Mary Tyler Moore and Bernadette Peters will host the eleventh annual BROADWAY BARKS!, a star-studded dog and cat adopt-a-thon benefiting New York City animal shelters and adoption agencies.
The event, produced by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and sponsored by the ASPCA and PEDIGREE with additional sponsorship by the New York Times will take place on Saturday, July 11 in Shubert Alley (located between 44th and 45th Streets, between Broadway and Eighth Avenue). The festivities begin at 3:30 p.m.; celebrity presentations of pets from citywide animal shelters will take place between 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Moore and Peters will be joined by such luminaries of stage and screen as Ashanti (The Wiz), Jayne Atkinson (Blithe Spirit), Stephanie J. Block (9 to 5), Tovah Feldshuh (Irena’s Vow), Ernie Hudson (Joe Turner’s Come and Gone), Audra McDonald (Twelfth Night), Becki Newton (Ugly Betty), and Will Swenson (Hair).
They will join the previously announced Elizabeth Ashley (August: Osage County), Matt Cavanaugh (West Side Story), Michael Cerveris, Gavin Creel (Hair), Hope Davis (God of Carnage), Christine Ebersole (Blithe Spirit), Rupert Everett (Blithe Spirit), Sutton Foster (Shrek), John Glover (Waiting for Godot), Lauren Graham (Guys and Dolls), Kate Jennings Grant (Guys and Dolls), Haydn Gwynne (Billy Elliot), Allison Janney (9 to 5), Gregory Jbara (Billy Elliot), Andy Karl (9 to 5), Marc Kudisch (9 to 5), Angela Lansbury (Blithe Spirit), Michael Mastro (West Side Story), Judy McLane (Mamma Mia!), Constantine Maroulis (Rock of Ages), Karen Olivo (West Side Story), David Hyde Pierce (Accent on Youth), Alice Ripley (Next to Normal), Bryce Ryness (Hair), Christopher Siebert (Shrek), J. Robert Spencer (Next to Normal), John Tartaglia (Shrek), Harriet Walter (Mary Stuart), Chandler Williams (Mary Stuart) and famed Broadway animal trainer, Bill Berloni with his pal, Nigel (Toto in The Wiz at Encores!) will be presenting the animals for adoption.
BROADWAY BARKS 11 will again help many of New York City’s shelter animals find permanent homes by informing New Yorkers about the plight of the thousands of “homeless” dogs and cats in the metropolitan area. Last year’s BROADWAY BARKS! attracted an audience of more than 7,000 theater fans, pet owners, and animal lovers, and featured the participation of 26 animal shelters from the New York City area, as well as Broadway stars from the hit shows of the season.
BROADWAY BARKS 11 will feature a sampling of potential pets from several New York City animal shelters and adoption agencies, including A Cause for Paws, Adopt A Boxer Rescue, Animal Haven, Anjellicle Cats Rescue, ASPCA, AC&C, BARC, Bide-A-Wee, Bobbi & the Strays, City Critters, Humane Society of New York, Husky House, Kitty Kind, Long Island Greyhound Rescue, Loving Touch, Metropolitan Maltese Rescue, Mid Atlantic Great Dane Rescue, NYC Siamese Rescue, Pet-I-Care, PLUTO, Russell Refuge, Staten Island Council for Animal Welfare, Stray from the Heart, Tigger Foundation, Arf, and Save Kitty. Representatives from these organizations will be on hand to offer educational information on spaying and neutering.
BROADWAY BARKS 11 will also feature an auction of celebrity-autographed memorabilia. Proceeds from the auction and other donations received during the day will benefit the shelters and organizations attending BROADWAY BARKS 11.
For more information about BROADWAY BARKS 11, call (212) 840-0770, extension 477, or visit www.BroadwayBarks.com