Gypsy of the Year 2011 Raises a Record $4,895,253

The 23rd annual Gypsy of the Year competition, held on December 5 and 6 at the New Amsterdam Theatre, raised a record $4,895,253 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. A total of 53 Broadway, off-Broadway and national touring companies participated in six weeks of intensive fundraising this fall. The winners were announced by Hugh Jackman (star of Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway), Bernadette Peters (Follies) and Daniel Radcliffe (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Jackman received a special award for raising a whopping $857,740 in just three weeks.

The 2011 Gypsy of the Year event featured a program of songs, original skits and dances performed by more than 300 singers, dancers and musicians, plus a reunion of the original cast of Grease. The company of Billy Elliot took honors for the best onstage presentation, with the cast of Mary Poppins named runner-up.

In addition to Jackman, How to Succeed topped the list of musicals by raising $325,935; Other Desert Cities topped the list for Broadway plays with $77,712.