Coleman to Receive Mercer Foundation Award Nov. 15; Mitchell, Rivera, Bennett and Close to Perform

By Andrew Gans
15 Nov 2004

Cy Coleman, who will soon be represented on Broadway with the revival of Sweet Charity, will be presented with a special award by the Johnny Mercer Foundation Nov. 15.

The Broadway composer will be honored in an evening held at Rockefeller Center's Rainbow Room, organized by veteran singer Margaret Whiting and her husband, Jack Wrangler. Whiting and Wrangler are, respectively, president and creative director of the Johnny Mercer Foundation.

Chita Rivera, Jerry Orbach, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Tony Bennett, Kathie Lee Gifford and Glenn Close are among those scheduled to perform in an evening that will also include a spring fashion show by designer Donald Deal set to a Johnny Mercer score. Attendees will also be treated to sneak peeks at two upcoming musicals: Adam Guettel's The Light in the Piazza and Charles Strouse's Marty. Guettel and Strouse will both be on hand to offer tunes from their new works.

Cy Coleman won Tony Awards for his scores to The Will Rogers Follies, City of Angels and On the Twentieth Century. He was also Tony nominated for his scores for The Life, Barnum, I Love My Wife, Seesaw and Little Me. Some of Coleman's other Broadway musicals include Wildcat and Welcome to the Club.

The Nov. 15 evening begins at 6:30 PM with cocktails, followed by dinner and awards tribute at 8 PM and the fashion show at 9:15 PM; dancing will follow. Individual tickets are priced at $750 per person; VIP tables range from $10,000-$25,000. For tickets, call (212) 835-2299.