If I'd been in New York the beginning of December, I would have absolutely gone to the Gypsy of the Year show, an annual event staged on behalf of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. All year long, BC/EFA holds wonderful events to raise cash for its most worthy cause but the best one is probably the Gypsy show, which runs only two performances — matinees on days when no regular shows have matinees. The timing is because that's when a regular Broadway theater is available to them and also because most of the performers and much of the audience is working in shows those evenings.
More or less all the Broadway shows (and a few off-Broadway) contribute something — a sketch, a musical number, a performance of some sort. Some shows parody others. Some parody themselves. Many of the dance productions are particularly amazing…Broadway dancers showing off for each other but in a good way. Many celebrities attend but the "stars" are the gypsies — the dancers and chorus folks who usually don't get enough of the spotlight.
I was sorry I missed this year's. Here's a quick peek at some of what I didn't get to see. My friend Christine Pedi is in there performing and I'm sure she was only one of many treasures…