We love Broadway Cares -- from Broadway Bares to the upcoming Broadway Barks 9 event, those kids are always brainstorming!

Nine years ago Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS came up with this fabulous idea of Broadway Barks, where celebrities and stars of Broadway all unite for a full-tilt dog and cat-a-thon adoption. Previous years have brought out Harvey Fierstein, Rue McClanahan, Mario Cantone and others. According to BroadwayCares.com, "In 2006, for the first time in New York City's history, the euthanasia rate for dogs and cats in the city's Animal Care & Control shelters fell below 50%. A total of 20,581 animals were placed into homes. 9,313 were adopted; 9,937 were transferred for eventual adoption to local shelters and rescue groups; and 1,331 were returned to their owners."

This year Broadway Barks 9 will he held at Shubert Alley on Saturday, July 14 from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The event is hosted by Bernadette Peters and Mary Tyler Moore and "on paw" will be Angela Lansbury, David Hyde Pierce, Harry Hamlin, Cheyenne Jackson, Michael Cerveris and many more.

AfterElton.com gives a big salute to the relentless work of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and all the Broadway community does in their various fundraising efforts.

Call 212-840-0770 extension 477 or visit BroadwayBarks.com for more information.

I was doing some research on a post about out Broadway actors when I came across a very steamy interesting YouTube clip from a performance of Broadway Bares. For those who have never heard of Broadway Bares, it is an annual event put on by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids, the organization created by the American Theater community to fight AIDS/HIV. Founded in 1988, BC/EFA has raised over $100 million dollars for distribution around the United States to help fund hundreds of organizations.

Of course, being organized by a bunch of gay men, BC/EFA can't raise money with your standard, boring silent auctions, hence the creation of Broadway Bares which is described as a combination of "the naughtiness of burlesque and the razzle-dazzle of Broadway". Basically, many of the hottest actors, dancers, singers, and maybe the occasional playwright get nekkid to raise money for a good cause. Tastefully nekkid, of course. Tickets are on sale for the next event which takes place on June 17th in NYC. A good friend of mine once attended and said it was one of the most fun evenings out he'd ever had.

And here is the clip I found. It features out actors Christopher Sieber and Kevin Burrows who happen to be partners! Be warned, the clip may not be entirely safe for work as it does involve some bare derrieres!