Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS has announced the performers and judges set to take part in the annual Red Bucket Follies. The previously announced event will take place on Dec. 4 at 4:30 p.m. and Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. at Broadway’s New Amsterdam Theatre. Seth Rudetsky will serve as host for the 13th time, while Jason Trubitt will direct.
The culmination of six weeks of post-performance fundraising, the annual Red Bucket Follies event encompasses original songs, skits and dances before a live audience. An award for best presentation will be given during the Dec. 5 performance. Additionally, honors will be bestowed to the top-fundraising Broadway, Off-Broadway and touring Broadway productions.
There will be guest appearances from Tony Award winner Roger Bart, Corbin Bleu, Sierra Boggess, two-time Tony nominee Alex Brightman, two-time Tony winner Victoria Clark, Tony nominee Justin Cooley, Tony nominee Lorna Courtney, Tony nominee Danny DeVito, two-time Tony nominee Jonathan Groff, Danny Kornfeld, Tony winner Leslie Odom Jr., Zal Owen, Tony nominee Patrick Page, two-time Tony nominee Kara Young and Chip Zien.
Joining the previously announced shows set to perform will be performers Maria Bilbao, Tony winner Danny Burstein, two-time Tony nominee Jessica Hecht, Tony winner Rachel Bay Jones, two-time Tony winner Andrea Martin, Tony winner Bonnie Milligan, Christine Pedi, Tony winner Marc Shaiman and Tony winner Lillias White. The Grammy Award-winning and Tony-honored choir Broadway Inspirational Voices will also appear.
Serving as judges will be Tony-winning producer Julie Boardman and two-time Tony-nominated performer Charlotte d’Amboise, with Corey Brunish, Casey Cott, Lucy DeVito, Melanie La Barrie, Kimberly Marable, Courtney Reed, Ben Jackson Walker, Gary Wendlandt and Peg Wendlandt.
The 2023 Red Bucket Follies will start off with Tony winner J. Harrison Ghee, Milligan and Jelani Remy in an opening number written by Jed Resnick and directed/choreographed by Andrew Turtletaub.
Also included in the presentation will be the Verdon Fosse Legacy, which will perform in honor of Dancers Responding to AIDS.
Additionally, Thayne Jasperson will direct and choreograph a song honoring the fundraising efforts of national tours.
Bernadette Schoenborn will serve as the event’s production stage manager, while Ted Arthur will take on music directing duties.
Created in 1989 with the name Gypsy of the Year, the 2023 Red Bucket Follies will be the first since the pandemic.
