The generosity of theater audiences across the country shined brightly over the past six weeks as donations to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS’ iconic Red Buckets raised a staggering and record-shattering $6,849,510 in the lobbies of 57 Broadway, Off-Broadway and national touring productions.

Landing at the top of the Spring Fundraising Competition leaderboard were Broadway’s Sunset Blvd. and Good Night, and Good Luck, each raising more than $300,000.

The $6.8 million total is the highest in the organization’s 37-year history, eclipsing the previous record of $6,594,778 set in 2019. 

“I was bowled over by the impassioned and often deeply personal appeals from the stage,” Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Executive Director Danny Whitman said. “This heartfelt and inspiring energy prompted extraordinary generosity from audiences to help at a time when so many are facing their darkest days. As many of the organizations we support face unimaginable challenges caused by uncertain funding, it’s reassuring to know that Broadway Cares supporters once again stand strong in providing compassionate hope and help for millions across the country.”

The donations fund Broadway Cares’ National Grants Program, which helps ensure nourishing meals, lifesaving medication, vital health care and boundless hope for people in need across all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, as well as providing a safety net of services for those in entertainment and the performing arts.

The top fundraisers in the Spring Fundraising Competition, which ran from March 14 through April 27, 2025, were:

Broadway Musical
Top Fundraiser	Sunset Blvd.	$329,923
1st Runner-Up	Maybe Happy Ending	$269,423
2nd Runner-Up	Hell’s Kitchen	$251,107
3rd Runner-Up	The Outsiders	$248,393

Broadway Play
Top Fundraiser	Good Night, and Good Luck	$324,794
1st Runner-Up	Glengarry Glen Ross	$238,343
2nd Runner-Up	Oh, Mary!	$208,202

Off-Broadway (Play or Musical)
Top Fundraiser	Little Shop of Horrors	$113,982
1st Runner-Up	Drag: the Musical	$101,239
2nd Runner-Up	Titanique	$33,810
3rd Runner-Up	The Play That Goes Wrong	$27,561

National Tours
Top Fundraiser	Wicked – Munchkinland	$221,717
1st Runner-Up	A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical	$212,659
2nd Runner-Up	Moulin Rouge! The Musical	$196,341
3rd Runner-Up	Hamilton – Philip	$170,201
4th Runner-Up	Life of Pi	$165,276

The Broadway shows that participated in the fundraising competition were & Juliet; Aladdin; The Book of Mormon; BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical; Cabaret; Chicago; Death Becomes Her; Glengarry Glen Ross; Good Night, and Good Luck;The Great Gatsby; Gypsy; Hadestown; Hamilton; Harry Potter and the Cursed Child; Hell’s Kitchen; John Proctor is the Villain; The Last Five Years; The Lion King; Maybe Happy Ending; MJ; Moulin Rouge! The Musical; Oh, Mary!; Operation Mincemeat; The Outsiders; The Picture of Dorian Gray; Redwood; Six; Smash; Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends; Sunset Blvd. and Wicked; and Off-Broadway’s Blue Man Group – Las Vegas, Drag: The Musical; Little Shop of Horrors, The Play That Goes Wrong and Titanique. Additionally, the national tours of & Juliet, Annie, Back to the Future, A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical, Beetlejuice, Clue, Hamilton – Angelica, Hamilton – Philip, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Kimberly Akimbo, Les Misérables, Life of Pi, The Lion King – Rafiki, Mamma Mia, MJ, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Parade, Shucked, Six – Boleyn, Some Like it Hot and Wicked – Munchkinland.

In exchange for a donation, audiences at many shows received autographed posters, Playbills and other unique memorabilia or one-of-a-kind experiences. The special offerings ranged from stage-worn glasses signed by Milo Manheim at Little Shop of Horrors to stage props signed by George Clooney at Good Night, and Good Luck; from auctions featuring Tom Francis’ bloody tank top at Sunset Blvd. to business cards autographed by the starry cast of Glengarry Glen Ross.

Since the spring fundraising efforts began in 1988, they have raised $107 million for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Photos by Angela of York and Michael Hull Photo