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.

Broadway Friday

Casting has been announced for Broadway Backwards 5, the fantastic annual Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS show in which performers sing songs written for the opposite sex. Appearing this year:

Nick Adams, Martine Allard, Gary Beach, Dan Butler, Tituss Burgess, Mario Cantone, Len Cariou, Raúl Esparza, Harvey Evans, Tony Goldwyn, Ann Haarda, Hunter Ryan Herdlicka, Aaron Lazar, Michele Lee, Julia Murney, Becki Newton, Anthony Nunziata, Will Nunziata, Tonya Pinkins, Lee Roy Reams, Lea Salonga, Douglas Sills, and Bruce Vilanch, as well as an ensemble of over 50 Broadway singers and dancers.

Broadway Backwards 5 takes place Monday, Feb.22nd at Lincoln Center. Florence Henderson will host. Get tickets here. My coverage of last year's show (with a photo slideshow) is here.

- Wilson Cruz will receive the 2010 Fusion Achievement Award next month at the Los Angeles LGBT People Of Color Film Festival.

- The revival of Boys In The Band begins previews tonight. Get tickets here. Turning!

- Florence Henderson's one woman show, All The Lives Of Me: A Musical Journey, runs tonight and tomorrow at Joe's Pub. Get tickets here.

- The Times Square live cam has gone HD.

- NYT theater critic Ben Brantley was mortified when his date's cell phone went off during a play he was reviewing. Her ringtone: "Your phone is RINGING. Your phone is RINGING."

- Mayor Bloomberg's experiment to turn half of Times Square into a pedestrian plaza will be made permanent. Broadway is now forever closed to vehicles between 42nd and 47th streets.

- A remake of 1978's Best Little Whorehouse In Texas is in the works. I guess we can't expect Dolly Parton to reprise.