The organization Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA) was founded by Tom Viola, a 1976 CCM grad (he was in Cincinnati in early May to speak at CCM about fundraising for special causes). One of BC/EFA’s most successful annual events is Broadway Bares, a “variety show” that combines the naughtiness of vaudeville with the razzle-dazzle of Broadway, showing a lot of skin in the process. On Sunday, June 22 the 2008 show happened in New York City, Broadway Bares 18: Wonderland. Using an Alice in Wonderland theme, it broke all previous records, raising $874,372 (exceeding the 2007 take by more than $130,00).
Helping the cause was a more recent CCM product, Tyler Maynard, a musical theater major who graduated in 2000, a member of the original cast of Altar Boyz and more recently making a splash in The Little Mermaid. He paired with Jennifer Cody (Shrek The Musical and Urinetown) for a number inspired by the crusty duchess in the Lewis Carroll classic. The event encourages free-form interpretations, and that’s what Maynard and Cody offered: He played Joan Crawford and she was Christina to recreate several classic scenes from the scary film about bad parenting, Mommie Dearest.
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA) is the nation’s leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fund-raising and grant-making organization. By drawing upon the talents, resources and generosity of the theater community, BC/EFA raises funds for AIDS-related causes across the United States. Since Viola got things going back in 1988, BC/EFA has raised over $140 million for critically needed services for people with AIDS, HIV or HIV-related illnesses. More info: www.BroadwayCares.org.
— Rick Pender
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