A celebration of proportions that only the best of Broadway could put on took place Sunday, June 21 as the annual benefit production of Broadway Bares celebrated 25 years of entertainment for a great cause. MAC Cosmetics was, once again, the Presenting Sponsor for the event. The event has been produced since 1992 when Tony winning choreographer Jerry Mitchell hosted the first Broadway Bares events, along with seven of his friends, dancing on the bar at Splash in Chelsea and raising $8,000 to help those living with HIV/AIDS.
222 performers in 11 numbers were featured at this year’s event, and also featured a number of surprise celebrity performances. Special guests included Andy Cohen (Watch What Happens Live), Laverne Cox (Orange is the New Black), Bianca Del Rio (Ru Paul’s Drag Race), four-time Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein, two-time Tony winner Judith Light, Olivier Award winner Lesli Margherita and two-time Tony nominee Christopher Sieber.
Three of Broadway Bares’ favorite women – Jen Cody, Nikka Graff Lanzarone and Rachelle Rak were also featured. In a tribute to the first 24 editions of Bares, 10 more of its most iconic lead strips returned for the special Hot Vintage Booty alumni number, choreographed by Rak and also fetured Kristine Bendul, Timothy Bish, Joshua Buscher-West, Katy Grenfell, Sandor DeGrazia, Grasan Kingsberry, Daniel Robinson, Michael Lee Scott and Ryan Worsing.
This year’s two sold-our performances raised $1,598,501 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS organization, which until merging in 1992 operated as separate charities, and has served persons living with HIV/AIDS since 1988. The 2015 funds raised include a $300,000 donation by the events presenting sponsor MAC Cosmetics. MAC has been sponsoring the event since 1997 and the company’s total donations over that period supporting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS event top $2.9 million. MAC also provides more than 70 artists backstage at the event providing all product and makeup services for the event. M∙A∙C senior vice president of global product development and M∙A∙C AIDS Fund board member, Jennifer Balbier, was on hand to present this year’s donation check to event founder Jerry Mitchell. www.broadwaybares.com