Flea Market Beginnings - How it all started
FLEA MARKET BEGINNINGS
by Michael Danek
by Michael Danek
Back in the mid 80’s. 1987 to be accurate, Equity Fights AIDS sent a letter out to all the Broadway shows asking them to come up with ideas as to how to raise money. I was doing ‘A Chorus Line’ at the time, and wanted to help. We organized a small committee to decide what to do. ‘Cats’ was doing a bake sale as I remember, other shows had other ideas. I was one of those people who always loved flea markets, antiques and such, and had the crazy idea of making one for the Broadway community. At first no one thought of anything to sell. But as time went on everybody had something to sell. Old show jackets, records, playbills, but was there a market for this kind of thing? Who knew?!
I went to the Shuberts with the feeling that we were the local show, and asked if we could hold the market in Shubert alley, the heart of Broadway I felt. The bosses at the Shubert Theatre approved with enthusiasm. The difficult permission was the Minskoff building, but after convincing them I wasn’t gong to block the entrances, and the Schuberts had agreed, they did as well. So I had my permissions, and space, now to get the participants.
Most shows didn’t respond at first, but after word spread, things went fast. the company of ‘Me and My Girl’ was one of the strongest supporters, as was ‘Phantom’ offering a Phantom mask & costume for photo’s which proved to be a big seller then. Soon a few other shows followed, I think we had about ten or so tables. All in all we made $7,000 that first day, sold only before the matinee on that Saturday. We had to stop to allow people to go to their shows. The second year we stopped again for the matinees, but picked back up after, and sold between shows as well, adding the live auction.
I went to the Shuberts with the feeling that we were the local show, and asked if we could hold the market in Shubert alley, the heart of Broadway I felt. The bosses at the Shubert Theatre approved with enthusiasm. The difficult permission was the Minskoff building, but after convincing them I wasn’t gong to block the entrances, and the Schuberts had agreed, they did as well. So I had my permissions, and space, now to get the participants.
Most shows didn’t respond at first, but after word spread, things went fast. the company of ‘Me and My Girl’ was one of the strongest supporters, as was ‘Phantom’ offering a Phantom mask & costume for photo’s which proved to be a big seller then. Soon a few other shows followed, I think we had about ten or so tables. All in all we made $7,000 that first day, sold only before the matinee on that Saturday. We had to stop to allow people to go to their shows. The second year we stopped again for the matinees, but picked back up after, and sold between shows as well, adding the live auction.
That is how it started, I only did the first three, as others more organized and connected took over. But I was the one who started it and that gave me great pride in my life to know that so many people have been helped by money raised by Broadway Cares /Equity Fights Aids, including many of my close friends, and people who I have shared the stage with over these years.
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