Following a virtual edition in 2020 due to the pandemic, the annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction will once again take to the streets of New York City’s theatre district October 3. Theatre lovers will be able to participate both in person and online.
The in-person event will line Shubert Alley and West 44th and West 45th Streets between Broadway and Eighth Avenue. The silent auction will set up shop in Shubert Alley starting at 10 AM, while the live auction, starting at 5 PM, will be held in the Times Square pedestrian plaza between 45th and 46th Streets.
Fewer flea market tables will be featured this year to allow fans extra room. Among the initial shows that will be represented with merchandise at tables are Aladdin, Freestyle Love Supreme, Frozen, Hamilton, The Little Mermaid, and Mean Girls. Other groups returning with tables are ATPAM, Broadway Green Alliance, Broadway Makers Alliance, Casting Society of America, Dancers Over 40, DKC/O+M and The Fabulous Invalid, Jujamcyn Theaters, The Lights of Broadway, Manhattan Association of Cabarets, Michael Crawford International Fan Association, The PATH Fund/Rockers on Broadway, Bardo Arts (formerly Reel Time Video Production), R.Evolución Latina, Roundabout Theatre Company, Second Stage Theater, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, Stage Managers’ Association, The Shubert Organization/Telecharge, Sweet Hospitality Group, TDF’s Pik-a-Tkt, Theatre World Awards, and United Scenic Artists Local 829.
The fan favorite Autograph Table and Photo Booth moves online again this year with one-on-one video chats with Broadway favorites. The video chats, handled through the Looped app, will be available between 11 AM and 4 PM ET. Participating guests will be announced soon.
Special “Fleabay” bundles in Broadway Cares’ eBay store will also offer memorabilia for fans who can not attend in person. These bundles of Playbills, posters, and other theatre mystery packages will be available beginning September 27.
Silent auctions, hosted by Todd Buonopane and Jennifer Cody, will be held throughout the day. Every 30 minutes between 10 AM and 5 PM, new sets of memorabilia will be offered for in-person bids. Silent auction lots are now available online for pre-bidding by clicking here. Among the items up for auction:
- Funny Girl souvenir program signed by Barbra Streisand
- Typewriter used by Tom Hanks in Lucky Guy from Hanks’ personal collection
- Set of charcoal sketches drawn onstage by Jake Gyllenhaal during Sunday in the Park with George and signed by Gyllenhaal
- Musical phrases handwritten and signed by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, John Kander, Barry Manilow, Alan Menken, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, Jeanine Tesori and more
- 1992 Falsettos poster, signed by the original cast including Stephen Bogardus, Carolee Carmello, Michael Rupert, Barbara Walsh, and Chip Zien
- Boots worn by Keanu Reaves in a 1995 Canadian production of Hamlet , plus audio recordings of his opening-night performance
- Autograph books from the 1940s that include notes and signatures by Lucille Ball, Bing Crosby, Albert Einstein, Helen Keller, Eleanor Roosevelt, and more
“With so many of us cleaning out our closets and offices these last many months, the collection of unique theatrical keepsakes that will be on the tables and in our auctions is every theatre lover's dream,” Broadway Cares Executive Director Tom Viola said. “People have unearthed amazing items from Broadway’s recent and distant past. And, in turn, they’ve generously shared them with us. We are thrilled to continue seeing the love and support that this community has for each other be a part of the biggest day for Broadway fans.”
Every dollar donated in person and online will go toward helping those across the country affected by HIV/AIDS, COVID-19, and other critical illnesses receive healthy meals, lifesaving medication, emergency financial assistance, housing, counseling, and more. Last year’s virtual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction raised $316,282. Since 1987, the 34 editions of the beloved annual event have raised more than $15 million.
All Broadway Cares staff and volunteers working the Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction will be fully vaccinated and wearing masks. Everyone visiting the event is encouraged to wear a mask regardless of vaccination status. Proof of vaccination and face coverings will be required for the live auction. The in-person event also will follow all other CDC, state, and local COVID-19 safety protocols in effect at the time.
For more information BroadwayCares.org.
