Theater News

Wicked, Newsies, Frozen, and Idina Menzel Help Propel Broadway Flea Market Fundraising to Record-Breaking Total

Items dedicated to the likes of Barbra Streisand, Robin Williams, and Joan Rivers also helped the charity rake in the dough.

Tyne Daly hocks her wears at the Broadway Flea Market on September 21.
Tyne Daly hocks her wears at the Broadway Flea Market on September 21.
(© David Gordon)

The 28th Annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction shattered previous records to raise an all-time high of $713,986 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS on September 21. This year, the individual tables raised $369,616, while the live auction took in $263,850.

The tables belonging to Wicked, Newsies, and The Phantom of the Opera dominated the fundraising, taking in $21,869, $20,173, and $19,210 respectively. The top-selling item during the live auction was a handwritten musical phrase of "Let It Go," from the hit Disney film Frozen, signed by songwriters Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez and singer Idina Menzel, taking in $9,000. An opportunity to meet Menzel backstage at Broadway's If/Then brought in $8,000.

Barbra Streisand helped raise $4,300 for the charity, with an autographed copy of her new CD, Partners, taking in $1,300, while an autographed copy of the full score of her duet with Michael Bublé, "It Had to Be You," took in $3,000. Auction items honoring late performers Joan Rivers, Elaine Stritch, and Robin Williams raised $5,050.

Check out photos from the day here.