Broadway Cares Fall Fundraising Begins Tonight With Red Buckets Returning

The Broadway Cares Red Buckets will return to theater lobbies in New York City and across the country beginning tonight, October 24, 2025. Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS' in-theater fundraising tradition returns to unite audiences, casts and crews in a shared act of creativity and kindness. 

Every dollar dropped in #RedBuckets held by cast members and volunteers becomes healthy meals delivered, medication provided and hope restored for those who need them most.

This season of giving will culminate in Red Bucket Follies (#redbucketfollies), Broadway's annual year-end celebration of talent, community and heart. This beloved industry legacy will fill the New Amsterdam Theatre with unforgettable performances, original numbers and dazzling moments created by the best of Broadway. Performances are set for 4:30 pm Monday, December 8, and 2 pm Tuesday, December 9. Tickets for this joyful celebration of artistry and generosity are available now at broadwaycares.org/follies.

Kicking off #RedBuckets fundraising this weekend are Broadway's & Juliet, Art, The Book of Mormon, Buena Vista Social Club, Death Becomes Her, Hamilton, Hell's Kitchen, The Lion King, Maybe Happy Ending, Oh, Mary!, The Outsiders, Six, Waiting for Godot and Wicked; Off-Broadway's Heathers, Little Shop of Horrors and The Play That Goes Wrong; and the national tours of A Beautiful Noise, the Neil Diamond Musical; Beauty and the Beast; Hamilton - Angelica; Kimberly Akimbo; The Notebook; Six - Boleyn; Some Like it Hot; The Sound of Music and Wicked - Munchkinland.

Participating starting next week are Broadway's Aladdin, The Great Gatsby, Hadestown, Mamma Mia!, MJ, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Operation Mincemeat and Stranger Things: The First Shadow, as well as the national touring productions of Hamilton - Angelica and Moulin Rouge! The Musical. More Broadway, Off-Broadway and national touring shows will join in the coming weeks.

“The need has never been greater, and neither has my gratitude for our theater community, its audiences and our dedicated volunteers,” Broadway Cares Executive Director Danny Whitman said. “At a time when funding cuts are threatening vital programs and services, the Broadway community continues to rise to the occasion with extraordinary generosity. Time and again, this community reminds us what compassion in action looks like,  transforming every dollar dropped in a Red Bucket into meals, medication and life-affirming care for those who need them most.”