The Jamaican Children’s Heart Fund (JCHF) is set to benefit from the opening night’s performance of the smash-hit musical based on the legendary Jimmy Cliff movie, “The Harder They Come”, on Saturday August 29, 2009 at the Ziff Ballet Opera House (The Adrienne Arsht Performing Arts Centre), 1300 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami, Florida. 

The show begins at 8p.m. and is being staged by The Theatre Royal Stratford East, a British theatre company. 

Joining the JCHF in making this opening night’s performance possible are companies such as The Jamaica Tourist Board, Air Jamaica, Princess PM Productions, Breakaway Moments, Grace Kennedy & Co. Ltd, Western Union, South Florida Caribbean News, CARIBCAST, Mayberry Investments, Island Car Rental, Trilogy Productions ………

This world-class show comes to the United States after successful runs in the UK and Canada with reviews such as “A superb production that captures not just the movie’s music and characters, but also, its soul!” - (The Evening Standard). 

For Jamaicans and others it will be a walk down memory lane showcasing some of the rich history of Jamaican Reggae music and hits tunes from the original movie which have become world famous “anthems” such as “Many Rivers To Cross” and “The Harder They Come”. 

The JCHF will receive a donation from the event.  Additionally, so will a top performing boy and girl from a Jamaican children’s home to enable them to be financially able to set out on their high school journey in the new academic year.  The JCHF facilitates open-heart surgery for poor, needy and indigent children in Jamaica through the kind and generous work of surgeons, specialists and other medical personnel of the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Florida who travel to Jamaica once or twice per year to perform such surgeries.

According to Mrs. Gwendolyn Grant, Executive Director of the JCHF, “The charity is extremely excited about this opportunity to partner in the staging of this opening night performance of the show. The production is helping to put Jamaican music and culture once again on the world stage.  We are proud to be a part of this process and in a way which will also benefit the children of Jamaica. We encourage, not just Jamaicans, but Caribbean people and others generally to come out and give their support.”

According to one Jamaican who saw the production in Birmingham, England “It’s a must-see for everyone.  I left there dancing, singing and feeling very good.”