Is Gypsy doing anything for Broadway Cares fundraising?
Is Gypsy doing anything for Broadway Cares fundraising?
#1Is Gypsy doing anything for Broadway Cares fundraising?
Posted: 12/5/08 at 11:54amI know that this is the last week for Broadway Cares fundraising, and I was interested in getting merchandise (a signed windowcard?) from Gypsy if there is any. Someone earlier said that there wasn't anything being done, but I just wanted to check. Thanks!
"What was the name of that cheese that I like?"
"you can't run away forever...but there's nothing wrong with getting a good head start"
"well I hope and I pray, that maybe someday, you'll walk in the room with my heart"
CurtainPullDowner
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/4/04
#2re: Is Gypsy doing anything for Broadway Cares fundraising?
Posted: 12/5/08 at 1:56pm
Patti is not "big" on curtain speeches and collecting.
But she does a lot of work for BCEFA on her own.
Dollypop
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#2re: Is Gypsy doing anything for Broadway Cares fundraising?
Posted: 12/5/08 at 8:00pmPatti feels uncomfortable asking audience members to fork over more money (even for a worthy cause) after they've spent $110+ for theater tickets. She does, however, do concerts to support BCEFA and has joined the celebrity table at the Flea market.
"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)
pc1145N2
Broadway Star Joined: 5/28/07
#3re: Is Gypsy doing anything for Broadway Cares fundraising?
Posted: 12/5/08 at 8:28pmI saw Gypsy during the last fundraiser and they were selling full cast signed windowcards.
CurtainPullDowner
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/4/04
#4re: Is Gypsy doing anything for Broadway Cares fundraising?
Posted: 12/5/08 at 10:03pm
I applaud all the work Patti has done for BCEFA and AIDS awareness, she has certainly done her part.
But I do find it somewhat confusing that her feeling about collecting after the show stops other cast and crew members
from helping out if this is their only way to contribute.
Yes, it takes some extra time every night but think how much $ any remnant from Patti's retinue would collect from her fervant fans.
Funny how a show that helped coin the term "Gypsy" is not collecting for "gypsies and others" during GYPSY OF THE YEAR and BCEFA's most lucrative fundraising season.
It's a conundrum, for sure.
#5re: Is Gypsy doing anything for Broadway Cares fundraising?
Posted: 12/5/08 at 10:12pmI love Patti, but I wholeheartedly disagree with her stance on this issue.
"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
#6re: Is Gypsy doing anything for Broadway Cares fundraising?
Posted: 12/5/08 at 10:22pmI think they still collect, there just isn't a speech at the Curtain Call.
Shows: Cats- ?/??/97 & 3/16/04, 42nd St.- 1/3/06, The Producers- 12/13/06, Hairspray- 3/6/07, Phantom- 4/18/07, Gypsy- 10/21/07, Annie- 11/28/07, Chicago- 1/6/08, Dirty Rotten ...- 2/24/08, Legally Blonde- 4/23/08, Wicked- 10/29/08, Mamma Mia!- 11/12/08
Future Shows
Hairspray- 1/22/09, Drowsy Chaperone- 2/15/09, Sweeney Todd- 4/19/09, Ain't Misbehavin'- 5/17/09
Future Shows
Hairspray- 1/22/09, Drowsy Chaperone- 2/15/09, Sweeney Todd- 4/19/09, Ain't Misbehavin'- 5/17/09
Mutts2
Swing Joined: 7/6/07
#7re: Is Gypsy doing anything for Broadway Cares fundraising?
Posted: 12/5/08 at 11:54pm
Did LuPone participate in the Flea Market Celebrity table? A friend and I were just wondering about this the other day. I said I didn't think she had ,and he said that if Bernadette did it when she was in Gypsy, he didn't see why iron-lungs LuPone wouldn't have been able to do it.
