Judy Garland News

Actors from all over the country come to the nation's capital each year to share their holidays with us. Both local and visiting performers are here in DC over the holiday season, sharing their talents in Ford's Theatre's A Christmas Carol, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas at the National Theatre, and Arena Stage's Carousel. We reached out to ask them what holiday songs made the top of their nice list!

'For 47 years, the world of entertainment was blessed with a force of nature called Judy Garland,' Michael Feinstein begins, 'and for Judy, it all began at MGM.' As the artist takes his time with Arthur Schwartz/Howard Dietz's 'That's Entertainment,' screens on either side of the stage show clips from the film of the same name deftly edited to reflect every lyric. A coda of special material makes 'star' recognition even more specific. In Feinstein's A HOLIDAY TO REMEMBER at Feinstein's/54 Below, we hear songs from Garland's films and appearances, some iconic, others less known. Despite a life of trials, we're told, the performer left a legacy of optimism and joy. She had a quick-witted sense of humor, especially about herself. On one occasion, when Lucille Ball was praised for her humor, she responded that it was scripted, while Judy Garland's was spontaneous. The show is peppered with illuminating anecdotes.

Next week, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond.

Mx Justin Vivian Bond is a force of nature with more than a quarter century onstage under v's (Bond's preferred pronoun) belt. A singular performer with an endless supply of bon mots, Bond has been celebrated with an Obie Award, a Bessie, a Tony nod, and the Ethyl Eichelberger Award, among other accolades. Fresh off a year-long career retrospective culminating in September's THE GOLDEN AGE OF JUSTIN VIVIAN BOND, v returns to Joe's Pub on December 12 at 9:30pm with a new holiday show, THE BIPOLAR EXPRESS. Ahead of the first show, we spoke over the phone about the show, v's enduring career, and the holidays themselves.

After a successful opening night 2014 MAC Award Nominee MargOH! Channing is returning to Pangea with her all new show MargOH! Channing is HUNG on December 15 at 7PM.

BWW Interviews: Actress/Singer Emily Yancey

Popular local vocalist and performer Cami Miller, will premiere her holiday solo cabaret, Merry Christmas With Love... in the Winter Park Playhouse Spotlight Cabaret Series December 14 and 15. Playhouse Music Director, Christopher Leavy, will accompany on piano.

BroadwayWorld San Francisco spoke with Kerry Conte, who plays Betty Haynes in the national tour of White Christmas. The musical comes to San Francisco December 14-24. Kerry tells us about the science behind Irving Berlin's music, working with Lorna Luft, and becoming a part of the White Christmas family.

Next week, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com/Feinsteins or call (646) 476-3551.

The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts continues its star-packed 25th anniversary season in January 2017 with more than two-dozen amazing productions from a Broadway smash hit to comedy superstars, from musical legends to fascinating lectures.

Red Hot Mama - The Sophie Tucker Songbook - is the story of the first lady of show business, the 'Last of the Red Hot Mamas', whose remarkable career spanned sixty years.  It contains the music and history of burlesque, vaudeville, Broadway and Las Vegas, in a critically acclaimed One-Woman Off-Broadway musical biography of the entertainment legend, written by and starring Tony Award Nominee Sharon McNight.   The LA Times reported, 'McNight gives the performance of a lifetime as 'The Last of the Red Hot Mamas'.

'BUSBY BERKELEY,' a nine-day festival spotlighting the early movie musical trailblazer famous for his eye-popping kaleidoscopic production numbers, will run at Film Forum from Today, December 7 through Thursday, December 15.

They've already taken you to Austria, Neverland and Oz. On December 7, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are Baltimore-bound.

Today, THE ILLUSIONISTS' Charlie Frye speaks exclusively with BWW and explains why he takes his art seriously, but never takes himself seriously!

This year, STAGES reinvents OZ for a sardonic look at what 2016 means for America, all the while offering a fun, frothy musical on the surface. It's an odd mix of jabs at the federal government combined with a jingoistic love of all things Texas. It works though, and gosh darn it if it isn't fun!

Come be a part of a live 1940's studio audience, as an ensemble of actors bring dozens of characters to life on the radio - to tell the story of George Bailey in this beloved American holiday classic!  It's A Wonderful Life the Radio Play directed by Derek Whitener (The Drowsy Chaperone, Mary Poppins, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Billy Elliot) and Musical direction and original composition by Scott A. Eckert. 

After a successful opening night 2014 MAC Award Nominee MargOH! Channing is returning to Pangea with her all new show MargOH! Channing is HUNG on December 15 at 7PM.

Ranging from the nationally known singer/actress Linda Purl to Peter Rapanano's Christmas Show and the hilarious Hedda Lettuce and ending with a New Year's Eve like none other with Comedian Julie Goldman, The RRazz Room at the Raven in New Hope brings great variety to audiences in December at Bucks County's premiere supper club.

2016 Broadway World Toronto Award nominee (Best Leading Actor in a Musical), Michael Hughes, brings The Michael Hughes Christmas Special at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts, Today, December 3, 2016.