Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS has announced that Broadway star and entertainment legend Bette Midler will personally match donations to the Broadway Cares COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund up to $100,000.
If you would like to donate to that fund, please click here.
From the official press release, here's what happens with your donation:
Your donation supports those onstage, backstage and behind the scenes who are facing health and financial challenges, which intensify each day as theaters remain dark and television and film production are shut down during this pandemic. Those supported by the emergency assistance fund include stage managers, ushers, ticket takers, hair and makeup artists, dressers, box office personnel, performers and everyone in the industry who makes the magic of live theater possible.
Broadway Cares originally launched this fund back in March of 2020 and kicked off with $250,000. Thanks to some special fundraising by Lin-Manuel Miranda they were able to add another $52,000 to that fund with a special segment on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Another $73,000 was raised through a star-studded virtual reading ofLips Together, Teeth Aparton April 6, performed byJesse Tyler Ferguson,Ari Graynor,Celia Keenan-BolgerandZachary Quinto. The performance was in honor of playwrightTerrence McNally, who passed away due to complications from COVID-19. On April 19, a site-specific performance ofJonathan Tolins’Buyer & Cellar starring Michael Urieraised $209,262. On April 30, the upcoming Broadway musicalSing Street streamed a special video dubbed “Grounded – At Home with the Broadway Cast,” which raised $310,924. Just last Sunday on Mother's Day another $160,000 was raised with a Broadway Does Mother's Day, which saw stars celebrating with their others with skits and songs.
Photo: Getty