Broadway Barks is an annual animal charity event held in New York City to promote the adoption of shelter animals. The event has been held every July in Shubert Alley, starting in 1999.
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The event was founded in 1999 by Bernadette Peters with her friend Mary Tyler Moore and others, who wanted to do "something for the animals" after a successful fund–raising campaign for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.[1][2] Performers, many appearing in Broadway shows, and other celebrities present cats and dogs from New York City and vicinity animal shelters for adoption.
The event has been held every July since 1999 in Shubert Alley, the heart of the Broadway theatre district. The first adopt–a–thon was held on July 24, 1999, and benefitted five animal welfare shelters and groups: the ASPCA, Center for Animal Care & Control (CACC), Bide-a-Wee, Humane Society and North Shore Animal League. Celebrities such as Tom Wopat, Joel Grey, Andrea McArdle, and Edie Falco participated.[3] During the July 2007 event, more than 100 pets were adopted, and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg issued a proclamation making July 14, 2007 "Broadway Barks Day" in New York City.[4][5]
Broadway Barks has grown over the years until, on July 12, 2008, it benefitted some 25 animal adoption and welfare groups, with presenters such as Glenn Close, Phyllis Newman, Mario Lopez, and Nathan Lane introducing the adoptable animals.[6]
"Broadway Barks 11" was held on July 11, 2009, with the participation of and to benefit 26 animal adoption and welfare groups, including the ASPCA, BARC, and Long Island Greyhound Rescue. Celebrity presenters included: Elizabeth Ashley, Bill Berloni, Stephanie J. Block, Matt Cavanaugh, Michael Cerveris, Gavin Creel, Hope Davis, Christine Ebersole, Rupert Everett, Sutton Foster, John Glover, Haydn Gwynne, Marcia Gay Harden, Allison Janney, Gregory Jbara, Carol Kane, Andy Karl, Marc Kudisch, Angela Lansbury, Michael Mastro, Judy McLane, Audra McDonald, Constantine Maroulis, Michael O'Keefe, Karen Olivo, David Hyde Pierce, Alice Ripley, Bryce Ryness, Loretta Ables Sayre, Christopher Sieber, J. Robert Spencer, Will Swenson, John Tartaglia, and Michael Urie.[7][8][9]
Broadway Barks 12 was held on July 10, 2010 in Shubert Alley. Included among the celebrity participants were George Akram, Fred Applegate, Brooks Ashmankas, Corbin Bleu, Veanne Cox, Erin Davie, Robin De Jesús, John Dossett, Gina Ferrell, Alexander Hanson, Sean Hayes, Jackie Hoffman, Karl Kenzler, Chad Kimball, Leigh Ann Larkin, Karen Olivo, Loretta Ables Sayre, Brooke Adams, Kevin Chamberlin, Katie Finneran, Tony Goldwyn, Ruthie Henshall, Hunter Ryan Herdlicka, Beth Leavel, Judy McLane, Michael Mastro, Jan Maxwell, Tony Shalhoub and Richard Thomas. Among the animal adoption and welfare groups that participated were the ASPCA, BARC, Humane Society of New York and the North Shore Animal League.[10][11][12] In honor of the event, the lights of the Empire State Building were lit in pink, purple and yellow.[13][14]
Broadway Barks 13 was held on July 9, 2011 in Shubert Alley.[15][16]
Peters held a one-time-only concert, "A Special Concert for Broadway Barks Because Broadway Cares", at the Minskoff Theatre, New York City, on November 9, 2009 as a benefit for both Broadway Barks and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids. The concert raised an estimated $615,000 for the two charities.[17][18][19]
To promote the charity, Peters wrote a children's picture book, Broadway Barks, with mixed-media collage illustrations by Liz Murphy.[20] The book was released in 2008 by Blue Apple Books and is designed for ages four through eight. It reached #5 on the New York Times Children's Best Sellers: Picture Books list for the week of June 8, 2008.[21]
It tells the story of Douglas, an abandoned dog, as he follows a "pretty lady" (whose looks are similar to Peters) to a Broadway Barks pet adoption event in Shubert Alley in New York City. He takes his turn singing, but people laugh at him, hearing only barking. A girl named Isabelle understands that he is performing and adopts him, renaming him "Kramer."[22]
The book is accompanied by a CD, which has the story and a lullaby being read and sung by Peters herself. The lullaby, "Kramer's Song", has music and lyrics written by Peters.[23] Additionally, Kramer has a plush toy dog named after him; proceeds from sales of the toy go to the Broadway Barks charity.[24]
Peters has a mixed-breed dog named Kramer who was adopted from a shelter and a goddaughter named Isabelle, who were the inspirations for the characters in the book.[23]
Peters has written a second children's book named after her other dog, Stella, titled Stella is a Star, with illustrations again by Liz Murphy and including a CD with an original song, "Stella's Song," written and performed by Peters. Stella is a pit bull who would rather be a pig ballerina, but learns to accept herself. It was released in April 2010 by Blue Apple Books, with proceeds going to the Broadway Barks charity.[25][26] The CD also contains Peters' narration of the book.[27] Peters introduced the book with a reading (and also singing the song for Stella) at the L.A. Times Festival of Books, Los Angeles, California, on April 24, 2010.[28] She also participated in New York City's Learning Leaders Great School Volunteer Week by reading the book to pupils at a local New York City school in May 2010.[29]