Monmouth University’s student-run theater club, MU Players, volunteered with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BCEFA) in New York City on Sept. 22 at their 38th Annual Flea Market and Grand Auction. The event raised $1,421,657, breaking last year’s record according to the BCEFA website.
BCEFA is an organization dedicated to helping those within the entertainment industry who are directly affected by HIV/AIDS. They also help people in the community struggling to find health care, meals, emergency assistance, and lifesaving medications. Their annual flea market features live auctions and silent auctions of Broadway memorabilia, artifacts, and autograph signings with Broadway talent.
This year, BCEFA had 64 Broadway shows and organizations running tables for the flea market. The tables included new Broadway hits as well as ones that have been running for years such as “Hadestown,” “Once Upon a Mattress,” “The Outsiders,” “Moulin Rouge! The Musical,” and “The Notebook.” Some of the top items being auctioned off were a pair of Converse sneakers Daniel Radcliffe wore and signed from “Merrily We Roll Along,” and a signed guitar by “Rent” cast members Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp.
MU Players president, Nora O’Rourke, arrived early in the morning with other members of the club to set up chairs, tables, and boxes of merchandise.
O’Rourke was tasked with alphabetizing Broadway Playbills, sifting through history so that possible buyers could find them easily. “Working alongside the talent of Broadway was exhilarating! People of all different Broadway backgrounds were there with us giving us insider information. Being behind the table working with these people was such a cool networking experience,” O’Rourke said.
Sheri Anderson, MFA, Director of Theatre Arts and faculty advisor to MU Players, has special ties to the event. Coming from Broadway herself, she knew the students would value this event and the experience of coming together in the city.
“As soon as I took over as the faculty advisor to MU Players, I immediately proposed Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS as our philanthropy because I think it’s a wonderful organization and wonderful connection for students to make,” Anderson said.
Along with volunteering directly for BCEFA, MU Players puts on “Cabaret for a Cause” in December where they raise money as well. Their well-established connection with the organization has opened the doors to the department and the club for getting involved with more volunteering events and rare experiences with BCEFA.
Kira Fisher, sophomore Musical Theatre and Music Industry major got to work at the Broadway Bares table, selling costumes from fundraiser shows put on by BCEFA throughout the years.“Besides just being starstruck, it’s so cool to get to talk to them and learn about their jobs and all the cool things they’ve gotten to do. It’s also really great to have an opportunity to try to get your name into that circle of people, especially while still in college,” Fisher said.
The auctions give fans the chance to have a piece of Broadway history while raising money to make the lives of performers significantly better. BCEFA teaches the community to look beyond themselves and personal stigma and work towards making the Broadway circle more successful. Fisher continued, “Not only does BCEFA do incredible things for those suffering from AIDS, but they also cover other life-threatening illnesses, as well as Covid, which is so important! This organization is vital for a lot of people in the industry who might be suffering from illnesses that prevent them from working because it provides them with financial relief in the times they need it the most.”
The event left the club with a sense of community and coming together in a way that supports everyone within the Broadway atmosphere. Not only do the big names of Broadway draw people to the event but the legacy of performing arts that has shaped the entertainment industry.
“To me, everyone in MU Players has a passion for theatre in some way, this event brings them to the heart of theatre,” O’Rourke concluded.
