The annual Easter Bonnet Competition will return this spring to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Performers from Broadway, Off-Broadway and national touring companies will showcase their talents in song, dance and comedy, topped off by outstandingly creative bonnets hand-designed especially for the event.
The 2016 edition of #BroadwayBonnets Competition will again take over the Minskoff Theatre, currently the home of Disney's long-running hit The Lion King - Musical.
The two-day event will be h...
The annual Easter Bonnet Competition will return this spring to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Performers from Broadway, Off-Broadway and national touring companies will showcase their talents in song, dance and comedy, topped off by outstandingly creative bonnets hand-designed especially for the event.
The 2016 edition of #BroadwayBonnets Competition will again take over the Minskoff Theatre, currently the home of Disney's long-running hit The Lion King - Musical.
The two-day event will be held at 4:30 pm on April 25 and at 2 pm on April 26.
Produced by and benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, the Easter Bonnet Competition celebrates six weeks of intensive fundraising efforts by dozens of Broadway, Off-Broadway and national touring companies. Broadway Cares’ iconic red buckets started appearing at theatre exits March 11 and will continue through April 24.
Seventeen fabulous bonnets will be unveiled at this year's Easter Bonnet Competition after performances that include the casts of An American In Paris on Broadway, Avenue Q, Chicago The Musical, Disaster - On Broadway, Fun Home on Broadway, Hamilton: An American Musical, Kinky Boots on Broadway, The Lion King, School of Rock the Musical, Straight the Play and WICKED The Musical.
Broadway favorites scheduled to host this year’s event include Alex Brightman, Kerry Butler, Carmen Cusack, Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odom Jr., Adam Kantor, Tshidi Manye, Alexandra Silber, Jennifer Simard and L. Steven Taylor. The Crucible on Broadway’s Tina Benko, Jason Butler Harner, Ciarán Hinds, Saoirse Ronan, Ray Anthony Thomas and Ben Whishaw also will join as hosts. Special guests Laura Benanti and Zachary Levi from Roundabout Theatre Company's #SheLovesMe will introduce the judges on Tuesday.
Christian Borle, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Jennifer Hudson will announce the top fundraisers and the best presentation and best bonnet awards at the conclusion of Tuesday’s performance. Rachel York will close each show with "Help is on the Way," BC/EFA's traditional Easter Bonnet anthem written by David Friedman.
The shows also will include a performance by the Broadway Inspirational Voices, led by Michael McElroy, and an original opening number directed by T. Oliver Reid, choreographed by Rommy Sandhu and written by Jed Resnick. The show will feature a tribute to national touring productions, choreographed by Kellen Stancil, as well as a number honoring Broadway Cares’ indefatigable Bucket Brigade volunteers, directed by Jonathan Cerullo. In addition, three of BC/EFA's affiliate organizations - Broadway Green Alliance, Broadway Serves and R.Evolucion Latina - will grace the stage with a special number directed by Luis Salgado.
Last year's Easter Bonnet Competition raised a remarkable $4,711,386. Since 1987, the 29 editions of this highly anticipated annual event have brought in more than $63.3 million.