Ebersole, Cleale Join Mercer Concert; McNair Withdraws

By: Apr. 27, 2006
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Broadway stars Jason Graae (Falsettos), Christine Ebersole (Grey Gardens, Tony Award-winner for 42nd Street) and Lewis Cleale (Amour, Once Upon a Mattress), as well as filmmaker, broadcaster and singer Amber Edwards, will headline the 92nd Street Y's "Lyrics and Lyricists" salute "Johnny Mercer at the Movies" from May 6th through May 8th. Cabaret star Margart Whiting will appear as a special guest, as well.

Two-time Grammy Award-winner Sylvia McNair, who was previously announced, has withdrawn from the concert due to illness.

Hosted by Emmy Award-winning CBS newsman Charles Osgood, the evening will pay tribute to Mercer (1909-1976), who wrote lyrics to more than 1,200 songs, including Academy Award winners "On the Atcheson, Topeka and the Santa Fe" with composer Harry Warren, "In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening" with Hoagy Carmichael, and "Moon River" and "Days of Wine and Roses" with Henry Mancini. Mercer's other collaborators included Harold Arlen, Jerome Kern, Richard Whiting and Victor Schertzinger. This program, directed by musical theater historian Robert Kimball, celebrates Johnny Mercer's contributions to the movie musical.

An historian of the American musical theater, Robert Kimball is artistic advisor to the Ira and Leonore Gershwin Trusts and the Cole Porter Musical and Literary Property Trusts. He is a consultant and adviser on musical theater to the Library of Congress and the Chicago Humanities Festival, among other national organizations. He has edited editions of the complete lyrics of Cole Porter, Lorenz Hart, Ira Gershwin, Irving Berlin and Frank Loesser. Kimball directed the L&L tribute to Mack Gordon last season.

The complete performance schedule is Saturday at 8 pm, Sunday at 3 and 8 pm, and Monday at 2 and 8 pm. Tickets are $55 and $45. For tickets and information, visit www.92Y.org/Lyrics or call 212-415-5500.
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