As for LuPone not allowing the BC/EFA curtain speech, I could understand her position when the cast members just stood at the exits with the buckets, but nowadays any of the shows with a motivated cast and/or crew offer all sorts of merchandise or opportunities to raise funds. I knew a guy who gave $500 to go backstage after Sunset Boulevard to get his poster personally autographed by Glen Close and didn't the Boy From Oz let 10 people a night come up on stage to take a picture with Hugh Jackman. Personally I don't think it would dampen anyone's experience if an actor you have just enjoyed watching onstage announces that there are autographed CDs, window cards, whatever for audience members to purchase and the proceeds go to help BC/EFA and all the wonderful things that organization supports.
WishingOnlyWounds2
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/25/08
#8re: Is Gypsy doing anything for Broadway Cares fundraising?
Posted: 12/6/08 at 12:13am
"A Picture With Patti"
Not sure if she would agree, but people would pay.
2008: Feb. 18- Rent, Feb. 19- Curtains, April 18- Xanadu, April 22- Wicked, April 26- Legally Blonde, May 31- Wicked, June 13- The Little Mermaid, June 28- Wicked and Young Frankenstein, July 2- The Little Mermaid, July 6- A Chorus Line and Legally Blonde, August 16- Xanadu, September 13- Legally Blonde and 13, September 28- Xanadu and Spring Awakening, Oct. 12-GYPSY and [title of show], Oct. 19- Hairspray & Legally Blonde, Nov. 9- Wicked and 13, Dec. 14-13, Dec. 26- Billy Elliot, 2009: Jan 1- Shrek, Jan 2- 13 and Wicked, Jan 4- 13, Feb 17- In The Heights, Feb 19- Billy Elliot, Feb 22- Sweeney Todd (tour), March 28- Mary Poppins, April 4- Mamma Mia!, April 15- Jersey Boys (on tour), April 25- next to normal & 9 to 5
May 1- Billy Elliot, May 3- Spelling Bee (tour), May 8- Chicago, May 21- Wicked, June 6- Everyday Rapture, June 23- The Wiz, June 25- Hair July 15- Shrek, August 9- Wicked, September 7- Rock of Ages, October 11- Next To Normal, October 23- The Marvelous Wonderettes, November 7- Ragtime November 29- Dreamgirls, December 25- Billy Elliot, December 30- Finian's Rainbow, 2010: January 9- Bye Bye Birdie, January 16- Memphis February 17- The Phantom of The Opera, February 18- God of Carnage, March 7- Billy Elliot, March 31- American Idiot
#9re: Is Gypsy doing anything for Broadway Cares fundraising?
Posted: 12/6/08 at 1:20amThere was no announcement tonight - but Carols for a Cure and and signed windowcards (50.00) were being sold after the show tonight
#10re: Is Gypsy doing anything for Broadway Cares fundraising?
Posted: 12/6/08 at 9:52am
^No Patti wasn't at the Broadway Flea Market celebrity table this year 
But Laura Benanti and Boyd Gaines were!
Updated On: 12/6/08 at 09:52 AM
A Director
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/18/07
#11re: Is Gypsy doing anything for Broadway Cares fundraising?
Posted: 12/6/08 at 2:49pmIf she doesn't want to take part, she could retire to her dressing room.
CurtainPullDowner
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/4/04
#12re: Is Gypsy doing anything for Broadway Cares fundraising?
Posted: 12/6/08 at 3:01pmWell, that didn't work too well at MOISES OFF.
#13re: Is Gypsy doing anything for Broadway Cares fundraising?
Posted: 12/6/08 at 3:28pm
With the advent of using merchandise, autographed posters, pictures, tours, etc., I think they've moved away from the "drop a dollar in the bucket on your way out" type of fundraising. I enjoy getting something "unique" when I donate to BC/EFA, like the signed bottle of hairspray I got at Hairspray last spring.
That being said, the most convincing fundraising line I've heard was last year at a performance of Wicked when the cast member giving the speech thanked the audience for filling the house, and went on to say that if "each person in attendance gave just one dollar, we'd raise almost two thousand dollars at this single performance." Simple, and incredibly effective.
