Judy Garland News

Profiles in History is proud to announce highlights from their upcoming Animation & Disneyana Auction on May 5th in Los Angeles.

Sherlock star Amanda Abbington and Sunset Boulevard leading man Danny Mac are the first stars to be announced for the UK premiere of the musical A Little Princess by Tony-nominated composer/lyricist Andrew Lippa (Big Fish,The Addams Family, The Wild Party).

Sarasota Opera is pleased to announce the line-up for the 2018 season of 'HD at the Opera House' and "Classic Movies at the Opera House".  This weekly series of filmed performances has allowed Sarasota Opera to expand its programming from the fall and winter season to year-around. The 2018 "HD at the Opera House" series will open on Sunday, May 20th and run through September 30th and will include presentations of Ballet and Theater from some of the world's most famous venues and companies including the Royal Opera House; Teatro alla Scala in Milan; Royal Shakespeare Company; Vienna State Opera; and the Royal Ballet. Each presentation will begin at 1:30pm.

From April 10th-12th, two-time Tony Award-nominee Stephanie J. Block will join the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Broadway star Ramin Karimloo and conductor Steven Reineke to present ON BROADWAY, an evening of Broadway's greatest hits at the Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto! BroadwayWorld's Taylor Long sat down with Stephanie ahead of her upcoming concert with the TSO.

'Ride to Heaven: An Existential Theme Park Mystery,' a documentary film with elements of retro Americana and the history of Old Hollywood, will be available on demand through Time Warner Cable starting April 1, 2016. This coincides with the 55th anniversary of the planned opening of the Disney inspired theme park called Bible Storyland. 'Ride to Heaven' is a quirky documentary film that follows a Los Angeles art dealer, Harvey Jordan, on his obsessive decade long quest to uncover the mystery of an ill-fated theme park designed by Disney creatives and backed by Jack Haley (Tin Man 'The Wizard of Oz'). The 220-acre park was to open April, 1961 in Southern California and intended to compete with Disneyland. The theme park blended the imagination of an Ex Disney VP (Nat Winecoff) and a Disney animator (Bruce Bushman) with themes from biblical times. The park was to feature Rides to Heaven and Hell, Chariot Races and eateries selling lion burgers. (Hear a reading of the 1960 Press Release at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zst8ekmOOm0) 'We are very pleased to have our film available to a much wider audience that will surely enjoy this story that includes elements of Disney, The Wizard of Oz, Hollywood films and Yo-Yo's,' said Harvey Jordan, the film's main character. 'You will have to see it for yourself to understand the common link between all these cultural icons. I'm sure you will be drawn into the mystery just like I was.' Stephanie Hubbard, the film's director, is a Los Angeles-based author and award winning documentary film editor & producer whose work has shown on PBS, the Discovery Channel, and History Channel. Her latest production was the short film 'Improv Death Ice Age.' 'Creating Ride to Heaven,' says Hubbard, 'was a personal self discovery that mirrored Harvey's existential journey as he faced life's travails against the backdrop of the enveloping vision of Bible Storyland Theme Park. My love of films of the 1950's came in handy - films like 'Ben-Hur' and 'The Ten Commandments' were pivotal to the development of the park. Exploring the politics of religion was also a fascinating aspect for me.' 'Ride to Heaven' includes interviews with Charles Phoenix (pop culture humorist), Rev. Malcolm Boyd (author, prominent theologian), Buddy Bregman (producer for Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland) as well as many scholars and experts on theme park history. The film's co-star, Debi Derryberry, is a prolific film & TV Voice Actor (Jimmy Neutron, Speedy Alka Seltzer, Disney & Pixar films.) 'Ride to Heaven: An Existential Theme Park Mystery' distributed by Cargo Film & Releasing, 611 Broadway, Suite # 630, New York, NY 10012, (212) 995-8139, www.cargofilm-releasing.com. An extended version of this film, with extras, is available on DVD thru the website. This film, previously released as 'Bible Storyland, The Movie' has screened at numerous Film Festivals and named Best Documentary at the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival. Website: www.RideToHeaven.com 'A marvelous Drama, wrapped in a Comedy, folded around a Documentary, twisted into a Detective story and squeezed into a Valentine.' - Chris Epting, Pop Culture Author 'A real investigative eye-opener and fun to watch!' - Huell Howser, Host/Producer of 'California's Gold'

It is the 96th Anniversary of the birth of the brilliant Judy Garland on June 10, 2018. As such it feels entirely appropriate to rediscover the music and legacy of Hollywood's golden age songbird. Vegas Theatricals is presenting critically-acclaimed Tribute Artist Peter Mac in his award-winning musical recreation of a flawless triumphant 1960's-era Judy Garland.

