Broadway Bares is going undercover this year — and, as always, it won’t stay that way for long.
The long-running, anything-goes fundraiser has revealed its 2026 theme, Broadway Bares: License to Strip, a spy-inspired spectacle that leans into intrigue, fantasy, and a whole lot of skin. Think secret agents and double identities, staged with out-of-this-world choreography that’s made the event a staple of New York’s queer scene.
The event takes over NYC’s Hammerstein Ballroom on June 21, with more than 200 dancers moving through high-concept numbers that play with espionage tropes — from slick undercover moments to full-throttle reveals. Performances take place at 9:30 p.m. and midnight.
From these first images, the vibe is spycraft turbocharged with high-glam fantasy: a red telephone booth centerpiece, leather harnesses, thigh-high boots, and characters pulled straight out of pop culture’s spy canon — and then pushed into something much less buttoned-up.
Tickets start at $75, with VIP options that include premium seating, backstage access, and even a private cocktail party hosted by Jerry Mitchell, the Tony-winning creative force behind Kinky Boots, Hairspray, and of course, Broadway Bares.
Behind the spectacle, Broadway Bares continues its decades-long mission. Produced by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, the annual event raises critical funds for people living with HIV and other serious illnesses. It has raised more than $31 million to date.
Take a look at the first images from Broadway Bares: License to Strip below. And get tickets at broadwaycares.org/bares.
Michal Kolaczkowski as Sherlock Holmes
Michal Kolaczkowski dressed as a sultry Sherlock Holmes stands inside a red London phone booth, wearing a detective cap and holding a pipe, with a moody nighttime street backdrop
Andrew-Eccles
Khasan Brailsford as Dick Tracy
Khasan Brailsford poses inside a red London phone booth dressed as Dick Tracy, wearing a bright yellow hat and coat with a red tie against a foggy city street at night
Andrew-Eccles
Milena Comeau, Kyla Bartholomeusz, and Taylor Iman Jones pose together in front of a red London phone booth as Charlie’s Angels, wearing coordinated lingerie-inspired looks on a dimly lit city street
Andrew-Eccles
Anthony Sanchez as Ethan Hunt
Anthony Sanchez dressed as Ethan Hunt stands in front of a red London phone booth wearing an open white shirt and black harness on a moody nighttime street
Andrew-Eccles
Jessica White as Trinity (The Matrix)
Jessica White poses in front of a red London phone booth dressed as Trinity from The Matrix, wearing a black leather-inspired outfit and thigh-high boots on a moody city street
Andrew-Eccles
Benjamin Freemantle as Austin Powers
Benjamin Freemantle stands inside a red London phone booth dressed as Austin Powers, holding a small British flag and wearing a playful retro outfit on a nighttime street set
Andrew-Eccles
Alice Reys as Carmen Sandiego
Alice Reys as Carmen Sandiego wears a red coat and hat while posing in front of a red London phone booth on a dimly lit city street
Andrew-Eccles
Hector Juan Maisonet as Inspector Gadget
Hector Juan Maisonet as Inspector Gadget poses in a trench coat and hat inside a red London phone booth on a nighttime street set
Andrew-Eccles
Inspector Gadget, Trinity & Ethan Hunt
Hector Juan Maisonet as Inspector Gadget, Jessica White as Trinity, and Anthony Sanchez as Ethan Hunt pose together in front of a red London phone booth on a nighttime street set.
Andrew-Eccles
Sherlock Holmes, Dick Tracy & Carmen Sandiego
Michal Kolaczkowski as Sherlock Holmes, Khasan Brailsford as Dick Tracy, and Alice Reys as Carmen Sandiego pose together in front of a red London phone booth on a moody nighttime street
Andrew-Eccles
