Time Flies…

An accidental teddy collection led to a Broadway institution: the costumed, wigged, made-up, shoe-wearing, occasionally liposuctioned, glamorous, autographed, and utterly original Broadway Bears.

By Joel H. Cohen

They were supposed to be a one-night stand. But a decade later, after raising more than a million dollars, the Broadway Bears have become a teddy tradition. And so, on February 11, 2007, for the tenth straight year, 40 Broadway Bears will be auctioned to help battle AIDS and other diseases.

The 20-inch teddies begin life as “bare” bears donated by the North American Bear Company. Then Broadway wardrobe departments, shops that build show costumes, individual theater enthusiasts, and teddy bear and doll designers dress them in costumes based on those worn by the lead performers in New York stage productions. Many of the bears are signed by the stars they represent or by other major figures associated with that show. The bears are sold at an annual auction to raise money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, the nation’s largest industry-based grant-making and fundraising AIDS services organization, which serves other causes as well.

The first bear was a “Hello, Dolly!” teddy signed by its star, Carol Channing, who had the lips changed three times. While bidders — theater enthusiasts and teddy bear collectors — may emphasize likenesses and autographs, Scott T. Stevens, a producer at Broadway Cares who created and spearheads the Broadway Bears events, says, “It’s not about the face, or liposuction, but about bears in Broadway costume re-creations. The costume designers are the key to this event.” It’s appropriate, then, that the 2007 auction will feature a bear by Martin Izquierdo Studio that depicts a design-shop worker outfitting a Broadway Bear, complete with an apron, tape measure, and even a fallen feather on his shoe.

Scott, who wants costumes to be “the best representation they can be,” cites Terry Sipress, who, then unknown to him, early on offered to do a bear. Terry, whose son Matthew was in a Broadway show, has costumed one or two bears every year since, and her “remarkable” teddies have raised almost $50,000.

Terry has done bears based on “Follies” (signed by Hal Prince and Stephen Sondheim), “Funny Girl” (signed by Barbra Streisand), “The Producers” (signed by Gary Beach), and, for the 2007 auction, “Sweeney Todd” (signed by Patti LuPone). Like other designers, she’s intent on getting costume details precisely correct. To duplicate flower girl Eliza Doolittle’s chenille distressed skirt on the “My Fair Lady” bear, Terry bought an antique chenille bedspread at a flea market, dyed it to the proper color, and cut the skirt out of it; she also hand-embroidered Eliza’s shawl.

While some bear costume designers won’t do everything — say, shoes, but not wigs — Richard St. Clair does it all. The wardrobe costume designer for the Opera Company of Philadelphia, Richard has also worked in the doll industry. He has costumed Broadway bears based on “Nicholas Nickelby” and “Les Miserable” characters, among others.

Some Broadway Bears come with interesting accompaniments, such as a walker for the little old lady from “The Producers” (by Brionna McMahon), an umbrella for “Mary Poppins,” and the dog Sandy from “Annie” (both by Susan Bolt).
For the past three years, dolls have also been represented at the auction. Among them were Bebe Neuwirth’s character in “Chicago” and Glenn Close’s in “Sunset Boulevard.” (Glenn’s was also portrayed as a bear.) For 2007, Robert Tonner is donating a 10th-anniversary doll.

The Broadway Bears idea originated with Scott Stevens who, as an actor on tour in “Cabaret,” was given a North American Bear Co. William Shakesbear teddy, and, later, Lauren Bearcall and Humphrey Beargart. Because people mistakenly thought he collected teddies, the “non-collection” grew to 80. Very few were Broadway-themed and he didn’t keep them, but the idea of having bears dressed in Broadway originals took root.

Scott worked for awhile at the late Barbara Matera’s costume shop and, for her 70th birthday, suggested the shop outfit a teddy bear in a miniature copy of a dress designed by the late Irene Sharaff for Barbara to wear to the Clinton inauguration ball. Designers who saw that teddy thought the idea “wonderful.”
“And, without even meaning to,” Scott recalls, “I’d married the

Broadway costume designers to my idea of the Broadway Bears.” He brought the idea to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, whose work he admired as an actor and volunteer, and Broadway Cares cautiously agreed to a one-time trial. Scott asked North American Bear’s president, Barbara Isenberg, to donate the bears, and the project was off and running.

