Jerry Mitchell On How Stripping For 'Broadway Bares' Is Saving Lives
“Obviously sex sells,” he says. “When you’re doing a fundraising event, they have a tendency to die out after about 10 years even with the best intentions. With Broadway Bares, there was something about the [theater] community coming together in a way they hadn’t been able to. It allowed different members from different casts to work together in a way they don’t get to work together in other events. Plus, they got to do some sexy dancing they don’t get to do in their own Broadway shows. They get to use their body, they get to use their talent to make a difference, which is what I did myself in the very first one. I used what I had to do what I could, and it’s continued to snowball into this event.”
As an added bones, Broadway Bares will also be launching its annual “Strip-a-Thon,” an online pledge driven by individual dancers to raise money from their own networks and fans — all of which goes back to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
This year, the Strip-a-Thon will run all the way until Labor Day so all the dancers who usually do their fundraising leading up to Bares will have more time to reach out and ask for donations.