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30th Annual Easter Bonnet Competition Raises Record-Breaking Funds for BC/EFA

The grand total was announced by Christian Borle, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Jennifer Hudson.

Bethany Rickwald

Bethany Rickwald

| Broadway |

April 26, 2016

The women of Hamilton at the 2015 Easter Bonnet Competition.
The women of Hamilton at the 2015 Easter Bonnet Competition.
(© Monica Simoes)

Current Broadway stars Christian Borle (Something Rotten!), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Fully Committed), and Jennifer Hudson (The Color Purple) came together on Monday to announce the total amount raised by the 30th annual Easter Bonnet Competition. In total, the event raised a record-breaking $5,528,568 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

This year’s Easter Bonnet Competition was presented April 25 and 26 at the Minskoff Theatre, home to Disney's The Lion King. The production featured 17 extravagant, handmade bonnets presented by some of Broadway’s most popular shows. The show also featured a surprise performance by rock legend Stevie Nicks and more than 230 actors, singers, and dancers.

The company of Hamilton took top presentation honors for transforming their opening number into a homage for Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd with Fun Home selected as runner-up for turning West Side Story's "Gee Officer Krumpkee!" into a plea to Miranda to write a show for them.

The award for bonnet design went to the company of An American in Paris for its two-sided bonnet of an exploding smartphone, created by Billy Hipkins, Veanne Cox, Christy Morton, Shannon Rugani, Kelly Saxon, Jeffrey C. Sousa, and Tory Trowbridge. Hamilton was also the recipient of this year’s top fundraising award, with $516,029.

The Easter Bonnet Competition is the culmination of six weeks of spring fundraising efforts for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS by company members of Broadway, off-Broadway, and national touring productions.

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