Each annual auction has made at least $100,000. The first year’s event, held in an old theater, netted $124,000. One auction raised $169,000, including a $50,000 corporate gift. With opening bids set at $500, the most raised from a single Broadway bear was $23,000; the teddy was signed by Meryl Streep and represented her “Happy End” character.

That said, another teddy actually raised more money; however, it wasn’t a “Broadway” bear, per se. It was instead a Fireman Bear, outfitted as a tribute to firefighters who had lost their lives on 9/11. The firehouse located in the theater district, whose slogan is “never a performance missed,” had lost many firefighters in the disaster. At the 2002 auction, Heather McCrea had just sung “Goodnight, New York” when about 25 firemen in fire-fighting regalia stepped out on stage. As they held the bear, signed by the firefighters, the mayor, and fire commissioner, the audience screamed and cheered, giving them a 10-minute standing ovation. “It was really spectacular, like nothing I’ve ever experienced,” Scott recalls. “The bidding just flew, and it went for $30,000.”

More often, the auction brings laughs, as when Richard Simmons hosted the event. He dropped his pants onstage, paraded in undershorts, and charged people to have their picture taken with him, with proceeds to the charity.

For the past four years, Bryan Batt, who starred in “La Cage aux Folles,” has hosted the auction. The program opens with a musical parody about buying Broadway bears and incorporating their names, which has been performed by such Broadway stars as Richard Kind and Alan Ruck of “The Producers,” along with Bryan. Michael Lavine is the musical director, and Lorna Kelly, formerly of Sotheby’s, is the auctioneer. A sell-out audience of 350 usually attends the event, which is held at the B.B. King Blues Club and Grill in the Times Square area. Playbill donates the auction book, in the form of a Playbill magazine.

Some of the stars represented by the costumed teddies have attended individual auctions, among them Dame Edna, Sandy Duncan, and Bebe Neuwirth. Tovah Feldshuh previewed her “Golda’s Balcony” Golda Meier bear a year before it was auctioned, and Broadway/TV actress Delta Burke, a former Miss America contestant who can’t resist a tiara, not only attended but bought a tiara-wearing Queen Elizabeth bear.

Stars who have autographed bears include Barbra Streisand, Richard Kiley, Shirley MacLaine, Elton John, John Gielgud, Elizabeth Taylor, Katharine Hepburn, Marcel Marceau, and Whoopee Goldberg. During the auction, enlarged photos are projected of celebrities holding the bear they’ve signed (often in the same costume).

Bears have also been signed by a show’s composer (Stephen Sondheim), choreographer (Jerome Robbins for “Fiddler on the Roof” and “King and I”), co-star (Barbara Cook signed Robert Preston’s “Music Man” character), and producer (Oprah Winfrey, who produced Broadway’s “The Color Purple.” Oprah signed the bear that happened to be the character — Sophia — she’d played in the movie).

Scott, who is “very proud” of the decade-long venture, says he’s “astonished at how giving this entertainment community is.” Many of the costume designers attend the auctions, and the stars enjoy having at least their costumes replicated on bears. Gary Beach, the Tony-winning star of “The Producers,” commented, “It’s almost as exciting as having your picture up at Sardi’s.” TB

Collectors are welcome to attend the Broadway Bears auction! Contact Scott Stevens for ticket information (General admission is $35; VIP admission, including priority seating and a private preview with the bear designers, is $150). Can’t make it to New York? Bids are accepted before the auction and over the phone during the event.



Mrs. Lovett, from “Sweeney Todd.”


Bustopher Jones, from “Cats.”

Miss Dole Pineapple, from “My One and Only,” 2007.


Mary Poppins, from “Mary Poppins,” 2007.


Julie Andrews with Guenevere from “Camelot,” 2005.


Dame Edna Everage with her bear, 2005.

Barbra Streisand with “Funny Girl,” 2006.



Minnie Fay, from “Hello Dolly,” 2007.


“The King and I,” 2007


Carol Channing with “Hello Dolly,” the first Broadway Bear, in 1997.


Rosemary Harris with Eleanor Of Aquitaine from “The Lion In Winter,” 2001.


Meryl Streep with Lt. Lillian Holiday from “Happy End,” 2004.



Antonio Banderas with Guido Contini from “Nine,” 2004.