Gypsy of the Year Raises a Record Total of $3,927,000

The 19th Annual Gypsy of the Year competition raised a record $3,927,000, a jump of more than $900,000 from last year's total. The previous record of $3,420,000 was set in 2004. The amount was especially impressive given the compressed fund-raising drive for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS due to the Broadway stagehands strike. The results were announced at the culmination of the Gypsy of the Year performance on December 18 at the New Amsterdam Theatre hosted by Bob Saget, Jackie Hoffman and Mary Testa. A highlight of the event was a reunion of many original cast members from West Side Story, which is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its Broadway debut.

Top fundraising honors for Broadway companies went to Wicked with $208,406 and for plays The Ritz with $139,513. The Jersey Boys "Sherry" company was the top touring company with $327,403, and Altar Boyz won the off-Broadway effort with $36,006. Brian Stokes Mitchell, David Hyde Pierce and Rosie Perez awarded the prizes, noting that touring companies have stepped up their fund-raising efforts. This year, 17 national touring shows raised a record $1.7 million. In addition, the Gypsy of the Year onstage event was postponed for two weeks, allowing additional time for Broadway companies to raise money after the strike.

A total of 16 productions participated in the Gypsy of the Year onstage competition, including several skits that poked fun at the recent strike. The company of The Color Purple won the performance award with an interpretive dance set to the Sounds of Blackness song "Pressure." The number was choreographed and directed by company member James Harkness. Tied for runner-up was the company of The Ritz, which presented an amusing skit called "Gypsy Lore" narrated by Seth Rudetsky, and the combined companies of Stomp and Xanadu with a rousing number called "Stompadu" set to the Sandi Thom song "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker with Flowers in My Hair."

Broadway.com's own Bruce Glikas portrayed a celebrity photographer who gets punched out by Laura Bell Bundy in Legally Blonde's skit "Omigod...I Did It Again." The all-star panel of judges included Claire Danes, Martha Plimpton, F. Murray Abraham, John Tartaglia, director Des McAnuff and choreographer Rob Ashford.

The opening number featured a lineup of the original stars of West Side Story, including Chita Rivera Anita, Carol Lawrence Maria, Mickey Callan Riff, Ken Le Roy Bernardo and Jamie Sanchez Chino, backed by a line of young dancers performing variations on Jerome Robbins' original choreography. They were joined onstage by fellow cast members Genii Charnin, Harvey Evans, Marilyn D'Honau, Alan Johnson, Gene Gavin, Ronnie Lee, George Marcy, Liane Plane, Martin Charnin, Grover Dale, Bill Guske, Ed Kressley, Sandy Leeds, Tony Mordente, Carole D'Andrea, Frances Davis, Lowell Harris, Julie Oser-McLeod, Noel Schwartz, and Gina Tricones. Opera star Reri Grist Consuelo closed the show with the song she introduced 50 years ago, "Somewhere."