Broadway Cares' Red Bucket Follies, which has been on hiatus
since 2019 because of the pandemic shutdown and restrictions, returns December 4 at 4:30 PM and December 5 at 2 PM at Broadway's New
Amsterdam Theatre, currently the home of Disney's Aladdin.
The variety show, featuring songs, dances, and original skits created
and performed by ensemble members and special guests, marks the
official end of six weeks of Red Bucket fundraising that takes place
twice a year. Awards will be given December 5 to the best presentation
and for the top fundraising Broadway, Off-Broadway, and national touring
shows.
Seth Rudetsky hosts the return of Red Bucket Follies, which is directed by Jason Trubitt with Bernadette Schoenborn serving as production stage manager and Ted Arthur as music director.
Shows represented in Red Bucket Follies include Back to the Future, Forbidden Sondheim, Hadestown, Hamilton, Harmony, Here Lies Love, Here We Are, Kimberly Akimbo, The Lion King, Some Like it Hot, and Sweeney Todd, as well as the Grammy-winning choir Broadway Inspirational Voices.
Jed Resnick penned this year's opening number, which is directed and choreographed by Andrew Turtletaub and features J. Harrison Ghee (Some Like It Hot), Bonnie Milligan (Kimberly Akimbo), and Jelani Remy (Back to the Future: The Musical). The Follies will also include a number, directed and choreographed by Thayne Jasperson, honoring the national touring shows that participated in the fall fundraising.
Attendees can also expect performances by Maria Bilbao, Sierra Boggess, Danny Burstein, Jessica Hecht, Rachel Bay Jones, Andrea Martin, Christine Pedi, Marc Shaiman, and Lillias White. Representing Dancers Responding to AIDS, The Verdon Fosse Legacy will share “Mexican Shuffle” from Sweet Gwen Suite, a dance originally performed by Gwen Verdon for TV in the 1960s and later the inspiration for Beyoncé's "Single Ladies" music video.
Making guest appearances are Roger Bart (Back to the Future); Corbin Bleu (Little Shop of Horrors); Sierra Boggess, Danny Kornfeld, Zal Owen, and Chip Zien (Harmony); Alex Brightman (The Shark is Broken, Spamalot); Victoria Clark and Justin Cooley (Kimberly Akimbo); Lorna Courtney (& Juliet); Danny DeVito (I Need That); Jonathan Groff (Merrily We Roll Along); Leslie Odom Jr. and Kara Young (Purlie Victorious); and Patrick Page (All the Devils Are Here).
This year's judges (for the December 5 performance) include producer and Museum of
Broadway co-founder Julie Boardman; Casey Cott and Courtney Reed (Moulin Rouge! The Musical); Charlotte d'Amboise and Kimberly Marable (Chicago); Lucy DeVito (I Need That) and Melanie La Barrie and Ben Jackson Walker (& Juliet).
Also joining the panel are Corey Brunish, Gary Wendlandt, and Peg
Wendlandt, who won their judging spots by bidding on VIP packages at the
37th annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction in September.
Since 1989, the 31 editions of Red Bucket Follies (formerly called Gypsy of the Year) and last fall’s in-theatre fundraising effort have raised $91.4 million to benefit Broadway Cares.
Broadway Cares 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 Broadway
Cares has raised more than $300 million for essential
services for people with HIV/AIDS and other critical illnesses across
the United States.
Visit BroadwayCares.org.
