JUDY GARLAND IS FAT AT CARNEGIE HALL to Play EdFest and Edinburgh Fringe

When Judy Garland played Carnegie Hall on April 23, 1961, everything was on the line: her financial livelihood, her legacy, and her relationship with her body. Sixty-five years later, NYC drag artists Xena Fauxbia and Soda Pressed resurrect the legendary concert through a messy, virtuosic, experimental lip-sync extravaganza. Presented by Undiscovered Countries, Judy Garland IS FAT AT Carnegie Hall played a sold-out New York preview at the Queerly Festival and will play Brooklyn Art Haus' EdFest on July 14 before joining the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this August.

Blending drag, theater, and cultural criticism, Judy Garland IS FAT AT Carnegie Hall examines the intersections of societal fatphobia and the entertainment industry. Through Judy Garland impressions and personal storytelling, Xena Fauxbia and Soda Pressed worship at the altar of a queer icon, examining Judy's experience to mine their own relationship to hunger and performance. The show proudly reclaims the word FAT not as an insult, nor something to fear or whisper about. It's a wacky, aching exploration of weighty desire and the absurdity of never quite fitting into "The Costume.'

The piece features a unique creative team of indie theater veterans. Co-creator Kaela Mei-Shing Garvin (Xena Fauxbia) has developed work with Yangtze Rep, the Know Theatre, the Atlantic Theater, Ma-Yi Theater, Second Stage, and more. Co-creator Adin Lenahan (Soda Pressed) is a writer and performer whose work has been seen at Ars Nova, The Brick, and Dixon Place, and is the 2026 Page 73 Playwriting Fellow.

The production features Bee Begley's work as Outside Eye: they're a multidisciplinary artist, devotee of the Garment District's trim stores, connoisseur of muppet drag, and a 14-year co-producer with Undiscovered Countries. Ginger Eckert serves as Dialect Coach; a professional actor and voice teacher, her work is rooted in culturally sustaining and accessible methods drawing from Fitzmaurice, Jones, and Rodenburg.

Performance Listings

BROOKLYN ART HAUS EDFEST

• Venue: Brooklyn Art Haus (24 Marcy Ave, Williamsburg)

• Date/Time: Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at 9:00 PM

• Tickets: Starting at $20 | https://www.eventbrite.com/e/judy-garland-is-fat-at-carnegie-hall-tickets-1990934647124

EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL RUN

• Venue: theSpace on the Mile - Space 1 (Edinburgh, Scotland)

• Dates: August 24, 2026 - August 29, 2026, 22:45 - 23:35 (10:45 PM)

• Tickets: £10.00 - £12.00 | https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/judy-garland-is-fat-at-carnegie-hall

Get Broadway News on WhatsApp

Receive the latest updates, breaking news, and exclusive coverage from Broadway directly in WhatsApp.

Need more Scotland Theatre News in your life?
Sign up for all the news on the Summer season, discounts & more...