The Adopt-a-thon
The event has been held every July since 1999 in Shubert Alley, the heart of the Broadway Theater 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. 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.
Broadway Barks has grown over the years until, by Broadway Barks 10 held 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. 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. Many celebrity presenters attended, including Elizabeth Ashley, Michael Cerveris, David Hyde Pierce, Audra McDonald and Michael Urie.
Broadway Barks 12 was held on July 10, 2010, and included the animal adoption and welfare groups ASPCA, BARC, Humane Society of New York and the North Shore Animal League. Included among the celebrity participants were John Dossett, Alexander Hanson, Sean Hayes, Jackie Hoffman, Karen Olivo, Katie Finneran, Tony Goldwyn, Ruthie Henshall, Hunter Ryan Herdlicka, Beth Leavel, Judy McLane, Jan Maxwell, Tony Shalhoub and Richard Thomas. In honor of the event, the lights of the Empire State Building were lit in pink, purple and yellow.
Broadway Barks 13 was held on July 9, 2011. Performers from many of the Broadway shows presentered the adoptable animals: Nina Arianda and Michael McGrath (Born Yesterday); Heidi Blickenstaff, Jackie Hoffman, Bebe Neuwirth and Brad Oscar (The Addams Family); Steel Burkhardt, Matt DeAngelis, Josh Lamon, Paris Remillard and Kacie Sheik (Hair); Kerry Butler, Linda Hart and Aaron Tveit (Catch Me If You Can); Bobby Cannavale, Elizabeth Rodriguez and Yul Vázquez (The Motherf**ker With the Hat); Reeve Carney, T.V. Carpio, Jennifer Damiano, Isabel Keating and Patrick Page (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark), Victoria Clark and Patina Miller (Sister Act), Paige Davis (Boeing-Boeing), Sutton Foster, Adam Godley, Joel Grey and John McMartin (Anything Goes), John Benjamin Hickey (The Normal Heart), Nikki M. James, Rory O'Malley and Andrew Rannells (The Book of Mormon), Beth Leavel (Baby It's You), Judy McLane (Mamma Mia!), Will Swenson (Priscilla Queen of the Desert) and Bill Berloni, "trainer to Broadway’s four-legged stars and behavior consultant for the Humane Society of New York."
Broadway Barks 14 was held on July 14, 2012. In addition to the celebrity presentation of adoptable cats and dogs, Peters autographed a new Broadway Barks calendar. To acknowledge the event, Peters rang the NASDAQ closing bell on July 13, 2012.
There were some 27 animal shelters and adoption agencies that participated, including the ASPCA, Mid Atlantic Great Dane, and Urban Cat League. Broadway and television performers presented the adoptable animals, such as Nina Arianda, Joel Grey, Megan Hilty, Anjelica Huston, Steve Kazee, Audra McDonald, Bebe Neuwirth and Ben Vereen. Neuwirth jokingly remarked (in a newspaper article) "I’m the designated crazy cat lady." She has been at Broadway Barks every year to "help showcase the many cats available for adoption."
Read more about this topic: Broadway Barks