Channing to Open 2010 GYPSY OF THE YEAR COMPETITION to Benefit BC/EFA, 12/6 & 7

Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS is pleased to announce that the legendary Carol Channing will perform in the opening number of the 22ND ANNUAL GYPSY OF THE YEAR COMPETITION. Tickets are on sale now for this year's GYPSY OF THE YEAR COMPETITION which will be held on Monday, December 6 (4:30 PM) and Tuesday, December 7 (2 PM) at the New Amsterdam Theatre (214 West 42nd Street).

Channing, a three time Tony Award winner, is a star of international acclaim having made iconic Broadway appearances as ‘Mrs. Dolly Gallagher Levi' in Hello, Dolly! and ‘Lorelei Lee' in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Her last run on Broadway was in the 1995 revival of Hello, Dolly! That same year, she was honored with the Tony Lifetime Achievement Award.

This year's GYPSY OF THE YEAR opening number will feature some of Channing's most beloved songs. The number will be staged by choreographers Melissa Rae Mahon and Sean McKnight with musical direction by Ben Cohn, special lyrics by Rob Krausz and costumes by Brian Hemesath.

Cited as "possibly the season's most dazzling talent show," the GYPSY OF THE YEAR COMPETITION, the all-singing, all-dancing, all-dishing extravaganza, is easily the biggest party in town! Organizers of the event are expecting performers from Broadway and Off-Broadway's biggest and most lavish productions.

THE GYPSY OF THE YEAR COMPETITION is the culmination of six weeks of fund raising when shows on and Off-Broadway engage in a friendly competition to see which show can raise the most money for the organization. Awards are presented to the companies that raise the most money and for the winning presentation.

TO BUY TICKETS TO GYPSY OF THE YEAR: VIP and Priority tickets ($350 and $200) and other tickets ($110/$40/$20) can be purchased online at www.BroadwayCares.org, in person at BC/EFA (165 West 46th Street, Suite 1300), by phone at (212) 840-0770, or at the door the day of the event.

Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS is one of the nation's leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. By drawing upon the talents, resources and generosity of the American theatre community, since 1988 BC/EFA has raised over $195 million for essential services for people with AIDS and other critical illnesses across the United States.

BC/EFA also awards annual grants to more than 400 AIDS and family service organizations nationwide and is the major supporter of seven programs at The Actors Fund, including The HIV/AIDS Initiative, The Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative, The Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic and more.

THE GYPSY OF THE YEAR COMPETITION is sponsored by:
Continental Airlines, the official airline of BC/EFA and The New York Times

For more information, visit: www.BroadwayCares.org.