Visiting New York from more than 80 cities across America, 100 talented performers, ages 10-17 will be featured in the New York Pop's Too Marvelous for Words: A Johnny Mercer Centennial Concert on Friday, November 20 at Carnegie Hall. The Camp Broadway Kids will perform several of Mercer's treasured compositions including Moon River, Dream, Accentuate the Positive; and The Atchison, Topeka and The Santa Fe.
The concert will be lead by Steven Reineke, award winning composer and Music Director for the New York Pops Orchestra. Guest artists including multi platinum selling singer and songwriter Ann Hampton Calloway, known for starring in Broadway's hit musical Swing; actress and opera singer, N'Kenge; and Broadway performer, James T. Lane, will join the Camp Broadway Kids throughout the performance.
Camp Broadway has been a long time collaborator with The Johnny Mercer Foundation, working together since 2000 to establish Accentuate the Positive, a national campaign dedicated to introducing elementary school students to the Johnny Mercer's Great American Songbook. Frank P. Scardino, Executive Director of the Johnny Mercer Foundation says, "Through Camp Broadway's work with Accentuate the Positive, we have been able to bring Johnny's music and spirit to more than 13,000 classroom students nationwide. At Carnegie Hall, 100 students will have a chance to personally experience and perform Johnny's music, having learned more about the craft of lyric writing from professional lyricists. All in all, what a terrific program!"
ABOUT CAMP BROADWAY
Camp Broadway® is a leader in theatre arts programming, educational camps, special events, and curricula development, as publisher of StageNOTES®: A Field Guide For Teachers. Having worked with over 250,000 children since 1995, Comp Broadway provides Broadway-themed workshops and theater programs in classroom settings, as well as to students on NYC field trips. At its annual summer camps held in NYC and across America, Camp Broadway has hosted over 10,000 kids from 50 states and dozens of countries. Camp Broadway was featured on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade® telecast from 2001-2008. Camp Broadway is dedicated to presenting programs that promote life-long learning through the performing arts.
ABOUT THE Johnny Mercer FOUNDATION
The Johnny Mercer Foundation is a nonprofit organization devoted to preserving and celebrating the work of Johnny Mercer and other great American songwriters, and introducing their music to a new generation of listeners. In addition to developing the 'Accentuate the Positive' educational program for elementary-age students, the Foundation has spearheaded several other education initiatives in recent years through partnerships with Camp Broadway, SIRIUS Satellite Radio, Northwestern University and Georgia State University. The Foundation also supports numerous charitable organizations through Mercer's royalties.
