A new date has been set for Broadway Bears IX, which will now put its fuzzy stars on parade on May 21st at B. B. King Blues Club & Grill (237 West 42nd Street).
The ninth fundraiser of the BC/EFA series was originally to have been presented on February 12th, but was postponed due to the recent New York blizzard. Hosted by Bryan Batt (La Cage aux Folles, Beauty and the Beast), the evening will continue in the Broadway Bears tradition of auctioning off stuffed bears dressed as Broadway characters, with all proceeds to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The event will begin with a private reception at 6 PM, general admission and display of the bears will follow at 7 PM. At 8 PM, the auction, led by Lorna Kelly, will kick off. In addition to bids at the actual auction, pre-bids, phone bids and internet bids will be allowed.The eighth Broadway Bears auction last year raised $116,817 for BC/EFA, with the Glinda bear raising the highest bid (the pink Wicked bear went for $6,000). This year's cast of forty bears features autographed bears representing a multitude characters and actors from plays and musicals. They include: Marcus Brutus from the revival of Julius Caesar, signed by Denzel Washington, Billy Crystal from 700 Sundays signed by Crystal, John Tartaglia with Rod from Avenue Q, signed by Tartaglia, Sister Aloysius from Doubt signed by Cherry Jones, Frankie Valli from Jersey Boys signed by John Lloyd Young and Valli, Brenda from Movin' Out signed by Billy Joel and Elizabeth Parkinson, Oscar Madison from The Odd Couple signed by Nathan Lane and Neil Simon, King Arthur from Spamalot signed by Tim Curry and Amneris from Aida signed by Elton John and Sherie Rene Scott.Videos