The 30th anniversary of Broadway Bares filled New York City’s Hammerstein Ballroom on June 26, 2022, with an abundance of “community, unity and nudity” as the venerable modern-day burlesque spectacular wrapped up Pride Sunday with a raucous return to in-person performances after a pandemic-induced three-year hiatus.

Two standing-room-only performances of Broadway Bares: XXX raised $1,893,715.

The anniversary celebration immersed audiences into a risqué reverie of Broadway Bares’ history, revisiting highlights from Bares‘ colorful 30-year past.

The journey, a fitting closing celebration for New York City’s Pride Sunday, reimagined superheroes, mythology and fairy tales, peeked under the big top and behind mysterious doors, and honored beloved stories of stage and screen.

The trip down memory lane starred 170 of New York City’s hottest, most exuberant dancers led by host Maulik Pancholy, who was assisted by Broadway Bares spirit guides Nathan Lee Graham and Lesli Margherita. The electric evening featured special guest appearances by this year’s Tony Awards host and Oscar winner Ariana DeBose, Funny Girl‘s Ramin Karimloo and POTUS‘ Julianne Hough, Suzy Nakamura and Julie White.
 
 

 
The Broadway Bares: XXX opening number set the stage with the anthem: “community, unity and nudity.” With Broadway’s Bonnie Milligan and Jason Tam as lead vocalists in bedazzled red outfits, more than 20 alluring dancers brought the XXX factor as they ushered the audience into the worlds of the show with choreography from Bares Director Laya Barak, Executive Producer Nick Kenkel and Associate Director Jonathan Lee. Through tumbling and titillating dance moves, the high-octane opening number recapped Bares’ 30-year history of themes and milestones. The original number was written by Amanda Green and Lynne Shankel.

In a finale that was “one-of-a-kind, no category,” Keirsten Nicole Hodgens, Andrea Macasaet, Brittney Mack and Courtney Mack of Broadway’s Six led the company in an energetic and exhilarating number choreographed by Gabriella Sorrentino. Riffing off of Rihanna’s “We Found Love in a Hopeless Place,” the dancers celebrated finding love in a topless place. The entire Broadway Bares: XXX cast filled to the stage for a jubilant final conclusion to the show.

Making his Broadway Bares debut, Pancholy shared his nervousness about hosting, which prompted Bares alums Graham and Margherita to arrive as dueling guides for his new experience. They appropriately entered on the arms of chiseled, scantily clad men. Adding their own zest and flair, Graham and Margherita offered Pancholy their sage advice throughout the show.

DeBose shared her own advice on how to command the stage, after hosting the 75th annual Tony Awards earlier this month. Arriving to raucous cheers from the crowd, DeBose, a Bares veteran herself, showed off her impressive dance moves – including a stunning jump-split.
 

 
Time-traveling to 1992 to honor the first Broadway Bares, Jason Williams donned a color-blocked suit and sunglasses to lead a crew of overall-clad dancers in a spirited and spunky number set to a classic ‘90s beat. The number also featured Elliott Mattox in a solo striptease, as he radiated love from a large heart tattoo in the center of his chest. The lively romp was choreographed by Al Blackstone.

On a dark and stormy night, Darius Wright found himself in the haunting and arousing Bares Academy after a car accident. With a crash of thunder and bolt of lightning, Wright asked ‘Knock, Knock, Who’s Bare?‘ in a throwback to 1995’s Broadway Bares. Daring to discover what was behind closed doors, Wright was consumed by sultry and sensual dancers including the bewitching Afra Hines. The number was choreographed by Stephanie Klemons.

All eyes were on the center of the ring of Elliott with 2 Ts’ circus in a tribute to Broadway Bares: The Barest Show on Earth. As ringmaster, she welcomed an unsuspecting Ryan VanDenBoom, with popcorn and balloon in hand, into the tantalizing and enchanting wonders of a freakshow-turned-peepshow, choreographed by Richard J. Hinds and Andrew Turteltaub with aerial choreography by Armando Farfan Jr.

Paying homage to Black Panther and other Avengers straight from A Comic Strip, Collin Heyward led the group in a hard-hitting hip hop number as a harness-wearing T’Challa. Choreographed by Broadway Bares: XXX associate director Lee, the royal and racy number incorporated bombastic body pops and stepping with canes. With Heyward’s family jewels being crowned in the final moment, there was no choice but to cheer, “Wakanda Forever!”
 

 
What began as a dramatic confrontation that harkened back to West Side Story with cinematic orchestrations became a romantic comedy set to Paul Simon’s “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard.” With blossoming 1960s-style cartoon flower projections in the background, Joe Beauregard and Michael Scott Gomez led the cheeky and playful number honoring Broadway Bares: Now Showing, choreographed by Michael Lee Scott and Tammy Colucci.

