Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS’ red-bucket spring 2025 fundraiser brought in a record-breaking $6,849,510. Donations were collected in the lobbies of 57 Broadway, Off-Broadway and national touring productions.
Landing at the top of the spring fundraising competition were Broadway’s “Sunset Boulevard” and “Good Night, and Good Luck,” each of which raised more than $300,000.
The $6,849,510 total is the highest in Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS’ 37-year history, eclipsing the previous record of $6,594,778 set in 2019.
“I was bowled over by the impassioned and often deeply personal appeals from the stage,” Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS executive director Danny Whitman said in a statement. “This heartfelt and inspiring energy prompted extraordinary generosity from audiences to help at a time when so many are facing their darkest days. As many of the organizations we support face unimaginable challenges caused by uncertain funding, it’s reassuring to know that Broadway Cares supporters once again stand strong in providing compassionate hope and help for millions across the country.”
The donations go to funding Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS’ national grants program, which helps ensure meals, medication and health care for people in need across all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, as well as providing a safety net of services for those in entertainment and the performing arts.
The top fundraisers in the spring fundraising competition, which ran from March 14 through April 27, 2025, were:
Broadway Musical
top fundraiser — “Sunset Boulevard” ($329,923)
1st runner-up — “Maybe Happy Ending” ($269,423)
2nd runner-up — “Hell’s Kitchen” ($251,107)
3rd runner-up — “The Outsiders” ($248,393)
Broadway Play
top fundraiser — “Good Night, and Good Luck” ($324,794)
1st runner-up — “Glengarry Glen Ross” ($238,343)
2nd runner-up — “Oh, Mary!” ($208,202)
Off-Broadway
top fundraiser — “Little Shop of Horrors” ($113,982)
1st runner-up — “Drag: the Musical” ($101,239)
2nd runner-up — “Titanique” ($33,810)
3rd runner-up — “The Play That Goes Wrong” ($27,561)
National Tours
top fundraiser — “Wicked” — Munchkinland company ($221,717)
1st runner-up — “A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical” ($212,659)
2nd runner-up — “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” ($196,341)
3rd runner-up — “Hamilton” — Philip company ($170,201)
4th runner-up — “Life of Pi” ($165,276)
Also newly shared by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is that its annual spring Easter Bonnet Competition has been retired, with fundraising efforts of all shows now to be celebrated at its end-of-year Red Bucket Follies event.
In the springtime, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS now has an event called Broadway Dream Roles (which was held on April 28), separate from events tied to fundraising. Beginning next year, all fundraising totals will be announced as part of the Red Bucket Follies.
Since its spring fundraising efforts began in 1988, $107 million has been raised for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, which is one of the nation’s leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations.
