A 'Backstage Pass' with sass and ass

For going on two decades, one of New York's hottest tickets has been Broadway Bares, a raucous and often raunchy cabaret that raises money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The town's top talent, from the humblest of chorus boys and girls to above-the-title names like Alan Cumming, Bebe Neuwirth, Andrea Martin and David Hyde-Pierce, come together to raise awareness about HIV, and to raise money for people in the entertainment industry living with HIV.

Because Broadway Bares is a magical night that only comes once a year, most of us have never had the chance to experience it first hand. But now we can enjoy the next best thing in the gorgeous book Backstage Pass, which collects some eye-popping photos from the show's 18-year history. Loaded with humor and sex appeal, the beautiful imagery includes stunning publicity photos that show off the show's creative costumes, as well as photos from the shows and some intimate backstage shots that are better than a front row seat.

"Dancers are born to strip," says Jerry Mitchell, the show's creator and director, of the sex appeal that has made Broadway Bares such a success. In fact, Mitchell was dancing in the chorus of The Will Rogers Follies wearing nothing but a loincloth when he first had the idea of gathering his Broadway gypsy friends to put on a fundraiser. That first effort raised about $8,000.

Both Mitchell and Broadway Bares have come a long way since then. The most recent installment raised a whopping $874,372. And Mitchel has gone from a backup dancer to an always-in-demand choreographer with a Tony under his dance belt for Hairspray and another nomination for Legally Blonde - The Musical. But no matter how busy he gets, Mitchell always makes time for Broadway Bares.

"It's hard to express how deeply it has impacted my own life," he says. "It's given me an unexpected place to grow as an artist, and giving is the ultimate reward in itself. Broadway Bares is the testament to all that Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS stands for: 'What we do together can make a difference."