Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig Raise Over $1.5 Million for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS

Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig, the stars of the recently closed A Steady Rain, raised a record-breaking $1,549,952 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, it was announced at the 21st annual Gypsy of the Year competition at the Palace Theatre on Tuesday, December 8. In total, $4,630,695 — also a new record — was raised for the organization over the past six weeks.

Other top fundraisers include the national tours of Rent, Wicked, and Jersey Boys, the Broadway productions of Phantom of the Opera, Billy Elliot, Hair, Wicked and Superior Donuts, and the Off-Broadway company of Avenue Q.

At the show, which was hosted by Julie White and Seth Rudetsky, the company of Chicago won the talent competition with a spoof of “A Boy Like That/I Have A Love” featuring countertenor Ryan Lowe, who plays Mary Sunshine. The company of West Side Story, which saluted the music of Michael and Janet Jackson, was first runner-up.

The show, which was also presented on December 7, opened with a number created by Melissa Mahon, Sean McKnight, and Seth Farber parodying FOX television’s hit show, So You Think You Can Dance, and featuring a special appearance by season five contestant Ryan Kasprzak, as well as actors Christopher Sieber and Mary Birdsong, and casting director Bernie Telsey.

The judges for the event included Ana Gasteyer, John Glover, Michael Cerveris, Montego Glover, Paul Libin, Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Jim Norton, and Marion Duckworth Smith. Bernadette Peters and Michael McKean were on hand as celebrity award presenters.