Judges and Performers Announced for 2009 Gypsy of the Year

Judges and performers have been announced for the 21st annual Gypsy of the Year competition, to be held on December 7 and 8 at the Palace Theatre. Proceeds from the event, the culmination of six weeks of fund-raising by Broadway and off-Broadway shows, will benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Tony Award winner Julie White (The Understudy) and Broadway personality Seth Rudetsky will host the 2009 Gypsy of the Year, with a judging panel that includes Ana Gasteyer (The Royal Family), John Glover (The Royal Family), Casey Nicholaw (director of The Drowsy Chaperone), Montego Glover (Memphis), Paul Libin (BC/EFA President), Marcia Milgrom Dodge (director of Ragtime), Jim Norton (Finian’s Rainbow), and longtime BC/EFA friend Marion Duckworth Smith.

Awards for the winning presentation presentations and for companies who raise the most money will be presented by two-time Tony Award winner and BC/EFA trustee Bernadette Peters and Michael McKean (Superior Donuts).

Shows scheduled to present include Billy Elliot, Bye Bye Birdie, Chicago, Hair, Jersey Boys, Naked Boys Singing, Newsical, Mamma Mia!, Mary Poppins, Rock of Ages, Superior Donuts, West Side Story, Wicked and a joint presentation by Avenue Q and In the Heights. This year’s opening number, created by Melissa Mahon, Sean McKnight and Seth Farber, will be a parody of the Fox reality show So You Think You Can Dance featuring a special appearance by season five contestant Ryan Kasprzak.