Flea Market 2012

My favourite event of the year! But this time (my third) I wasn't just a big spender, I took an active part.

I was assisting on the DANCERS OVER 40 table so we were setting up our wares bright and early at 8.30 a.m. This year we had a prime position in Shubert Alley outside the stage door of the Booth Theatre.

With Larry Merritt (PIPPIN, APPLAUSE, NOWHERE TO GO BUT UP) and Karin Baker (COCO, 42nd STREET)

and Mary Lou Barber (CATS, A CHORUS LINE, SOPHISTICATED LADIES)

Playbills galore, books, CDs, DVDs, posters, t-shirts, bags

It was a very chilly morning and the official opening wasn't until 10 but we were already doing brisk business by 9.30.

 The gallant Marcus Galante (L) lent me a denim jacket to stave off pneumonia.

At 11.30 a.m. I moved into the Shubert Theatre with cast members from MAMMA  MIA, BRING IT ON, JERSEY BOYS, ONCE & NEWSIES to start signing posters and doing publicity pics.

You always think these historic theatres are going to be huge but from the stage they're really intimate.

And of course the Shubert has such special significance.

Then it was time to join the Autograph table. People paid $30 to get everyone's autograph at the table. The line up of celebs changes hourly. That's Patrick Page (ex-Green Goblin in SPIDER MAN and currently De Guiche in CYRANO) looking down the lens.

With Tony Award winning Best Actor in a Musical for ONCE, Steve Kazee

Talented new star of NEWSIES Cory Cott interviews Steve Kazee.

Cory Cott & Tyne Daly

Ed Asner

Judy Kaye & Will Swenson

Phyllis Newman & Karen Olivo

Bernadette Peters

Charles Busch & Donna Murphy

Old Fart

Then it was time to check in at the Live auction where thousands of dollars were changing hands at an alarming speed.

People will pay a hefty sum for items such as a bear dressed as Mama  Rose in GYPSY. Opening night tickets for the LES MIZ movie premiere went for $32,000!!!

I was enlisted to help flog a beautiful painting by Brian Strumwasser of my former alter ego Ms. Bernadette Basinger

And I'm thrilled to say the lovely Elaine bought her for $775!

Will Swenson was his usual respectful self.

Matt Ryan, a surprise visitor from London, asks me what I REALLY thought of END OF THE RAINBOW.