COME RAIN OR COME SHINE Benefit For Greenwich House Music School Held 6/15

On Monday, June 15, 2009 at 8PM, an all-star cast will take to the stage for a one-night-only benefit performance of COME RAIN OR COME SHINE: Celebrating the Songs of Johnny Mercer. The event will take place at the Cherry Lane Theatre, 38 Commerce Street, in the West Village. All proceeds from the event will benefit GREENWICH HOUSE MUSIC School's music education programs and assist with vital facility upgrades.

Johnny Mercer-lyricist, composer, singer, was born in Savannah, Georgia in 1909. Mercer was known for his intelligent, upbeat lyrics, and enjoyed collaborations with singers, bandleaders, and composers, among them Bing Crosby, Jo Stafford, Benny Goodman, Harold Arlen, Hoagy Carmichael, Harry Warren, and Henry Mancini. He wrote or co-wrote over 1,100 songs, including "Blues in the Night," "That Old Black Magic," "One For My Baby," "Come Rain or Come Shine," "Skylark," "I'm a Old Cowhand," "I Remember You," "Jeepers Creepers," "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby," "Too Marvelous for Words," and "Fools Rush In." He won Academy Awards for "On the Atchison, Topeka and The Santa Fe" (1946), "In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening" (1951), "Moon River" (1961) and "Days of Wine and Roses" (1962). Mercer co-founded Capitol Records, and was influential in the early recording careers of such musicians as Peggy Lee and Nat King Cole.

CAST: Klea Blackhurst (Time Out New York Special Achievement Award: Everything The Traffic Will Allow), Jim Caruso (five-time MAC Award Winner & Liza's At The Palace), Christine Ebersole (Tony Awards: Grey Gardens & 42nd Street), Billy Stritch (Grammy: "Does He Love You?" and two Grammy nominations for Liza Minnelli's "Gently" cd).

TICKETS are $250 (includes pass to a post-event champagne reception with the artists), $100 and $75 and can be purchased online as of May 15th or by calling: (212) 991-0003, ext. 403.

SPONSORSHIP: Support for the event can also be made via sponsorship opportunities that provide public recognition and visibility of your support on the Greenwich House website and publicity related to the event. Sponsorships range from $5,000 to $500 and are available for individual, corporate or anonymous sponsors and can be made online at: www.greenwichhouse.org/rainorshine, or by calling (212) 991-0003, ext. 400.

ABOUT GREENWICH HOUSE MUSIC SCHOOL: Greenwich House Music School has been providing high quality, affordable music education to the people of New York City since 1905. The School has occupied its current location at 44 - 46 Barrow Street in historic Greenwich Village since 1914 and has played an important part in the careers and lives of tens of thousands of students including John Cage, Harry Chapin, Henry Cowell, Edgar Varese and former New York City mayor Ed Koch.

Today, the school continues to serve the musical needs of students from 2 to 82 with private lessons, group classes, ensembles and regular student and faculty recitals. In addition to educating its students, GHMS serves the community with a wide spectrum of concerts and readings in its Renee Weiler Concert Hall, hosts education workshops and meetings for local civic and cultural organizations and provides affordable rehearsal and performance space for musicians. The school's Arts-In-Education program, now in its 14th year, expands its reach even further by providing music instruction in several New York City public schools. Greenwich House Music School is a proud member of the Coalition of New York City Community Schools of the Arts. For more information, please visit: www.greenwichhouse.org.