Theatrical gifts for World AIDS Day

The plush Broadway Monkey, with his "I Love Broad-
way" tie, is one of the items on sale to benefit
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Today is the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day, a sad anniversary but an important one. Would that we were celebrating the end of AIDS in the world, but we’re a long way away from that particular party.

There are many ways to give to AIDS research and AIDS prevention programs (especially in Africa).

For a complete list of giving opportunities, visit www.worldaidscampaign.org.

For the theater lovers among us, you can support a worthy HIV/AIDS charity and do some holiday shopping for yourself and other theater geeks on your list.

The charity is Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, two groups that have been around 20-plus years that merged in 1992. BC/EFA runs an excellent Web store with theater-related gifts that are well worth checking out this season.

Here are some highlights of this year’s catalogue. To begin your charitable shopping, visit http://broadwaycares.stores.yahoo.net/ (and by the way, the online shop is open year-round). To ensure Christmas delivery, place your orders by Dec. 10.

“10th Anniversary Carols for a Cure” – Each year, BC/EFA corrals the casts of all the Broadway musicals and gets them to record a holiday song – sometimes a classic, sometimes an original. This year’s anniversary edition features the casts of “Billy Elliot,” “Spring Awakening,” “Xanadu,” “In the Heights,” “South Pacific” and many more. This year’s compilation also includes the best of years past with tracks from the likes of Hugh Jackman, Antonio Banderas, Bernadette Peters and Idina Menzel. ($20)

Broadway Bares 2009 calendar – Every year, Broadway performers gather for a BC/EFA fundraiser that involves a whole lot of bare flesh – mostly tasteful and a whole lot of fun. This year’s calendar is based on last year’s Alice in Wonderland theme. ($20)

Broadway Monkey – No, not the star of Disney’s failed “Tarzan” musical, this plush toy comes complete with a bright red tie that declares his love for Broadway. ($35)

Broadway Cares Collection 2008 Serving Tray & Cocktail glasses – Every show queen’s dream – a serving tray and glasses featuring logos from all the shows of the 2008 Broadway season: “Avenue Q,” “Billy Elliot,” “Chicago,” “Godspell,” (even though the economy prevented it from ever opening) “Grease,” “Gypsy,” “Hairspray”, “In the Heights,” “Jersey Boys,” “Legally Blonde,” “The Lion King,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Mamma Mia!,” “Mary Poppins,” “Passing Strange,” “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Shrek the Musical,” “South Pacific,” “Spamalot,” “Spring Awakening,” “A Tale of Two Cities,” “[title of show],” “Wicked,” “Xanadu” and “Young Frankenstein.” ($40 glasses, $12 tray)