Gypsy of The Year Competition opening number
Photo Credit: John Quilty

Thanks to the efforts of 55 Broadway, Off-Broadway, and National Touring shows, volunteers, and generous theater audiences, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS 16th Annual Gypsy of the Year Competition raised an impressive $2,754,631 – second only to last year’s record take of $3,359,000.

Hosted by Hairspray’s Bruce Vilanch, Tuesday’s sold-out show featured skits from 16 shows, with special appearances by Joan Rivers, Brooke Shields, Rick Lyon and Nicky fromAvenue Q, Seth Rudetsky of “Seth’s Broadway Chatterbox,” and an extended appearance by Dame Edna Everage (Barry Humphries).

Wicked took top fundraising honors, bringing in $362,918 from audience donations and onstage auctions. Other top shows were Avenue Q ($154,208), Mamma Mia! (154,032),Phantom of the Opera ($151,124), The Lion King ($150,822) and Rent ($144,178).Twelve Angry Men was the top play, with $110,724; Menopause: The Musical was the top Off-Broadway show, raising $13,200; and the tour of Mamma Mia! earned $147,929.

Members of The Lion King accept their award
Photo Credit: John Quilty

First prize for presentation went to the dancers from The Lion King. A Vegas-style re- envisioning of Wicked, featuring the Oz-inspired musical’s performers as Madonna, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, was first runner up.

Judges for this year’s competition included performers Cherry Jones, Tovah Feldshuh, Mario Cantone and Jai Rodriquez as well as long-time BC/EFA supporters James Bashor, Judy Dove, Barbara Ann Klein and Marion Duckworth Smith.

Our thanks to the scores of volunteers – on-stage and off – and the tens of thousands in the audiences on Broadway and across the country who helped made this year’s event such a great artistic and financial success.

Special thanks to our corporate sponsors THE NEW YORK TIME and CONTINENTAL AIRLINES.