SLIDESHOW: Broadway Backwards 5

On Monday night, official JMG staff photographer Dr. Jeff and I attended Broadway Backwards 5, the annual gender-reversal fundraiser for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and the NYC LGBT Center in which songs are performed by the opposite sex for whom they were written. Over 50 Broadway singers, dancers and a galaxy of Tony winners and nominees blew away the sold out house at Lincoln Center in a show that by turns was moving, hilarious, and (as always) slightly raunchy. The show's host, Florence Henderson, was a nonstop delight. But it seems a shame that Broadway Backwards is only once a year, it's so incredibly well done that it could easily run as a mainstream Broadway show.

Dr. Jeff's fantastic work is in the below slideshow, which is in the order of the evening from performances to after party. (Except for the first photo of ensemble member Ward Billeisen, the furry cub singer/dancer who (surprise!) rather captivated Dr. Jeff and I every time he was on stage. Watch out for him, he's gonna be major.) I've captioned the numbers by title and the show from which it came. (Full screen photos are here.) Watch out for some hot TV mom-on-TV mom action! And TV mom-on-TV daughter muff-diving! SRSLY! At the after party, Dr. Jeff knew the caterers from bear nightlife, one of whom revealed that he'd missed Blowoff on Friday in order to stay home and decoupage the Broadway Backwards logo onto the serving trays. I love my people.