The audience was welcomed to Club Aphrodisiac in a Greek mythology-themed number inspired by Broadway Bares: Myth Behavior. Lead goddess Marie Rose Baramo was as captivating as the Sirens from The Odyssey, with her loyal subjects fawningly undressing her. Set to the smooth and steamy beats of a slow jam, she and lead god Justin Prescott tempted and teased the audience with ethereal moves choreographed by Chloe Davis.

Mirror, mirror, on the wall: Who’s the fairest of them all? Tomás Matos and their magic mirror Brandon Stonestreet convincingly answered that question in a lavish number choreographed by Kellen Stancil. Matos led a company resembling the shiny, poisonous red apples in a seductive style that resulted in Happy Endings.

Strong and unapologetic, Akira Armstrong demonstrated that she is “plus size and fabulous,” in the scorching tribute to Broadway Bares: Rock Hard!,choreographed by Jessica Castro. Starting with a heartfelt monologue about being plus-sized in the world of dance, Armstrong and the all-women cast set the stage ablaze with skirt swirls and hair twirls in a celebration of body positivity.

We don’t talk about Bruno, but we do talk about the scintillating number representing Broadway Bares: On Demand. Led by Christopher Hernandez and Shani Talmor, the Salsa-infused number, choreographed by Sekou McMiller, borrowed from Disney’s Encanto. The strums of guitars and heavy bass made the perfect soundtrack for the fluid body rolls to passionate partner-dancing.

Honoring members of the Broadway Bares family lost through the years, the darkened stage was lit only by the glow of candles and the names of those lost amplified on the screen. “We know their spirits are soaring as the flame of Broadway Bares continues to light, inspire and bring hope to the future.” In Passing the Torch, six aerialists, choreographed by Armando Farfan Jr., twisted into stunning shapes on a spherical torch as dancers below tossed and thrusted their bodies in breathtaking contemporary choreography from Barak and Stancil.
 

 
A Strange Loop‘s Pulitzer Prize and Tony winner Michael R. Jackson made a special appearance alongside Mitchell at the conclusion of the show, giving thanks to the night’s sponsors and sharing a touching story about the importance of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS’ work.

“I see thousands standing together who will not be dismissed or demeaned,” Jackson told the crowd, “who find strength in their unique expression that is empowered by love, determination and courage. And tonight, by an even stronger sense of coming together as a community. One that is built on inclusion and equity for all.”

On behalf of Broadway Cares, Mitchell and Jackson received M•A•C Viva Glam’s check of $200,000 from Senior Vice President, Global Chief Marketing Officer Aïda Moudachirou-Rébois along with Sandy Joseph, Jeanine Machado and Cesar Silva, honoring the “artistry, glamor and generosity of spirit” of Broadway Bares. Over the years, M•A•C has donated more than $4 million to Broadway Cares.

Company‘s Christopher Sieber led the traditional rotation, where audience members were invited to tip their favorite dancers. Rotation raised $20,121.

Stripathon, the online fundraiser led by the show’s cast and crew, raised $767,141. This year’s top Stripathon fundraiser, honored with the title of Commando-in-Chief, was Mark MacKillop, who raised $70,549, setting an all-time Broadway Bares fundraising record for an individual. He was followed by runners up Ben Ryan at $39,496 and Ricky Schroeder at $30,300.

Inspired by the evening’s message of community and the return of the in-person performance, longtime Broadway Cares supporter Dwight Curry personally donated $200,000 to the night’s total.

The book for Broadway Bares: XXX was written by Hunter Bell and Troy Britton Johnson.

Joel Shier served as lighting designer, with scenic design by David Arsenault and sound design by Nick Borisjuk. Ian Joseph led hair and wig design and coordination, Jeffrey Wallach led costume coordination and Ryan Jackson, Sandy Joseph and Cesar Silva led makeup design and coordination. The video screen design coordinator was Caite Hevner. Jereme Kyle Lewis and Johnny Milani served as production stage managers and Sarah Helgesen as stage manager.

The rich history of Broadway Bares began in 1992, when Mitchell, then a Broadway dancer, gathered six of his friends to raise awareness and stop the stigma of HIV diagnoses by stripping and strutting on the bar at New York City’s Splash. They raised $8,000 that first year to help those living with HIV/AIDS. Since then, Broadway Bares has become one of the hottest tickets in town and has raised $24.5 million for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Photos by Billy Bustamante, Michael Hull, Nathan Meredith, Jonathan Tichler, Evan Zimmerman
Video by Bardo Arts Production; highlights video edited by Mo Brady

 

This year’s program