Okay let me see how many people's questions I can answer...
Billy Elliot just opened and anything that is still in previews during the BCEFA period (even if the show opens during the BCEFA period), they will not participate. Yes, I know it's disappointing! Shrek will follow this as well.
I haven't been passed the St. James to find out about Gypsy, but if I get over there and see anything I'll let you guys know.
Here's the deal with Seagull. They are selling signed playbills for $20 at the moment. The price was raised about a week or two ago but now they are back down to $20. The show's producers decided not to print posters since it's a limited run. That puzzled me as in general most limited runs print posters anyway. However, they did a custom print order to do about 50-100 posters just for BCEFA. So they last, they are only selling about 3-5 a night because last week they only had 10 available and all 10 sold and it took a few days for a few more to get printed up. They were going for $150, but as I thought, that price was unreasonable and too high (like the insane $250 for Equus), and the price has been lowered to $100. It's a very nice poster.
All My Sons started last week on Tuesday with signed posters. When I was there, the posters that I bought had the special opening night seal on them.
13 will start selling them the week of Thanksgiving...at least that's what I was told buy the ushers last week.
Now I've got a question (and it's pretty much directed to SillySara), were there signed playbills over at Hairspray? And has Harvey gotten around to signing the new things for BCEFA? I'm seeing it on Friday and don't want to buy a bunch of stuff that's not signed by Harvey and have to make him sign 4 or 5 items at the stage door.
I ended up buying the set of signed character postcards at The Little Mermaid. You could buy them individually ($20 each): of Ariel (Sierra), Ursela (Sherri Rene) and Eric (Sean). I thought that was nice. Updated On: 11/19/08 at 04:10 PM
Musicman, not sure about signed Playbills. I am also assuming that Harvey has signed everything. They said "the entire cast" and he is certainly part of the cast, so I would say that yes, he has signed what they are selling. But the best way to make sure would be to ask the cast members that are selling everything at the merch tables.
A friend of mine was at Gypsy this past weekend and said that there were no speeches, nobody collecting in buckets, and nothing she could see for BCEFA sale.
Experience live theater. Experience paintings. Experience books. Live, look and listen like artists! ~ imaginethis
LIVE THAT LESSON!!!!!!
What is up with all these shows not participating?
"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
At the Equus matinee this past Saturday, Daniel Radcliffe came back to the stage after curtain call wearing an Equus t-shirt, in which he teasingly wiped his chest and underarms with while it was being auctioned. Winning bid was $900 and the shirt was personally signed by him after she won.
Over at Hairspray that evening, two men got into a bidding war with Harvey Fierstein for a chance to obtain a small piece of Edna's wardrobe and a trip backstage for a personal meet and greet with Harvey, complete with a poloroid photo memory.
The bid topped at $1600, but Harvey accepted $1500 from both men and invited them both backstage...
A friend of mine was at Gypsy this past weekend and said that there were no speeches, nobody collecting in buckets, and nothing she could see for BCEFA sale.
Patti has been vocal about her dislike for BC/EFA fundraising. I guess she has enough power with Gypsy to stop their participation completely.
Like a firework unexploded
Wanting life but never
knowing how
"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
"All My Sons" has several items for sale--including autographed copies of a caricature John Lithgow did of the cast for Opening Night. It's really neat. The four principles signed it. And they had the buckets at the doors both times I attended.
On top of that, last Saturday night (11/15), you could go backstage and get your photo taken with Patrick Wilson for $20. (YES, we did go back--and we chatted up a storm with him afterwards. VERY gracious man.)
Where are we going, and why am I in this handbasket?
I believe that Patti feels it's unfair and ridiculous to stand in front of an audience who just paid over $100 (sometimes upwards of $200) and ask them for more money. I understand where she's coming from, but I still think it'd be nice if the show was participating some other way in fundraising.
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain.
-Kad
IIRC, Gypsy had some interesting items up for silent auction at their Flea Market table. If Patti doesn't want to ask the audience for money, maybe Gypsy could do some online auctions.
When the BCEFA fundraising is going on, I feel more connected to the actors and Broadway community. Contributing to something that matters so much to them makes me kinda feel like I'm thanking them in a more tangible way than applause and that feels good.
Gypsy had some really awesome stuff at the Flea Market: I bought a signed prop marriage certificate and I saw that they sold autographed pie plates and autographed copies of June's letter. plus they had silent auctions, including the shoes Patti wore for the Tony performance, autographed by her. (I was told by the guy manning their table that any big gay in my life would love to have those)
I think it'd be nice if they did an online auction, too, Amalia. I can't imagine any actors have ill feelings towards where the money actually goes.
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain.
-Kad
Legally blonde tour was selling Elle's resume and a piece of the thing she jumps through during what you want (when i went it was big chuck of the dogs face and she signed it).