Broadway Bared, to the tune of around $700,000

Last night Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS held the 17th annual Broadway Bares event in New York City, and it would be a gross understatement to call it an "eyeful". The mythology-themed show ("Myth Behavior" -- wouldn't "Ain't Myth Behavin'" have been fun?) boasted 200 dancers and performers who took the stage dressed (and undressed) as everything from Pan to Icarus to Grecian urns. Allow me to point out that these 200 outshined these 300 in everything from gay-friendliness to washboard abs.

Bebe, David, and Leslie Kritzer

The highlights of the show happened to feature two gay men in the Broadway community: recently-out actor David Hyde Pierce and Harvey Fierstein. Pierce (fresh off his Tony win) took the stage as Zeus, and proceeded to make a pass at hostess Frustratia. When she countered, "I heard you like boys", he replied, "it's all Greek to me". The audience of course loved it and roared their approval (at Pierce's outness, I assume -- not the joke). Moments later, Bebe Neuwirth joined him as Hera -- it was great to see the former Frasier vets together onstage. Was I the only one peeking into the wings to see if Kelsey Grammer was in a toga waiting for his cue?

Harvey and Leslie

Later, Fierstein took the stage in resplendent drag as Pandora, and during the reading of the sponsors at the close pointed out the irony that he was reading the name Hairspray: The Musical while wearing a dress (the role of Edna, which he originated in the stage musical, of course went to John Travolta for the film -- ugh).

The Big Finish

At the end of the show, founder Jerry Mitchell (whom we interviewed just last week for our article on the event's history) announced that they were very close to hitting a $700,000 payday for the fundraising effort (unless I heard something wrong -- it was pretty loud in there!). I wasn't able to stay for the second show, but here's to hoping that those dancers shook their moneymakers and the patrons opened their wallets and stuffed those g-strings to bursting with the cash to put them over the top.

Narcissus

Check out a bunch more sexy pics (courtesy of AfterElton.com guest fabulenser Mark Bradley Miller) after the jump!

Icarus (and Friend)

A Sailor gets between Poseidon and his lady

The crowd

Hades (yeah, right!)

Pan and his ladies

The Sailor does the "Walk of No Shame"

Amazon Women on the Stripper Pole

Daphne Rubin Vega

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