sernel Shake Shack Amy Sherman-Palladino Joseph Short James L. Simon Steve Sweet Tina & Jeffrey Bolton Family Fund Matthew D. Tumminello & Dominick J. Marangi Tom Viola Allen Walker Weinberg Family Foundation Dave Wells Peg & Gary Wendlandt Cory Scott Whittier in memory of David Rupert Hewes Jeff Woodman in memory of Melvin Bernhardt Russ Woolley

Anonymous (2) Anonymous in memory of Marian Seldes

Front Mezzanine

gifts from $1,000 to $2,499 The A.R. Hughes Family Fund in loving memory of our cousin Thomas H. Anderson Jonathan Adler Ken Adler in memory of Ellen Adler John R. Alchin & Hal Marryatt Sara M. Allan Gerry & Hank Alpert* Richard Ambrose Lee Anisman anonwasawoman The Arthur Loeb Foundation Gary Bagley Richard P. Baks Christopher & Paris Barclay Clay & Karen Barnes in honor of Gracie & Christina Barnes Scott Barnes & Brian Kellow in honor of Alix Korey’s glorious return to Broadway Andrew C. Baumgartner Beech Street Foundation Alan Bell & David Ziff Douglas Bella & David Hunt David Benaym* Robert & Helen Bender Mark Bernhardt* James C. P. Berry Phillip Bettencourt Phil & Mary Beuth Jon Bierman Terry & William Biggins Kellen Blair Miranda Book & Linda Dingler Dave Boone Ann Marie & Robert Borsdorf Joan C. Bowman* Loraine Alterman Boyle Susan Brewster Andrew Briedis & Sarah Jenkins J. Arthur Brost Barry Brown & Douglas Cohn, D.V.M. Don Buchwald & Associates Jon Buckland James & Debbie Burrows Michelle L. Butler Michael-Demby Cain* Robert Callely Len Cariou & Heather Summerhayes Cristina Carlson Debra & Kim Carmichael Frank Carucci & David Diamond celebrating our marriage after 35 years of unwedded bliss Raul Castro-Cerrato* The Charles & Lucille King Family Foundation David & Paula Leggett Chase Evan Cohen

Bill Condon John Contratti Frank Conway* Kenneth E. Cooke Donald Correll Larry Cosand Clayton D. Crawley & Roy Kim William C. Cubberley* Mark Dalton Duke Dang & Charles Rosen* in loving memory of David Panzer Kevin & Sherri Daugherty Todd Davis Felipe de Bustamante Louis J. Denkovic Alvin Deutsch Senator Mike & Fran DeWine Maria Di Dia & Doug Salmon Charles DiNicolas & Saul Lopez Silva Toni Downey The Edgar Foster Daniels Foundation Valerie Eigner Alan Eisenberg & Claire Copley Steven Elkin Anthony, Kristina & David Ellenbogen The Estate of Patricia Elliot Peter Entin & Barbara Janowitz Robert Eppenstein Eugene and Marilyn Glick Foundation Corporation Bonnie Pfeifer Evans* Shane Ewen Michael J. Fagan Laura G. Fahsbender James & Anna Fantaci Peter Farrell* Jack Feldman & Matthew Liss Doug P. Fiebelkorn Ronald Fierstein Steven Filenbaum & Matthew Woolf, CFP Elliot Fishman Flody Edward & Lori Forstein Steve Frasheur Barbara H. Freitag David A. Friedman in memory of my mother, Shirley Friedman Pierre Frinault David M. Fromm in memory of my partner, Robert Motley Nancy Gallt Marsi & Eric Gardiner Thomas Garner* Bruce & Alice Geismar The Gelfand Family Foundation Thomas Gentile George Zuber & Anthony Snyder Charitable Fund at Our Fund Inc. John R. Gibson Suzanne and Boaz Gilad Joanna Gleason & Chris Sarandon Barbara Golden Sam Gonzalez Stefanie M. Gorman Barbara Gottlieb Dane Grams