Fifteen years ago (2003) Golden Girls LIVE: On Stage! was created by real life couple Peter Mac and John Mac as a loving tribute in the style of Brady Bunch LIVE. The Macs created a loving drag parody of everyone's favorite sitcom, which played to sold out audiences at the now shuttered Rose's Turn in the West Village. The show uses spot on impersonations of the original Actresses as source material (they play Estelle Getty and Beatrice Arthur respectively) and creates original improv-parody situations to bring the girls back for the reunion fans never got.

The Greenhouse Theater Center is pleased to conclude its 2017-18 season with the Chicago premiere of Marc Acito's touching and humorous play BIRDS OF A FEATHER, directed by Artistic Director Jacob Harvey. Based on one of America's most banned books, Acito's hit comedy brings to life the story of the Central Park Zoo's gay penguins to tell a truly hilarious human story. BIRDS OF A FEATHER will play April 27 - June 10, 2018 at Greenhouse Theater Center (Upstairs Main Stage), 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago.

Musicians Foundation, the over-a-century-old nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance to artists in need, proudly announces its 2018 Tin Pan Alley Celebration Fundraising Recital, scheduled to take place on April 4 from 6:00 pm to 9:00pm at Yamaha Artist Services Piano Salon, located at 689 5th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. The evening will feature a performance by acclaimed classical and ragtime pianist Richard Dowling with accompaniment by cabaret and stage vocalist Seth Sykes. The duet will play the music of great Tin Pan Alley composers, including George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Scott Joplin and Jerome Kern. Light refreshments and drinks will be served throughout the evening.

A sensational Bernadette Robinson brings five 'nobodies' and five superstars to life in a series of monologues with music that explore human fallibility with wit and wisdom to spare.

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, Lorna Luft collapsed backstage last week after a concert at the Pizza Express Jazz Club in London. The singer, who was having trouble remembering both lyrics and monologues was rushed to the hospital where she has been 'initially diagnosed with a brain tumor' according to her spokesperson, Victoria Varela.

LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE is thrilled to announce its 2018-2019 season of shows. Executive Director Ellen Richard comments, "This is a sensational 98th season. We are happy to give our audiences a diverse array of musicals and plays that they will find moving, compelling and entertaining."

Phoebe Legere's dynamic performance is to put through its paces in this haphazardly arranged show.

As BroadwayWorld sadly reported yesterday, Sammy Williams, best known for his Tony Award winning performance as Paul San Marco in the original production of A Chorus Line, has passed away yesterday morning at 69. As Paul San Marco, Mr. Williams was also awarded the prestigious Obie Award and was given a Special Theatre World Award for his contribution to that production.

Aurora's Paramount Theatre - Chicago's most decorated theater at the 2017 Jeff Awards with the third largest subscriber base in the nation - is excited to present the first Chicago-area regional staging of the Tony Award-winning Best Musical Once to close its 2017-18 Broadway Series.

Musical Theatre Guild, the winner of the Los Angeles Drama Critic's Circle Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in the theatre, will present HOLLYWOOD REVISITED as a special benefit to support Musical Theatre Guild's extensive youth outreach programs. The event, a perfect tie in with the company's "MTG Goes To The Movies" season theme, will take place at Burbank's Colony Theatre on Monday, March 26, 2018 at 7:30 pm.

The Iceman Cometh begins previews tonight at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. Get to know the cast below as they begin Broadway performances!

Check out this first look at Renée Zellweger as Judy Garland in the upcoming biopic. Tony nominee Rupert Goold (AMERICAN PSYCHO, KING CHARLES III, ENRON) will direct from a script penned by THE CROWN's Tom Edge. Production on the film has just began though an official release date has yet to be announced. 

BroadwayWorld is sad to report that Sammy Williams, best known for his Tony Award winning performance as Paul San Marco in the original production of A Chorus Line, has passed away at 69.

Since its debut on Broadway in 1959, GYPSY has been hailed as one of the most perfect examples of the musical theatre artform. From the lush score of Jule Styne to the inventive lyrics of a young Stephen Sondheim to the funny- and ultimately heartbreaking- book by Arthur Laurents, it is hard to find a flaw in this show. However, as years pass and the genre evolves, it becomes easy to cynically think of the classics as dated period pieces to be looked at respectfully, but only with a sense of retrospect. However, the production of this musical fable playing at the Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach through March 25th reminds you from the opening moments of the power and poignancy, excitement and insight that the American musical standard-bearers still possess.