Peek Inside Broadway’s Drawers At The Broadway Cares Flea

Broadway Cares Flea Market

Every year, Broadway’s biggest theaters open their closets, drawers, cupboards and wings to clear out the dust and the clutter. All the glitter and baubles empty right into Shubert Alley at the 27th Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Flea Market and Grand Auction. And it all takes place on Sunday, September 22nd, 2013!

Last year’s event raised $681,892, which went towards “annual grants to more than 450 AIDS and family service organizations nationwide and social service programs at The Actors Fund, including the HIV/AIDS Initiative, the Phyllis Newman Women’s Health Initiative, the Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic, The Dancers’ Resource and the Stage Managers’ Project.”

It is a complete blast to go treasure hunting through over 50 tables of Broadway memorabilia. This year’s shows with tables at the flea market include Annie, Avenue Q, The Book of Mormon, Cinderella, Kinky Boots, The Lion King, Mamma Mia!, Matilda The Musical, Motown: The Musical, Naked Boys Singing, NEWSical The Musical, Newsies, Once, Pippin, The Phantom of the Opera, Rock of Ages, The Trip to Bountiful and Wicked.

You can also meet some of your favorite performers. This year’s lineup includes Tony winners Sutton Foster, Cherry Jones, Judith Light, Debra Monk, Bebe Neuwirth, Bernadette Peters, Billy Porter and Alice Ripley, and many more. Check out the schedule and get there early!

The most exciting part of this event to me is the offerings in the Grand Auction. You can conduct “Music of the Night” from the orchestra pit at Phantom of the Opera. You can join the cast of “Kinky Boots” on stage. And, hold onto your kinky boots, you and a friend can even have lunch with Angela Lansbury at Trattoria dell’Arte (bidding currently at a mere $4,300).

Only in New York, and only on Broadway.

I am not a die-hard Broadway fans. But I do like a good musical, and I am still astounded and confused by the quick costume changes in Cinderalla (go to 2:30). But this flea market is so much fun. And the crowd is so happy to be there. People schedule vacations to New York around this event. So if you’ve visiting, welcome to our fair city. And if you live here, meet me on Broadway on Sunday!

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Flea Market and Grand Auction takes place Sunday, September 22, Sunday, September 22, 2013, 10 am – 7 pm, Shubert Alley and West 44th Street. Grand Auction, Silent Auction from 10 am to 3:30 pm. Live Auction at 5 pm.