At the 2019 Easter Bonnet Competition, the award for best presentation went to the cast of Off-Broadway’s Fiddler on the Roof - in Yiddish, which asked the question, “What if other Broadway classics were translated into Yiddish?” Their answer was a side-splitting medley of the Yiddish versions of The Book of Mormon, Chicago, Dreamgirls, Hamilton, Legally Blonde, South Pacific, West Side Story and Wicked, culminating with the show’s legendary director, Joel Grey, singing “Git op mayn grus tsu Brodvey” (“Give my regards to Broadway”) from George M!. The skit was written by cast members Ben Liebert and Adam B. Shapiro with Yiddish lyrics by Mikhl Yashinsky.
Records were shattered and inspiring, comical and soul-stirring performances were shared at the 33rd annual Easter Bonnet Competition, which raised $6,594,778 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, the highest amount ever for a Broadway Cares event.
The record-breaking number was raised by 69 Broadway, Off-Broadway and national touring productions and was announced Tuesday, April 23, 2019, by Bryan Cranston (Network), Jeff Daniels (To Kill a Mockingbird), Glenda Jackson (King Lear) and Kelli O’Hara (Kiss Me, Kate). The previous record was $6,379,572, set in 2017. Since the Easter Bonnet Competition began in 1987, the event has raised $87.5 million for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
Fiddler on the Roof - in Yiddish
Fundraising coordinators: Joanne Borts, Rachel Calter, Bruce Sabath, Kat West
Better in Yiddish
Written by Ben Liebert and Adam B. Shapiro, with Yiddish lyrics by Mikhl Yashinsky
Directed by Ben Liebert
Cool choreography recreated by Jonathan Quigley
Music Direction by Ben Kiley
Music by Nell Benjamin, Leonard Bernstein, Jerry Bock, George M. Cohan, John Kander, Henry Krieger, Robert Lopez, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Laurence O'Keefe, Trey Parker, Richard Rodgers, Stephen Schwartz, Matt Stone
All Yiddish translations by Mikhl Yashinsky
Original lyrics by Nell Benjamin, George M. Cohan, Fred Ebb, Tom Eyen, Oscar Hammerstein, Robert Lopez, Laurence O'Keefe, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Trey Parker, Stephen Schwartz, Stephen Sondheim, Matt Stone
Arrangements by Ben Liebert
Stage managers: Rachel Calter and Kat West
Musicians: Ben Kiley, piano and Lauren Jeanne Thomas, violin
Easter Bonnet created by Sarah Marie Dixey and Adam B. Shapiro
Costumes by Sarah Marie Dixey, Maggie Larkin, Tim Peters, Adam B. Shapiro
Performers: Joanne Borts, Kirk Geritano, John Giesige, Abby Goldfarb, Joel Grey, Samantha Hahn, Cameron Johnson, Ben Liebert, Moshe Lobel, Stephanie Lynne Mason, Evan Mayer, Rosie Jo Neddy, Raquel Nobile, Jonathan Quigley, Bruce Sabath, Kayleen Seidl, Drew Seigla, Stephen Skybell, Adam B. Shapiro, Jodi Snyder, James Monroe Števko, Lauren Jeanne Thomas, Mikhl Yashinsky, Rachel Zatcoff
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Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS awards grants to more than 450 AIDS and family service organizations in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Washington D.C. and is the largest single financial supporter of the social service programs of The Actors Fund, helping everyone in entertainment and the performing arts.
Broadway Cares hosts two six-week-long fundraising campaigns in theatres across the country every year, one leading up to the Easter Bonnet Competition in April and the other leading up to the Red Bucket Follies in December. Broadway Cares also produces annual fundraising events in New York City, including Broadway Backwards, Broadway Bares and the Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction.
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