Photos: Mike Myers, Anthony Rapp & More Take Part in Broadway Bets

Broadway's most beloved eatery sparkled with big names, esteemed theater insiders and loyal supporters who answered the spirited cry to "shuffle up and deal" at the celebrated return of Broadway Bets, Broadway’s official poker tournament.

 See photos below!

The evening of Texas Hold ’em poker at the famed Sardi’s restaurant raised a record $332,465. The May 22, 2023, event was produced by and benefited Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

The full house of players featured leading lights from across the industry, including theater owners, producers, actors, theatrical executives, advertising and marketing leaders and Broadway fans. It was a triumphant return for Broadway Bets, which had been on hiatus since 2019 because of the pandemic.

Among the stars of stage and screen upping the ante as players were Robert Creighton (Frozen), Christopher Innvar (To Kill a Mockingbird), Ramin Karimloo (Funny Girl), Mike Myers (film’s Shrek, Austin Powers), Anthony Rapp (Rent, Without You), Jarrod Spector (The Cher Show) and Aaron Tveit (Moulin Rouge! The Musical).

Other luminaries who gathered in good fun for the event included Robert E. Wankel, chairman and CEO of The Shubert Organization and Broadway Cares Board of Trustees president;  Ira Mont, production stage manager and Broadway Cares’ first vice president; as well as other members of Broadway Cares’ Board of Trustees Brian Moreland, producer; Lauren Reid, president of The John Gore Association; Nick Scandalios, executive vice president of The Nederlander Organization; Mark Shacket, partner at Foresight Theatrical; Charlotte St. Martin, president of The Broadway League; and David Stone, producer.

This year’s record pushed Broadway Bets’ total fundraising in its six editions past the $1.5 million mark.

The evening started with 28 Texas Hold ’em poker tables and 400 card players and onlookers filling two floors of the iconic Sardi’s restaurant in NYC’s theater district. It culminated with 10 players perfecting their poker faces to reach the championship table.

The epic final face-off featured Jeremy Hollingworth, partner and president of Cabin Modern (and brother to Broadway Bets co-founder Micah Hollingworth), and Broadway Bets regular Julie Scheer. Surrounded by a crowd buzzing with anticipation, both players went “all in” after several impassioned rounds of play. Ultimately, Hollingworth was crowned Broadway Bets champion when he bested Scheer with a pair of eights and a pair of sevens. As winner, Hollingworth received two first-class, round-trip tickets on United Airlines. Scheer won tickets to see Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden and a Capital Grille gift certificate.

The final table also featured, in order of finish: Taylor Maimbourg, director of ticketing at The Nederlander Organization; Joel Szulc, business manager at Main Street Theater in Houston; actor Jarrod Spector; Paul D'Antonio, director of security at The Shubert Organization; Michael Rego, CEO of The Araca Group; Josh Lerman, SVP at Sony Music Masterworks; Jillian Chaitin, partner, head designer and creative director at Cabin Modern; Tom Cerabino, chairman at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP.

The tournament directors were Mark Shacket, partner at Foresight Theatrical, Brett Sirota, co-founder and partner at The Road Company and Alex Wolfe, associate general manager at Foresight Theatrical.

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