After six weeks of fundraising, the theater community raised $3,187,496.24 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, $338,429.54 more than last year. The amount was announced at the 20th Annual Easter Bonnet Competition on April 25, held at the New Amsterdam Theatre. Broadway, off-Broadway and touring shows collected the money for the charity.
This year, The Pajama Game's Harry Connick, Jr., The Threepenny Opera's Ana Gasteyer and Three Days of Rain's Julia Roberts were on hand to present the awards for top fundraising companies and the outstanding bonnet presentation.
Big Broadway hit Wicked was the highest earner for the charity with $227,111.54. The runners-up for fundraising were in order: The Color Purple, which raised $185,398.95, last year's fund-raising champ The Phantom of the Opera with $176,411.71, Rent at $149,735.57 and The Lion King with $146,805.23. The top fundraising Broadway play was Barefoot in the Park with $76,694.45 and the top fundraising off-Broadway company was Altar Boyz which also topped the list last year at $19,870.16.
There's more to the Easter Bonnet Competition than money, however. The event provides a chance for Broadway's ensemble members to strut their stuff as well as show off the talent of their show's bonnet designers, who work long and hard on the elaborate creations. The top prize for bonnet presentation went to the company of The Color Purple for the presentation "Lillies In The Field," which featured music by Bobby McFerrin. The Lion King and Mamma Mia! tied as runners-up. For bonnet design only, the highest honor went to Beauty and the Beast bonnet design by Grant Norman, Billy Hipkins, Jeff Knaggs, Ryan Phillip Thomas and Brian Collier.
