BENEFIT HAUS

PHOTOS: Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, And Cherry Jones Get Into Broadway’s Gypsy of the Year

5-Newsies_Photo by Monica SimoesThe 25th anniversary celebration of Broadway’s Gypsy of the Year raised $4,343,234 for the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS organization. 56 Broadway, Off-Broadway, and national touring companies worked together over the past six weeks, culminating at this year’s Gypsy of the Year performance at the Minskoff Theatre, home to Disney’s The Lion King. Daniel Craig announced the total amount raised, joined by Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, and Cherry Jones. The theater community has come together through twenty-five editions of Gypsy of the Year to raise a total of $57,277,815 since the inaugural fundraiser in 1989. This year the team of Broadway’s Kinky Boots was the top fundraiser followed by Wicked, and The Book of Mormon.  

The Lion King was awarded the onstage top honors with a special performance to original music by cast member Bongi Dumas and directed by Ray Mercer. Sixteen cast members from Newsies came in second place in an explosive performance choreographed by members of the cast. Kristin Newhouse directed this year’s show, which also featured a poignant moment of silence led by Tyne Daly and Jonathan Hadary, who hosted the first Gypsy of the Year.

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is one of the nation’s leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. By drawing upon the talents, resources and generosity of the American theater community, since 1988 BC/EFA has raised more than $250 million for essential services for people with AIDS and other critical illnesses across the United States. Broadway Cares awards annual grants to more than 450 AIDS and family service organizations nationwide and is the major supporter of the social service programs at The Actors Fund, including the HIV/AIDS Initiative, the Phyllis Newman Women’s Health Initiative and the Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic.

For more information, please visit Broadway Cares online at broadwaycares.org.

4-Cherry Jones and Patrick Stewart and ian McKellen_Photo by Monica SimoesCherry Jones, Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen

6-AvenueQ_Photo by Monica SimoesCast of Avenue Q

11-Brian J Smith and Celia Keenan-Bolger and Zachary Quinto and Cherry Jones_Photo by Monica SimoesBrian J Smith, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Zachary Quinto and Cherry Jones

3-Tyne Daly and Jonathan Hadary_Photo by Monica SimoesTyne Daly and Jonathan Hadary

9-The Lion King_Photo by Monica SimoesCast of The Lion King

2-Kristine Bendul and Waldemar Quinones-Villanueva_Photo by Monica Simoes

8-Chicago_Photo by Monica SimoesCast of Chicago

10-Spiderman-Turn Off the Dark_Photo by Kevin Thomas GarciaCast of Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark

1-Opening Number_Photo by Kevin Thomas GarciaOpening Number

Images by Monica Simoes and Kevin Thomas Garcia (Spiderman and Opening Number), courtesy of BBB

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