33 Variations Sweeps Awards at Easter Bonnet Competition; $3.4 Million Raised

In a star-studded event, the 2009 Easter Bonnet Competition raised $3,402,147 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, and awards presenter Jane Fonda watched her show, 33 Variations, sweep the awards for outstanding bonnet design by David Masenheimer, outstanding bonnet presentation and top Broadway fundraiser. Setting a record for the most money raised by a play in the history of the Easter Bonnet Competition, 33 Variations topped the totals with $183,546. The overall fundraising prize went to the national tour of Rent with $352,060.

In the winning skit, Fonda led the cast of 33 Variations in a “voluntary rehearsal” which became an 80s-style “Jane Fonda workout” pre-show warm-up. Billy Elliot took first runner-up honors with a skit that featured 105-year-old Ziegfeld Follies alum Doris Eaton Travis teaching Gregory Jbara and young cast members “Ballin’ the Jack,” a number she performed more than 80 years ago. Second runner-up went to the cast of Naked Boys Singing.

Joining Fonda in presenting the awards were two more Oscar winners, Impressionism star Jeremy Irons who made a series of increasingly pointed jokes aimed at his own show, which is set to close on May 10 and Exit the King star Susan Sarandon. Hosts included Joan Allen Impressionism, Danny Burstein South Pacific, Andre De Shields Impressionism, Tovah Feldshuh Irena’s Vow, Gavin Creel Hair, Johanna Day August: Osage County, Rebecca Luker Mary Poppins, Karen Olivo West Side Story, Javier Munoz In the Heights, Thomas Sadoski Reasons to be Pretty, Will Swenson Hair, and John Tartaglia Shrek the Musical.

Judges included Laura Benanti Why Torture Is Wrong and The People Who Love Them, Brian d’Arcy James Shrek, Marsha Mason Impressionism, Steven Pasquale Reasons to be Pretty, Alice Ripley Next to Normal, and God of Carnage stars Jeff Daniels, Hope Davis, Marcia Gay Harden and James Gandolfini.