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The 21st Annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction Earns $559,810!

$7,262,372 is 21-Year Total!

Record-breaking crowds, excellent weather and hundreds of theatre professionals came together Sunday to make BC/EFA’s 21st Annual Flea Market one of our most successful in history.

The grand total of $559,810 was second only to the $574,000 total recorded in the year 2000 and well above last year’s result of $505,832.

This year’s result brings the 21 year Grand Total of the Broadway Flea Market and Grand Auction to $7,262,372.

Held, as always, in Shubert Alley between 45th and 44th Streets, and along 44th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues, this year’s event featured 60 tables of all sizes, which generated $259,560.

BC/EFA’s “family” auctioneer Lorna Kelly was on hand again, leading the bidding and pounding the gavel for the 68-lot grand auction, which earned $203,700. Walk-on roles in Broadway and TV shows proved highly popular.  Top Walk-ons included:

Jersey Boys ($11,000),
Wicked ($8,500)
NBC’s Scrubs ($8,000)
ABC’s Ugly Betty ($7,500)
Legally Blonde ($7,000)
Mamma Mia! ($5,500)
Hairspray ($5,000).

The return of original stars Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp sent Rent over the top, however, with a walk-on role in this perennial hit going for $12,000!

Also popular, “A Day With the Phantom of the Opera,” which went for $5,750 and a package that included VIP seats to the2008 Tony Awards and tickets to the Gala sold for $7,000.

Before the Grand Auction, which filled Shubert Alley from 4:30 to 7:00, an 82-item silent Auction earned $36,550, with five exciting prizes bringing in more than $1,000 each:

  • Jersey Boys. “Can’t Take Me Eyes Off of You” ($2,200)
  • Original door from Rent, signed by Adam Pascal  ($1,600)
  • “I’m Not That Girl”—an original musical phrase fromWicked ($1,150)
  • A Commemorative poster from Beauty and the Beast $1,150
  • A poster celebrating the record-setting run of The Phantom of the Opera ($1,000)

Celebrity Table/Photo Booth
Seventy-five of the biggest names from Broadway and Daytime Television participated in this year’s Celebrity Table and Photos Booth, which together earned $18,640, while giving fans the chance to meet and have their pictures taken with their favorite stars.

Performers included: F. Murray Abraham, Michael Arden, Michael Berresse, Scott Bryce, Brandon Buddy, Laura Bell Bundy, Kerry Butler, Tyne Daly, John Driscoll, Marj Dusay, Melissa Claire Eagan, Bobbie Eakes, Christine Ebersole, John Gallagher, Jonathan Groff, Van Hansis, Christian Hoff, Amy Irving, Michael E. Knight, Ian McKellen, Lea Michele, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Debra Monk, Donna Murphy, Bebe Neuwirth, Bernadette Peters, Anthony Rapp, Daniel Reichard, Adam Pascal, David Hyde Pierce, Christopher Sieber, Robert Spencer, Robin Strasser and many others.

Sieber and perennial host Scott Nevins emceed the celebrity table, keeping crowds entertained as they waited patiently in line.

Of special interest were photo opportunities with legends Frankie Valli, as well as Lynn, Vanessa and Corin Redgrave, who will be doing a BC/EFA benefit performance of Tynan, his one-man show based on the diaries of critic Kenneth Tynan, on October 22, with both sisters hosting a V.I.P. reception afterward.

Table Toppers
Daly, in a BC/EFA first, not only greeted fans and signed autographs at the celebrity table, but hosted her own booth in Shubert Alley, where she sold hand-made jewelry, hats and other collectibles and earned an additional $6,370 for BC/EFA.

The 60 shows and theatre-related organizations hosting tables at this year’s event earned $259,560. Top performers included:

  • Broadway Beat ($15,016)
  • XANADU ($10,510)
  • United Scenic Artists ($10,402)
  • PHANTOM OF THE OPERA ($10,038)
  • T.D.F. ($9,383)
  • RENT ($8,675)
  • CURTAINS ($7,957)
  • LEGALLY BLONDE ($7,392)
  • Grey Advertising ($7,360)
  • Tyne Daly Table ($6,370)
  • Playbill ($6,331)

Sponsors Make a Difference
Broadway Cares would also like to think our generous long-term support, M.A.C. AIDS Fund, which sponsored the 2007 Flea Market with donation of $50,000 and the management of Times Square’s beautiful new Platinum Building, which donated $10,000 to sponsor the event.

The Broadway Flea Market was also sponsored by Continental Airlines, the official airline of BC/EFA, The New York Times, Junior’s, Beaulieu Vineyards, PMD Promotion, Next Magazine and 1-800 Postcards.

“The Broadway Flea Market and Grand Auction was a huge success, said executive director Tom Viola.  “But the what must be remembered as we announce such extraordinary results, is that this event began as a couple of tables outside the Shubert stage door when the cast of the original production of A CHORUS LINE decided to clean up their dressing rooms and backstage with “a sale”.  An amazing $12,000 was raised and donated to the fledgling Broadway Cares and an “event”.   The $559,000 raised this year,” he continues, “comes from the same basic grassroots efforts just many, many times over.  It’s truly the magic of BC/EFA’s continued good fortune.  Thousands of individual gestures of generousity and support – large and small – for which we are most grateful.”