This year, the annual Broadway Flea Market and Grand Auction in support of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS raised over $900,000 in the all day even that took place on September 30th in Midtown Manhattan.
I'm a fan of the flea market, and had my second trip this year. I've talked about why I support BC/EFA, which you can find here, but I also love the flea market because of the Broadway treasures you find.
This year, I came home with a cast signed Head Over Heels playbill, some older playbills from A Chorus Line, The Heiress, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Color Purple, and The Boy From Oz. I also stopped by the Anastasia table to pick up a baked good made by Max von Essen, and a signed photo of him as Gleb.
I also made a lovely discovery of a Pirates of Penzance poster from Joe Papp's production when it was in San Fransisco. As far as I can tell, it's signed by the entire cast, and I will especially treasure it as everyone in my house is a massive Gilbert and Sullivan fan.
Lastly, I stopped by the Lights of Broadway table, where they released a special preview pack, just for the flea market. It features The Prom, Moulin Rouge!, Lempicka, Dave, and Be More Chill. Christopher Sieber, who is one of the cast members of The Prom (which starts previews later this month at the Longacre Theatre, check the shows page for more information), was at the table signing cards, so I picked one up as well.
The flea market was once again a success for myself and for BC/EFA. Remember, if you're at the theater during collection season this fall, drop a few dollars into a red bucket. Everything makes a difference.