Mike Greenly Howard Grossman, M.D. Barry & Maggie Grove Marc J. Gurell Edward E. Hale Jr. Diann Hall in memory of John Rainwater Sarah & Joel Handelman David G. Hanna* Jane Hanson Eugene Harbin, Jr. Carrie Anne K. Harrell Michael P. Harrell Edward A. Harris & Amy Madigan Harris Family Foundation in honor of Michael Riedel Jennifer Hatch & Sue Smith Steve Hatfield & Patrick Riordan* Jeffrey Hayenga & Michael Belanger Craig Hazenfield Michael & Jean Hearne* Joseph R. Heller, PhD Richard Hester & Michael Mastro Highlight NY LLC* The Hilaria & Alec Baldwin Foundation Susan & Neal Hirsch Jim Hoelz & Bill Welsh Brian Holland Marnee J. Hollis Sally Horchow Andrea & Craig Horowitz Craig J. Horsley Bill Hutton in memory of Dr. Joel D. Weisman Peter L. Ianniello, PhD Carol A. Ingram in memory of Peter Neufeld and in honor of Yvonne Ghareeb Ira M. Resnick Foundation Jack & Moe Rouse Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation Jeanne & Waldo Jackson in memory of our son Robert Jackson Keith & Patti James Randy James* The Janis & Alan Menken Foundation David Jansen Thai Jason in honor of Tom Viola Jerl Machine, Inc. Joe Allen Restaurant Earl Johnson & Douglas Ward Cherry Jones Barbara Josso Ilana Kameros Anne M. Kandra Laurence Kaplan* Jodi, Jim, Matthew & Allison Kaye Karin & Greg Kayne Thomas Kazmierczak & Ted Blankenship Gail Kee & Javade Chaudhri Kelpie Arts Samantha S. Kennedy Jeffrey Kent F. Gary Knapp Edgar A. Knudson Konigsberg Family Fund

Ram Koppaka Alix Korey & Randy Hansen Lillian Kraemer Hilda Kraker* Robert J. Kunikoff Michael Kuzma Trey LaFave LaFountaine Family Foundation* Amy Lai & Carrie Borows Nathan Lane in memory of Stanley DeSantis Brian Lawlor Winston Bernard Layne* Christopher Leary* Jay H. Lefkowitch Ann M. Lehman in loving memory of Rick Burglund & Gary Warren Deirdre & Mark LeMire Diane Lippert Stuart Lippner Michael Lombard Dennis Lonergan and John Graves Tim O. Lorah Steve Lukens Donald Lutt Steven F. Lutz Mark & William Macatee Scott Mallalieu & Nat Fuchs Barbara Manocherian Jesse Manocherian & Adrian Frandle The Margolies Team at Compass Real Estate Thomas Marino Samara Martin & Not Your Mama’s Broadway Clif Mathews Jo Mayer Leslie & Jordan Mayer Elizabeth I. McCann Richard V. McCune City National Entertainment Peter McKown & Kenneth Heng Robert W. F. & Derek McNally Kathryn Meister Svend Mejdal Bill Melamed Jr. & Jamey Lundblad in honor of Judy Dove & Frank Conway Emily C. Melvin MeritDirect, LLC Michael Halebian & Co. Inc. Mr. & Mrs. E. Van R. Milbury Marilyn Miller in memory of Trygve F. Wasbotten Michael Mills & Mark McGrath Lin-Manuel Miranda Kathleen Moloney Oscar E. Moore William Moore Sally Campbell Morse Jason & Debbie Moss Bebe Neuwirth & Chris Calkins* Maury Newburger Evan Newman Maddi, Charlie & Bridget Niebanck friends of John Lloyd Young Albert Nocciolino

Nora Roberts Foundation Dr. Sharon Novak* David O’Brien John K. Orberg Lisa Orberg Ron Painter Philip Paroian Gregg Passin Robert Payea III Charles A. Pelicane Ralph L. Pellecchio & James C. Wernz, M.D. Bonnie & Alan Petsche Donald R. Pickens Erik Piecuch & Alex Wright* Theresa & Pete Piliero Gloria Piraino Reed Prescott in memory of Corrie Grudin Frances Pu Anthony Ramos Monica & Greg Reid Teresa Reyes & Martin Monas* Bob Rhodehamel & Dana Snyder Jonathan Rock & Patrick DelaCruz Larry Rogowsky Lucy Rose Amy Rosenthal Lori Rubinstein & John McGraw in honor of Bill Sapsis Loren Ruch & David Salas James J. Ruth Evan Sacks Samuel L. Phillips Family Foundation Dorothy & Peter Samuels Eddie Sarfaty & Court Stroud Megan M. Savage Carolyn Schiff & Noah Millman S. Fred Schiffman Michael Schober & Don Harrison Adam Schwab Will Schwalbe & David Cheng Jennifer Scott Debra & Michael Segal Kenneth G. Shelley Monty Silver & Tracy Jamar Mary Solomon/Goldman Sachs Gives James Spiegelhoff Eric Stine Meryl Streep & Don Gummer Stuart S. Applebaum Giving Foundation in memory of Mr. Vincent Zito Katherine Sulenski Christopher Swope & John Flippen Peter M. Taub Hal Tepfer Sharon Terrill Anthony V. Thompson Lila & George Todd Tim Tompkins Stephen & Valerie Toups Jeffrey Trachtman Jennifer Trepeck in honor of Sue Gilad Twelfth Night Club, Inc. Mark Tynan Beth M. Uffner Richard J. Underwood

