Peter James Zielinski Members of the cast of the Broadway play “Lombardi” auction off an autographed poster during a curtain call.Anyone can buy a T-shirt from the Broadway revival of the musical “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” emblazoned with the face of its star, Daniel Radcliffe. But it takes a truly determined and deep-pocketed theatergoer to go home with a piece of clothing soaked with Mr. Radcliffe’s sweat.
During the curtain call at recent performances, Mr. Radcliffe has auctioned off his costume bow tie, right from the stage, as part of an annual fundraising effort by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA), a New York-based nonprofit HIV/AIDS grant-making organization. Mr. Radcliffe’s small blue tie, which can be purchased for $20, has fetched up to $5,000, according to Tom Viola, the executive director of BC/EFA.
“He signs it, they auction it and it’s gone,” said Mr. Viola.
Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times The actor Tate Donovan with one of the rabbit figurines that is auctioned off at the end of the play “Good People.”The BC/EFA auctions are done twice a year in the six weeks leading up to two of the group’s major fundraising events: the Gypsy of the Year in the fall and the Easter Bonnet competition in the spring. (The organization also produces the annual striptease-themed Broadway Bares.) At both events, cast members from participating shows perform skits, dance routines and musical numbers as part of a competition judged by Broadway insiders. Productions that raise the most money during the weeks-long appeal are announced at the end of the show.
The items for sale go beyond autographed posters. Several shows now on Broadway are auctioning off props and one-of-a-kind experiences. Robin Williams, starring in “Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo,” and the cast of “Priscilla Queen of the Desert” are giving backstage tours; the cast of “That Championship Season” is selling a bottle of whiskey that’s passed around during the show; Harvey Fierstein is auctioning off a pair of sunglasses he wears in a beach scene in “La Cage aux Folles”; the cast of “Good People” is selling rabbit figurines that figure prominently in the play (two figures were recently sold for $2,500 apiece).
The higher-profile the celebrity, the more an item will sell for. During the run of “Equus,” Mr. Radcliffe auctioned off a pair of jeans he wore in the show for thousands of dollars.
“The most famous was when Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig auctioned their T-shirts from the stage,” during the run of “A Steady Rain,” said Mr. Viola. “They raised hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
Mr. Viola said BC/EFA, which was founded in 1988, has been auctioning posters, apparel and other souvenirs since the early 1990s. But in recent years, as celebrities have become more commonplace on Broadway, the sales have become a major source of income for BC/EFA. Mr. Viola said that last year the organization donated nearly $10 million to the Actors’ Fund and some 300 AIDS and family service groups; of that money, over $7 million was raised from audience appeals, which include donations accepted by cast members after a performance as well as onstage auctions. (Donations are accepted at shows on and off Broadway, as well as from touring companies across the country.)
Peter James Zielinski Charles Busch, in costume after a performance of “The Divine Sister,” collects donations for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.When celebrities interact with the public, it takes the watchful eyes of stage managers and security forces to ensure the transaction is done safely and smoothly.
“What looks simple from the stage is actually a coordinated effort between the cast, the unions, the stage managers, the producers and the theater owners,” said Mr. Viola. “Musicians have to sit in the pit while the appeal is going on. Sound people have to wait to remove the actors’ microphones. The stage manager has to coordinate who’s coming backstage. Volunteers have to make sure people actually pay for the items they buy.”
Mr. Viola said each show is responsible for determining what item to offer. Clothing tends to be popular, although the item needs to be cheap enough to replenish easily (T-shirts and neckties are fine; suits and hats are usually off-limits). Backstage tours and photo opportunities are also easy to make happen. Even audience members who can’t afford to pay thousands of dollars for a piece of clothing get something out of a good bidding war.
“Audiences love to hear from the actors on stage,” said Mr. Viola. “That’s what they want. It’s like an 1,800-person meet-and-greet for the entire house.”
The 25th annual Easter Bonnet competition will be held on April 25 and 26 at the Minskoff Theater. More information is at the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Web site.