Songwriter David Friedman Headlines Benefit Show for the Concerts at City Greens at the Laurie Beechman, 4/23

The Concerts for City Greens may be a Spring and Summer music extravaganza held in the lovely early evening air of Manhattan's East Side (here's a review of one of last summer's shows, http://bit.ly/15azXun), but Broadway actress and cabaret headliner Raissa Katona Bennett, who is the concert series' founder and producer, is launching the 2013 season indoors-with a gala benefit concert featuring a star-studded lineup of performers, including quadruple-platinum songwriter and Today Show regular David Friedman as a special guest performer (with Bennett in photo, left).

A celebratory retrospective of the program's first five seasons will be staged at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 West 42nd Street, on Tuesday April 23 at 7pm. The show marks both the announcement of the winner of last summer's Songwriting Contest, and the launch of a new non-profit, Music and Art for Green, which will incorporate Concerts for City Greens within its umbrella. As the benefit show's host, Bennett will welcome alumni of the past five seasons of Concerts for City Greens, the free series at Tudor City that has featured hundreds of accomplished singers, comedians and instrumentalists from a variety of musical genres.

From the world of Broadway (and Cabaret) the benefit show will feature Tony Award nominee Willy Falk, Sarah Rice (the original Joanna in Sweeney Todd), KT Sullivan, Eric Michael Gillett, T. Oliver Reid, and Rosemary Loar. Representing the jazz realm will be Cabaret Musical Director Barry Levitt, vocalist Shaynee Rainbolt, cabaret and concert headliner Terese Genecco, and bassist Matt Scharfglass. From the classical world there will be pianist Mark Janas, violinist Nicholas Perry, and singer Maureen Taylor. Cabaret will be further represented with singers Scott Coulter, Jenna Esposito, Tanya Moberly, Julie Reyburn, Lennie Watts, the vocal group Marquee Five, and Musical Director/pianists Kenneth Gartman and Bill Zeffiro. There will even be comedy from the brothers Stone & Stone.

David Friedman, who composes for television, film and the stage, served on the jury for the songwriting contest and will introduce the winner. The songwriter-award finalists are veteran tunesmith Charles Bloom, the two-time Grammy nominee Larry Kerchner, and the musical theatre writer and actor Will Reynolds. Serving on the jury with Friedman were rock 'n roll legend Neil Sedaka, Golden Globe-winning singer-songwriter Amanda McBroom, multi-platinum singer, songwriter, and pianist Ann Hampton Callaway, the Tony-nominated composer Michael John LaChiusa, and the two-time Emmy-winning MTV Networks executive Matthew Parillo.

The event benefits Music and Art for Green, a new non-profit which strives to expose culturally and socio-economically diverse audiences of all ages to free, professional live music in city settings, while linking with other community groups and organizations to promote effective dedication to the "greening" of cities. Founded this year by Bennett, who won the 2010 Bistro and 2011 MAC Award for producing the Concerts for City Greens series, the organization will continue to produce at Tudor City while actively promoting creative and inclusive uses of other public green spaces.

Tickets for the April 23 retrospective gala concert are $65 person for an evening that includes a cocktail-hors d'oeuvres reception at 7pm followed by a show at 8:15pm. The Laurie Beechman Theatre at the West Bank Café, 407 West 42nd Street. For reservations call 212/695-6909, or to book online visit www.westbankcafe.com.

This year's 6th annual Concerts at City Greens at Tudor City begin on May 29, with subsequent dates in June, August and September. For information visit: www.raissakatonabennett.com

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