Broadway lovers and teddy bear collectors came together on Sunday, May 21 at the "Broadway Bears IX" auction, which raised a grand total of $114,638.
The event was hosted by Bryan Batt with Lorna Kelly reprising her role as auctioneer. Forty-three 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. To date The Broadway Bears have raised well over $1.2 million to benefit Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS. Last year's Broadway Bears raised $116,817.Top bids for bears were the $8,250 Avenue Q bear, featuring an "actor" bear with a smaller puppet bear of Rod, the Republican with a secret, signed by John Tartaglia; $5,500 The Color Purple Sophia bear signed by Felicia F. Fields and Oprah Winfrey, the $4,800 Spamalot King Arthur bear signed by Broadway's original King Arthur Tim Curry and the $4,000 Doubt Sister Aloysius bear signed by Cherry Jones.Several Broadway stars dropped by to lend their support to the event including John Lloyd Young, Elizabeth Parkinson, and Kerry Butler among others. Other stars participating by lending their autographs to the various bears that were auctioned off, including Julie Andrews, Matthew Broderick, Billy Crystal, Sandy Duncan, Elton John, Angela Lansbury, Rosie O'Donnell, Chita Rivera, and Barbra Streisand.Videos