On Monday, June 9, 2008 at 7.30 PM an all-star cast took the stage for a one-night-only benefit gala performance of "COMDEN & GREEN'S NEW YORK- FROM GREENWICH VILLAGE TO THE GREAT WHITE WAY". All proceeds from the event will benefit GREENWICH HOUSE MUSIC SCHOOL and will be matched thanks to a challenge grant from the Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust. The income earned from the endowment will go toward scholarships for deserving students and the school's music education outreach programs in NYC public schools.
Amanda Green, daughter of Adolph Green and an award-winning lyricist, wrote and directed this one-night-only event. An exciting roster of theater stars presented many of Betty Comden & Adolph Green's hits- from the hilarious materials the duo wrote and performed as "The Revuers" at The Village Vanguard in the 1940's to their huge hits on Broadway and in classic films like "Singin' in the Rain."
The running order and final cast list is as follows.
1) NEW YORK, NEW YORK-Amanda Green,Ann Harada, Stephanie J. Block
2) THE READER'S DIGEST-Amanda Green and Jim Caruso
3) CHRISTOPHER STREET-The Greenwich House Students
4) OHIO-Ann Harada and Mary Testa
5) MY FORTUNE IS MY FACE-Max von Essen
6) YOU MUSTN'T FEEL DISCOURAGED-Walter Bobbie
7) THE FRENCH LESSON-Mary Testa, Jonathan Freeman
8) IF YOU HADN'T BUT YOU DID-Amanda Green
9) CAPTAIN HOOK'S WALTZ-Jonathan Freeman
10) THE PARTY'S OVER-Stephanie J. Block
11) MAKE SOMEONE HAPPY-Jonathan Dokuchitz
12) MOSES SUPPOSES-Michael Arnold, Sean Martin Hingston and Amanda Green
13) LUCKY TO BE ME-John Pizzarelli
14) NEVER NEVER LAND-Jessica Molaskey
15) JUST IN TIME-Jessica Molaskey and John Pizzarelli
16) SOME OTHER TIME-CAST
Betty Comden and Adolph Green, the quintessential New Yorkers, never stopped chronicling, skewering and celebrating the city they loved. Comden & Green enjoyed six-decades of collaboration, from writing, performing as "The Revuers" with Judy Holliday in the 1940's to their greatest successes on Broadway and in Hollywood over the next fifty years. As playwrights, performers and lyricists, they co-authored such Broadway hits as "On the Town," "Wonderful Town," and "On the 20th Century," as well as the screenplays for "Singin' in the Rain" and "The Band Wagon". Comden & Green's masterful lyrics include "Just In Time," "The Party's Over," "Make Someone Happy," "Some Other Time," and "New York, New York (A Helluva Town)." The benefit evening will be homage to their revues and will include hilarious songs from the early shows, as well as many classic Comden & Green hits.
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.
Photos by Genevieve Rafter Keddy