Joyce Van Patten Richard & Debra Voller Carol Waaser Suzyn Waldman Ryan Walls & Arrash Jalali* Tom & Connie Walsh Alice Wang Arthur E. Webster, Esq. Stephen & Sheryl Weisbuch Ira M. Weitzman Lucille Werlinich Nancy A. Wheeler Frederick M. White & Greg Kammerer Todd Whitley* Danny Whitman & Robert Bartley in memory of Francine Whitman Margo Wintersteen Ben Wiseman Terrence J. Witter & Artie de la Cruz Lori A. Yaspan Sonni Zambino & Judy Allen in memory of Panchali Null The Ziegfeld Club Zufall Family Foundation* Elliot Zulver & Sally Gold Anonymous (3)

* Indicates members of the DRA Angels Circle

Behind the Scenes

33


YOU’RE INVITED TO An evening of conversation and song with

Tituss Burgess You’re invited to a special reception and screening of

Lady Day at

ANGELS CIRCLE EVENTS

emerson’s Bar & grill

broadwaycares.org Photo: Drew Wiedemann

do together makes a difference

Angels Exclusive Nights with Lady Day, Tituss and Shuffle Along

A

mong the fantastic perks to joining the Angels Circle, Broadway Cares’ annual giving society for major donors, are invitations to exclusive appreciation events. Angels had the opportunity this year to attend an advanced screening of a highly anticipated HBO film adaptation of an acclaimed Broadway play, see one of Broadway’s most celebrated shows of the season and hear a Broadway performer-turned-TV-star tell his story.

Exclusively for Angels Circle members, HBO presented a pre-release screening of its film version of Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill, which played Broadway’s Circle in the Square Theatre to rave reviews in 2014. Audra McDonald, who reprised her Tony-winning performance in the film, joined director Lonny Price and writer Lanie Robertson for a question-and-answer session following the screening. Angel attendees got a glimpse behind the scenes as McDonald shared her perspective on playing the great Billie Holiday, and Price and Robertson talked about adapting the play for television. In June, City National Bank, a generous supporter of Broadway Cares, invited Angels Circle members at the “Box Seat” level and higher to a private reception and performance of Shuffle Along, or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All that Followed. Tony nominated for Best Musical, the production was one of the most coveted tickets of the season, featuring a powerhouse lineup of talent including McDonald, Brandon Victor Dixon, Joshua Henry, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Billy Porter and Adrienne Warren, who received a Tony nomination for her performance. This was the second year City National Bank hosted Angels for a night on Broadway. The summer ended with “An Evening of Conversation and Song with Tituss Burgess.” Roma Torre of NY1 interviewed the two-time Emmy Award-nominated actor on his journey from

34

Behind the Scenes

the Great White Way to starring in the Netflix sensation Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Afterward, Burgess treated the audience of Angels to a poignant and intimate rendition of “Some Other Time” from On the Town. The event took place at The Manse, a stunning six-story townhouse in the heart of Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, thanks to the generosity of Town Residential and Matthew Hansen. Members of the Angels Circle provide a sustainable foundation for Broadway Cares’ annual grant-making to The Actors Fund and more than 450 AIDS and family service organizations in all 50 states. In addition to being invited to events like these provided exclusively to Angels Circle members, Angels also receive VIP tickets to Gypsy of the Year and the Easter Bonnet Competition. To learn more about the Angels Circle, please contact John Halpin, major gifts officer, at 212.840.0770, ext. 275 or halpin@broadwaycares.org. n

broadwaycares.org/angelscircle

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SAVE THE DATE

28th Annual GYPSY OF THE YEAR Monday, December 5, 4:30 pm Tuesday, December 6, 2 pm New Amsterdam Theatre 214 West 42nd Street, NYC

CHRISTMAS EVE’S HOLIDAY HUNKFEST

BROADWAY BACKWARDS

AILYN PÉREZ MICHAEL PALM SERIES

31st Annual EASTER BONNET COMPETITION

Monday, December 12, 7:30 pm

Monday, March 13, 8 pm

Tuesday, April 4, 6:30 pm

Monday, April 24, 4:30 pm Tuesday, April 25, 2 pm

Howl at the Moon 240 West 52nd Street, NYC

Al Hirschfeld Theatre 302 West 45th Street, NYC

House Concert New York City, NY

Minskoff Theatre 200 West 45th Street, NYC

broadwaycares.org


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