Neither wind nor snow nor Oscar Night could keep the ABC Soap stars and fans alike from coming out to support Broadway Cares.  Now in its third year, the annual ABC Daytime Salutes Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS event drew capacity crowds to New York’s Town Hall and brought in a record $300,000 for BC/EFA.

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The high energy event kicked off with a knockout performance of “One Night Only” featuring “One Life To Live’s” Kassie DePaiva and Renee Goldsberry joined by “All My Children’s” Bobbie Eakes and the indefatigable Susan Lucci with AMC’sJeffrey Carlson in full “girl group” regalia.  Joy Behar co-host of “The View,” opened the evening with a special comedy performance. Cameron Mathison from “All My Children” served as host for the evening that featured thirty of the best loved stars working in ABC Daytime – including “General Hospital” legend Anthony Geary,whodonned the hausfrau frockas Edna Turnblad from Hairspray alongside co-star, Stephen DeRosa.

“ABC Daytime Salutes Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS” also, for the first time, featured Disney Theatrical stars Ashley Brown and Josh Strickland, who perform the title roles in Mary Poppins and Tarzan, respectively. In a unique twist, both performers appeared as themselves on “All My Children,” in a scene that aired prior to the Broadway event.

One of the true highlights of this year’s event featured three winners of an online auction who collectively paid over $20,000 to appear onstage in a live “screen test” with the stars of “All My Children”, “One Life to Live”, and “General Hospital”.

The evening concluded with an all star cast party at The Marriott where the ABC stars mingled with fans until the wee hours on Monday morning.

Since it’s inception in 2005, the yearly ABC Daytime concert has brought in over $750,000 for BC/EFA.

 

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