13th Edition of Broadway Bears Roars Into Town

It's going to be a very cuddly Valentine's Day for those attending "Broadway Bears VIII" today at the B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in the theater district. The annual event, which serves as a fundraiser for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA), features a myriad of teddy bears which have been fashioned and costumed to resemble characters from Broadway shows. Most of the bears that will be up for auction at the event represent current or recent Broadway shows, such as 9 to 5, 33 Variations, A Little Night Music, A Steady Rain, Billy Elliot, Exit the King, Hair, Liza's at the Palace, Rock of Ages, and Wishful Drinking. But there are also bears representing older Broadway shows, such as M. Butterfly and Victor/Victoria. Most bears are actually autographed by the original person who played their character, and many also feature autographs from other people involved with the show as well. Tickets for "Broadway Bears", which is hosted by John Bolton (Spamalot) and Sotheby's auctioneer Lorna Kelly (and featuring a musical performance by Felicia Finley), are $35 or $150 for VIP tickets. If you want to bid on a bear, though, prepare to fork over a lot more cash. Last year's top bear, a Spamalot bear signed by Clay Aiken, went for $16,000.