BC/EFA's Broadway Bears XII Raises $152,116

Broadway lovers and teddy bear collectors came together on Sunday, February 15, at the BROADWAY BEARS XII auction, which raised a grand total of $152,116! The event was hosted by Bryan Batt with Lorna Kelly reprising her role as auctioneer. Forty specially made BROADWAY BEARS - each dressed in original, handmade costumes representing the theater's most legendary characters - were auctioned to the highest bidder in support of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Last year's BROADWAY BEARS raised $130,878 and the grand total for all 12 Broadway Bears auctions is $1,644,077.18 with over 500 bears auctioned.

Top ten winning bids for bears were:
$16,000 - Sir Robin from Spamalot, designed by JoAnna Cayot and signed by Clay Aiken.
$10,000 - Alan Strang with Nugget from Equus, designed by Nicolas Putvinski and signed by Daniel Radcliffe, Richard Griffiths and Lorenzo Pisoni.
$7,000 - Glinda from Wicked, designed by John Henson and signed by Kristin Chenoweth and Kendra Kassebaum.
$5,500 - Growltiger from Cats, designed by Therese Stadelmeier-Tresco and signed by Betty Buckley and Stephen Hanan
$4,000 - Billy Elliot(s) from Billy Elliot,designed by Jessica Scoblick and signed by David Alvarez, Kiril Kulish and Trent Kowalik.
$4,000 - Tommy Walker from The Who's Tommy, designed by Andy Wallach and signed by Michael Cerveris.
$3,800 - Ashley from Starlight Express, designed by Andy Wallach and signed by Andrea McArdle.
$3,700 - Betty Haynes from Irving Berlin's White Christmas, designed by the show's original designer Carrie Robbins and signed by Kerry O'Malley, Stephen Bogardus, Jeffry Denman and Meredith Patterson.
$3,600 - Shrek from Shrek The Musical, designed by Tricorn Inc. & Lynne Mackey Studios and signed by Brian d'Arcy James.
$3,400 - Local 1/I.A.T.S.E. Brother Bear designed by Carol A. Ingram.

Several Broadway stars dropped by to lend their support to the event including Bernadette Peters (Gypsy), Christopher Sieber (Shrek The Musical), Michael Cerveris (Road Show & Sweeney Todd), Kerry O'Malley (White Christmas), David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish (Billy Elliot), Kate Shindle (Legally Blonde), Loretta Ables Sayre (South Pacific), Michael Berresse (A Chorus Line), Blake Daniels (Spring Awakening), Kerry Butler (Xanadu), Jennifer Smith (The Drowsy Chaperone), West Side Story original cast members Jaime Sanchez and George Marcy, Christine Pedi (Forbidden Broadway), Kris Koop (The Phantom of the Opera), Ann Harada (Avenue Q).

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is the nation's leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grants making organization. By drawing upon the talents, resources and generosity of the American theatre community, BC/EFA raises funds for AIDS-related causes and other critical illnesses across the United States. Since its founding in 1988, BC/EFA has raised over $150 million dollars for critically needed services for people with AIDS and other serious illnesses.

BC/EFA is the major supporter of seven programs at The Actors' Fund - including The AIDS Initiative, The Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative, The Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic at The Aurora in NYC, The Dancers' Resource and two supportive housing residences. BC/EFA also awards grants to over 400 AIDS and family service organizations yearly.

For more information, please visit the BC/EFA website at www.BroadwayCares.org

 

 

Photo Credit: Genevieve Rafter-Keddy