STREAMING THEATER
Alive and Kicking
“Broadway Bares” fundraiser goes digital still packs heat
BY DAVID KENNERLEY
On May 1, the New York
theater community
heaved a collective gasp
when the beloved Broadway
Bares fundraiser, scheduled
for June 21, was offi cially shelved
until 2021. It was to be the 3oth anniversary
of this sizzling, signature
event benefi ting Broadway Cares/
Equity Fights AIDS.
Not only does the annual extravaganza,
which features hundreds
of wildly costumed dancers,
aerialists, and other artists doing
eye-popping stripteases set to music,
deliver much needed support
for those living with HIV/ AIDS,
but it draws the community together
to celebrate Broadway, the
art of movement, and the beauty
of the human physique. Last year’s
event, “Take Off,” raised more than
two million dollars, and the recent
cancelation hit hard.
Not so fast. Recognizing that
during the COVID crisis folks need
support and connection more than
ever, “Broadway Bares” founder
Jerry Mitchell and his team devised
a way to keep the show alive
and kicking online.
On August 1, “Broadway Bares:
Zoom In” streamed on Broadwaycares.
org, Playbill.com, and other
partner outlets. The creators were
faced with a daunting challenge:
These days, when touching or even
being near another human is lar
largely taboo, how to generate palpable
heat?
Combining archival footage from past “Broadway Bares” shows, performances shot at home this year,
and guest commentary, Jerry Mitchell and Troy Britton Johnson created a sizzling “Zoom In” for the
30th anniversary of the famed Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS fundraiser.
They managed quite nicely, as
it turns out. The 80-minute prerecorded
show, introduced by Mitchell
of course, made good on delivering
their trademark “Class, Sass,
and Ass.” It presented glimpses of
scores of sexy Broadway dancers
showing off their best moves from
the safety of their own homes.
BROADWAY CARES/ EQUITY FIGHTS AIDS
Who says social distancing can’t
be sexy?
The frisk-fest opened with a
slickly edited video, enhanced with
animation, of these ethnically diverse
performers shaking their oftnaked
booties gyrating to Todrick
Hall’s throbbing dance hit “Attention.”
For another video segment, they
spliced together steamy snippets
of highlights from past shows. The
real meat of “Zoom In” was the
stunning footage of complete numbers
from their 29-year history.
These crowd pleasers were introduced
by choreographers and directors
such as Nick Kenkel, Laya
Barak, John Alix, Al Blackstone,
Denis Jones, and Charlie Sutton,
among others.
Celebrity guests who made cameos
praising the Broadway Bares
mission included Nathan Lane,
Charles Busch, Lea DeLaria, Jane
Krakowski, Beth Leavel, Judith
Light, Andrew Lippa, and Christopher
Sieber. The adorable “showmance”
couple Nick Adams and
Kyle Brown appeared together from
their home to make a bid for donations.
Who could say no to them?
While the stream was free, viewers
were urged to make donations
to Broadway Cares, which were
matched by the Dream Alliance up
to $200,000. This year, the fundraiser
benefi ts those affected by
COVID-19 in addition to its original
aim of helping those with HIV/
AIDS by providing lifesaving meals,
medications, housing, counseling,
and other services.
According to Broadway Cares,
tens of thousands of fans across
the globe tuned in to the event,
which raked in nearly $600,000.
You can still donate to their offshoot
campaign called Stripathon
at broadwaycares.org/stripathon.
The show is currently archived on
BroadwayCares.org.
“Broadway Bares: Zoom In,” directed
by Mitchell and written by
Troy Britton Johnson, was never
meant as a substitute for the real
thing. Yet it succeeds as a celebration
of the vital, nearly three-decades
old tradition of helping those
in need. With its titillating, often
homoerotic fare, it salutes the theater
community and, by extension,
the LGBTQ community.
But most of all, it made me nostalgic
for the days when thousands
of people were packed like sardines
into the Hammerstein Ballroom,
sharing one of the most astounding
entertainments in the world of
theater, all for a good cause. And
being amazed that every single
artist involved is a volunteer, sacrifi
cing their time, often on their
off night from a taxing eight-showper
week schedule.
And when the next Broadway
Bares does happen in the fl esh, I
plan to be among the fi rst in line.
BROADWAY BARES: ZOOM IN |
Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights
AIDS | Free access at Broadway-
Cares.org | Eighty mins. | Donations
welcomed at broadwaycares.
org/stripathon
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