'Hearts for Henry' to benefit 12-year-old cancer patient

HOW TO HELP

Those unable to attend can make a contribution by calling the box office or sending a check to the Henry Cermak Fund c/o The Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island, S.C., 29928. For more information, call the Arts Center at 843-686-3945.

It didn't take a lot of prodding to convince cast members of "The Producers" to give up their one night off next week to star in another show at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina -- not when they heard it was a benefit for 12-year-old cancer patient Henry Cermak.

The son of Terry Cermak, the Arts Center's senior director of production, Henry has spent the last 20 months in and out of hospitals undergoing surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation and clinical trials in an attempt to beat back the tumors that are growing in his brain.

"Hearts for Henry," a cabaret-style show to be presented at 7 p.m. Monday in the Arts Center's Elizabeth Wallace Theatre, will raise funds to help with Henry's mounting medical expenses.

"As soon as word got out we were doing this, people started volunteering," said Casey Colgan, who directed and appears in "The Producers," which runs through May 25 at the Arts Center. "They were more than happy to help out this family in need."

Along with cast members from the Mel Brooks musical, the show will feature several other actors who have starred in past Arts Center productions, as well as the Hilton Head Island Middle School Honors Orchestra and Hilton Head High School's "Out of the Blue" show choir and jazz band.

In addition, cast members from Main Street Youth Theatre, directed by "Producers" cast member Jodi Layman, will perform "We're All in This Together" from their recent production of "High School Musical," one of Henry's favorites.

"The outpouring of support has been incredible," said Terry Cermak, who is in New York this week with Henry to determine if the Hilton Head Middle School student qualifies for two clinical trials being conducted at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. "Even if they didn't raise a dime, it's very gratifying and humbling to know people are thinking of us."

The show will open with a dance ensemble from "The Producers" performing the opening tap number from "42nd Street." Local actress Lori Maurer, who played Grizabella in "Cats" and Mrs. Potts in "Beauty and the Beast," will follow with a rendition of "As If We Never Said Goodbye" from "Sunset Boulevard." She'll return later in the first half to sing a tune from "Spamalot" with Colgan.

Jeffrey Watkins, a former cast member of Broadway's "Les Miserables," will reprise "Breeze on the River," a song he performed in the Arts Center's 2007 production of "The Full Monty." His wife, Kathleen Watkins, and members of the dance ensemble from "The Producers" will perform "Bye Bye Blackbird," featuring the original choreography from the musical "Fosse." Elizabeth Watkins, last seen on the Wallace stage in "A Chorus Line," served as dance captain for the Broadway production of "Fosse."

The program continues with the lead actors from "The Producers" singing "You Gotta Have Heart" from "Damn Yankees."

Several other cast members also will perform solo or duet pieces; among them are Bryce Cofield and Desiree Duff, singing "Suddenly Seymour" from "Little Shop of Horrors"; Stephanie Torns performing "Fly Away" from "Never Neverland" and Nic Thompson and Melissa Denise Lopez re-creating the song-and-dance number "All I Need is a Girl" from "Gypsy."

Elizabeth Pawlowski, who plays Ulla in "The Producers," will be joined by Torns, Kristin Ewing, Zina Mercil and Brittany Lewis in the lively "Holding Out for a Hero" from the musical "Footloose."

Flying in from New York to participate in the show is actress Susan Saladino, who played Hodel in "Fiddler on the Roof" and Belle in "Beauty and the Beast." She'll sing "I Always Knew" from the production "Annie Warbucks," and "My Funny Valentine."

Artwork created by a number of Arts Center artists, including gallery designer Martha Ahrens, director of education Alana Adams and props manager Sabrinna Cox, will also be on sale in the lobby. Proceeds will go to the Cermak family.

In addition, the Arts Center is accepting donations of gas, shopping and dining gift cards for a goody basket to be presented to the Cermaks on the evening of the concert.

"Henry has many families here -- his parents, his school, the Arts Center and the community," said Arts Center President and CEO Kathleen Bateson. "This is something we all want to do for Henry -- and I personally want us to raise $10,000 from this event."