Every June, some of Broadway's best dancers take the stage for one of the most talked-about nights in the theatre calendar: Broadway Bares. It's flashy, funny, and unapologetically cheeky, and it raises serious money for a serious cause.
Broadway Bares is an annual burlesque benefit performance produced by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Each year's show is built around a theme, with original numbers performed by dancers from Broadway shows, national tours, and the wider New York dance community. It's intended for adult audiences.
Broadway Bares was created in 1992 by Jerry Mitchell, then a Broadway dancer and later a Tony-winning choreographer and director. The first show was a small event with a handful of dancers, organized to raise money for people living with HIV/AIDS at the height of the epidemic. It grew into one of Broadway Cares' signature fundraisers.
Funds raised by Broadway Bares go to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, which distributes them as grants. That includes support for the Entertainment Community Fund's safety net for entertainment workers and grants to AIDS service organizations and other groups across the country. Over the years, the event has raised millions of dollars. Here's how Broadway Cares and the Entertainment Community Fund work together.
Broadway Bares takes place in June, which is also Pride Month and the height of Tony season. It's a celebration of the dancers who make Broadway move, and of the LGBTQ+ community that has been central to Broadway's history and to the fight against AIDS.
Broadway Bares is a reminder that Broadway's giving tradition is creative, joyful, and community-built. Broadway for Democracy brings that energy to civic participation, helping fans and theatre workers register and vote. We're nonpartisan. See how the field fits together in our guide to Broadway nonprofits.
Jerry Mitchell, in 1992.
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, which distributes the money as grants.
It's held each year in June.
No. It's a burlesque show intended for adults.
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