Judy Garland News

Lawrence Schulman To Speak On Judy Garland At Jesup Memorial Library, Bar Harbor, Maine, 6/6

On May 20, The Camelot Theatre in Palm Springs previewed an incredible new documentary, 'The Show Goes On', about the life and career of Broadway, Film and Television Icon Kaye Ballard to a 'more than full house'. In fact, two theatres were opened for the screening since demand far exceeded the number of seats in the main house. With her typically self-deprecating humor, Ms. Ballard proclaims herself 'The Greatest Star You Hardly Knew', and the beautifully constructed 90 minute film details her extraordinary accomplishments from Broadway's 'Carnival', 'The Golden Apple', 'Molly' and 'Pirates Of Penzance' to her stellar nightclub, film and television career including 'The Doris Day Show' and the beloved and  iconic 'Mother's In Law' with Eve Arden. It highlights the extraordinary talents of Ms. Ballard and doesn't shy away from the disappointments and challenges along the way, featuring interviews with Woody Allen, Carol Channing, Hal Prince, Carol Burnett, Michael Feinstein, Joy Behar and more. Hal Prince boldly states 'if Kaye Ballard had been cast as the mother in 'Gypsy,' 'she would have made history.' I had the chance to visit with Ms. Ballard at her home on 'Kaye Ballard Lane' in Rancho Mirage (the home formerly owned by her friend and TV director, Desi Arnaz) to talk about the film and more. Here are a few excerpts from the conversation:

Riot Act, a powerful, brand new verbatim theatre piece, created especially for the King's Head Theatre's Queer Season, wil premiere Tuesday 31 July - Sunday 5 August.

Legendary Broadway and Hollywood songwriter Stephen Schwartz was announced today as special guest of the annual 'OZ-Stravaganza!'/WIZARD OF OZ festival, June 1-3, in Chittenango, NY. The Oscar and Grammy Award-winning composer/lyricist will take part in two separate events today and Sunday that weekend, celebrating the fifteenth anniversary of WICKED, which opened on Broadway in 2003. The musical is among Schwartz's greatest international successes, recounting the saga of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda the Good Witch in the Land of Oz. Chittenango, just east of Syracuse, is the birthplace of L. Frank Baum, who introduced those characters in his iconic children's book, THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ (1900).

Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to announce the 13th Annual Chicago Sings concert; Chicago Sings The MGM Musicals, Monday, Aug. 20 at 7 p.m., at Second City's UP Comedy Club, 230 W. North Ave, directed by Keely Vasquez and Artistic Director Michael Weber with music direction by Porchlight Artistic Associate Beckie Menzie.

Profiles in History is proud to announce all the nostalgic hidden treasures in their upcoming Icons & Legends of Hollywood Auction.

In a career that spans over 30 years, actress, writer, singer, composer and cult icon Gina Gershon will make her highly anticipated Cafe Carlyle debut with her new show 'Wild Women Don't Get the Blues' and our own Richard Ridge caught up with her shortly before her opening.

The Pride Arts Center's summer season will kick off on Sunday, June 3 at 7:30 pm in the PAC's Broadway venue with Melissa Young's OUT AND PROUD: A RAINBOW CELEBRATION.  Young will perform and emcee a musical and comedic tour of LGBTQ history that will also feature in its cast Nick Sula, Daryl Nitz, Jeannie Tanner and Dan Riley, performing some of the most iconic songs of the LGBTQ movement.

This Sunday evening, May 20th, 2018, SHARE Inc. celebrated their annual 65th Annual Boomtown Gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The event was headlined by The Righteous Brothers with additional performances by Martha and the Vandellas, Louis Van Amstel of "Dancing with the Stars" and the SHARE ladies. The event's MC was SHARE legacy, Natalie Lander, of ABC's The Middle.

Sarasota Opera's Da Capo Society, the only young patrons group, ages 21 - 45, dedicated to a single arts organization in Sarasota, will host The Wizard of Oz themed costume contest Thursday, June 7th at 6pm to celebrate the launch of the new season of "Classic Movies at the Opera House." Launched in 2017, the "Classic Movies at the Opera House" series will occur twice monthly starting Thursday, June 7 and will include timeless films designed to be enjoyed on the big screen in the elegance of the Opera House. Each presentation will begin at 7:30pm.

The classic musical The Wizard of Oz is announced as Storyhouse's 2018 Christmas show.

THE GREEN ROOM 42 - Broadway's newest intimate concert venue - will present THE SHAPIRO SISTERS, starring Milly Shapiro and Abigail Shapiro, on Friday, June 15 at 9:30 PM. Tony Award winner and Grammy Award nominee Milly Shapiro (A24's Hereditary, Broadway's Matilda) and Abigail Shapiro (How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Liberty: A Monumental New Musical) team up again in "The Shapiro Sisters: The Journey Continues," following their smashingly successful cabaret series at 54 Below, along with the release of their album, Shapiro Sisters: Live Out Loud. The sisters sing their way through the struggles and triumphs of being teenagers trying to make it on Broadway and the big screen. With showtune hits from A Little Princess to Spring Awakening to Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand favorites, Milly and Abigail deliver a show that packs a punch.

David Harrower's play, 'Blackbird' will have its Off-Broadway premiere from Thursday, June 7 to Sunday, June 24. 'Blackbird,' deals with sexual abuse.Broadwayworld.com had the pleasure of interviewing Gina Zenyuch who plays Una in the play.

Performer Jason Powell is set to bring the world premiere of his solo play The Book That I'm Going to Write, by Judy Garland to the Hollywood Fringe Festival, it was announced today by LadyWatch Productions. Directed by Phillip Fazio, it will run for five performances only at the Ruby Theatre @ The Complex beginning June 1, at 9pm.

It's 1968 and Judy Garland is about to make her comeback… again. In a London hotel room, with both her new young fiance and her adoring accompanist, Garland struggles to get "beyond the rainbow" with her signature cocktail of talent, tenacity and razor sharp wit. Featuring some of Garland's most memorable songs, this savagely funny play-with-music offers unique insight into the inner conflict that inspired and consumed one of the most beloved figures of our time.

GFour Productions, winner of 44 Tony Awards and 54 Drama Desk Awards, proudly brings the international hit show Menopause The Musical to Long Wharf Theatre (222 Sargent Drive) in New Haven, Conn., for a limited engagement Friday, June 15 through Sunday, July 1. Tickets are on sale now and available at the Long Wharf Theatre Box Office, www.longwharf.org, or by calling (203) 787-4282. Greater discounts for groups of 10+ available by calling (203) 772-8202.

Two time MAC Award Nominee MargOH! Channing is returning to the fabulous supper club Pangea with her show MargOH!'s Favorite Nips May 18 7PM and May 19 9:30PM

A great introduction to the theatre for young kids and first-time theatre goers, The Wizard of Oz is back with more glitz and glam than ever.

Two time MAC Award Nominee MargOH! Channing is returning to the fabulous supper club Pangea with her show MargOH!'s Favorite Nips May 18 7PM and May 19 9:30PM

It was confirmed this week that Stephen Schwartz, composer/lyricist of WICKED, has added music to his personal appearance at the annual OZ-Stravaganza! WIZARD OF OZ Festival in Chittenango, NY, on Saturday, June 2nd. His on-stage, free-to-the-public interview was announced earlier this month, but Mr. Schwartz has now offered to perform songs from the score of WICKED during that presentation. Schwartz, a three-time 'Oscar' and four-time 'Grammy' Award winner, will appear as the headliner of the 6:30 p.m. event at Chittenango High School, 150 Genesee Street. (Doors open at 6:15.)