The Easter Bonnet Competition (#BroadwayBonnets) was presented April 25 and 26, 2016 at the Minskoff Theatre, home to Disney’s The Lion King. The production featured 17 extravagant, handmade bonnets presented by some of Broadway?s most popular shows. Celebrating six weeks of fundraising by 58 Broadway, Off-Broadway and national touring companies, the Easter Bonnet Competition raised a record-shattering $5,528,568 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, the largest grand total from either an Easter Bonnet Competition or Gypsy of the Year fundraising campaign in Broadway Cares history.
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is one of the nation?s leading industry?based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant?making organizations. By drawing upon the talents, resources and generosity of the American theatre community, since 1988 BC/EFA has raised more than $285 million for essential services for people with AIDS and other critical illnesses across the United States.
Broadway Cares is the major supporter of the social service programs at The Actors Fund, including the HIV/AIDS Initiative, the Phyllis Newman Women?s Health Initiative and the Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic, and awards annual grants to more than 450 AIDS and family service organizations in all 50 states.
For this year’s 30th annual Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids Easter Bonnet Competition: A public service announcement to turn off your phones using ‘Turn It Off’ from “The Book Of Mormon”.?Our New York Broadway Tours friend Billy Hipkins WON the Easter Bonnet competition and gave a fantastic and fun breakdown of his process. Enjoy!!!
“The front side was a selfie of Max and Brandon who led the number, the back was a shattered cell phone screen. Worn by gorgeous Charlotte and backed up by an army of ushers who came down the aisles snatching phones which they then tap danced on.
So, how do you pull this off?…
Start with a hard hat and foam core and hot glue.#BroadwayBonnets?…
Build a turntable on a lazy susan and work out the foam core phone shapes. #BroadwayBonnets?…
Take a picture of your boys wearing the costumes they’ll have on when they take the onstage selfie and blow it up 28″ x 16″. #BroadwayBonnets ? withBrandon Uranowitz and Max von Essen.
Find a shattered screen shot and blow it up too.#BroadwayBonnets
Make a 1/4 scale model so you can work out where you’re heading. #BroadwayBonnets
Then surrender your apartment to the process and get busy. #BroadwayBonnets
Notice the trash heap starting under the table.#BroadwayBonnets ? with Brandon Uranowitz and?Max von Essen.?
Glue and glitter parts of the spider web leaving the rest to be rhinestoned to death by an army of stoners at the show. #BroadwayBonnets
Try to only glitter in the shower or over a drain. (WARNING: This will not keep glitter out of your bed.) #BroadwayBonnets
Cut, number, glitter, and stone the shattered panes.#BroadwayBonnets
Attach to plastic rods punched through the phone. Hold each one for 5 minutes while the hot glue hardens. Think about your life choices while doing this. #BroadwayBonnets
Getting there… #BroadwayBonnets
Start bordering in glitter contact paper. Lovely. But has sticky glitter an the back. (WARNING: It will definitely get in your bed.) #BroadwayBonnets
Work out the base. Add selfie sticks in and attempt to help poor, down for anything Charlotte keep it on her head. #BroadwayBonnets
(They will prove decorative but useless. Ah well, it’s for charity.) #BroadwayBonnets
Pick an absolutely stunning woman (with a personality to match) and turn her lose onstage.#BroadwayBonnets ? with Carlotta Chassimi.?
Even Max and Brandon can see how gorgeous she is! #BroadwayBonnets ? with Carlotta Chassimi.?
Revolve the bonnet on the button. Listen to the audience go nuts. #BroadwayBonnets
Very satisfying result. #BroadwayBonnets
Use lovely ushers! Aren’t they swell? (Including Dimitri Kleioris who isn’t on the Facebook). Phone props by Wyatt S. Manobla VII, lasers and selfie sticks by @Laura Feig. #BroadwayBonnets ? withJeffrey C. Sousa, Luke Hawkins and Shannon Rugani.
And there it is! Big finish! (All brilliantly choreographed by Sam Strasfeld and Victor J. Wisehart) #BroadwayBonnets ? with Gia Mongell,Max von Essen, Carlotta Chassimi, Brandon Uranowitz, Shannon Rugani and Garen Scribner.?
Or if you saw Monday’s show you would have seen me filling in for Brandon. And look at the grand total we as a community raised! #BroadwayBonnets ? with Max von Essen and Carlotta Chassimi.?
Yay Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids!#BroadwayBonnets ? with Carlotta Chassimi.?
