Theater News

Bette Midler, Nick Kroll, John Mulaney, and More Set for Easter Bonnet Competition

The annual event is presented by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

| New York City |

April 21, 2017

Bette Midler will take part in this year's Easter Bonnet Competition.
Bette Midler will take part in this year's Easter Bonnet Competition.
(© David Gordon)

The lineup of judges and guests at this year's 31st Annual Easter Bonnet Competition has been announced. The event, presented by and benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, will take place April 24 and 25 at the Minskoff Theatre, home of The Lion KIng.

The show will feature appearances by Denée Benton and Lucas Steele (Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812); Barrett Doss and Andy Karl (Groundhog Day); Bongi Duma and Tshidi Manye (The Lion King); Gideon Glick and Sas Goldberg (Significant Other), and Rachel Bay Jones and Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen). Nick Kroll and John Mulaney will reprise their characters Gil Faizon and George St. Geegland from this fall’s Oh, Hello on Broadway, and the cast of The Play That Goes Wrong.

At Tuesday’s performance, Gavin Creel, Bette Midler, and David Hyde Pierce (Hello, Dolly!) will present the awards for best presentation and best bonnet design and to the top fundraisers from the preceding six weeks. Christine Ebersole and Patti LuPone (War Paint) will introduce the competition’s judges. The Lion King's L. Steven Taylor will perform Easter Bonnet Competition’s anthem, "Help Is on the Way."

This year's judges are music director Kristen Blodgette (Sunset Boulevard); Jon Jon Briones and Eva Noblezada (Miss Saigon), Kate Burton and Kristine Nielsen (Present Laughter), Ed Dixon (Georgie: My Adventures With George Rose), and costume designer Catherine Zuber (Oslo, War Paint). Also joining the panel are Lee Perlman and Peg Wendlandt, who won their judging spots by bidding on exclusive VIP packages at the 30th Annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction in September.

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