Judy Garland News

Thanks to Tony-winner Kenny Leon and a delightfully entertaining cast of characters, 'Home' is most certainly where the heart is this holiday season. Coming into this year's NBC live musical, theatre lovers nationwide were appropriately apprehensive, given the spotty results from THE SOUND OF MUSIC and PETER PAN. However, in THE WIZ LIVE!, we were finally given a production worthy of the show's beloved Broadway legacy. Executive Producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan still haven't solved the riddle of recreating a stage show's scope and grandeur on screen without an audience, but with a once-in-a-lifetime star, and one of the most acclaimed casts in recent memory, for the first time since this annual experiment began in 2013, there's truly a reason to rejoice!

Little did Frank Baum realize in 1900 when he wrote the book, THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ, that he was creating a cottage industry. 'Chachkas' such as snow globes, stuffed Toto dogs and figurines of the characters dot many a household. Clothing, including red crystal shoes, checkered gingham 'Dorothy' dresses and Halloween costumes galore, relate aspects of the tale.

Spend your holidays with the country's funniest comedy crew, Chicago's own Second City, when The Second City's Holidazed and Confused Revue descends on the Paramount's Copley Theatre, 8 E. Galena Blvd. in Aurora, for a holiday run, tonight, December 4-20.

Helen Sheals, Belinda Wollaston and Lucy Penrose have been cast to play Judy Garland in three different stages of her life in Through the Mill, a new play featuring a hit list of Garland greatest standards, by Ray Rackham.

Irving Berlin's 1949 musical about the model who posed for the Statue of Liberty is rarely done.

Flat Rock Playhouse's presentation of CHASING RAINBOWS: THE ROAD TO OZ world premiere chronicles the life of a young Judy Garland. This exciting new musical explores her extraordinary journey from vaudeville to Hollywood to stardom which culminated in one of the most popular films of all time, THE WIZARD OF OZ. The production runs now through December 19, 2015 at Flat Rock Playhouse, the State Theatre of North Carolina, nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Opening night is tonight, December 2, 2015.

The Film Society of Lincoln Center and the Jewish Museum will present the 25th annual New York Jewish Film Festival (NYJFF) at the Film Society's Walter Reade Theater and Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center

The Film Society of Lincoln Center and the Jewish Museum will present the 25th annual New York Jewish Film Festival (NYJFF) at the Film Society's Walter Reade Theater and Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center, January 13-26, 2016.

Flat Rock Playhouse's presentation of CHASING RAINBOWS: THE ROAD TO OZ world premiere chronicles the life of a young Judy Garland. This exciting new musical explores her extraordinary journey from vaudeville to Hollywood to stardom which culminated in one of the most popular films of all time, THE WIZARD OF OZ. The production runs now through December 19, 2015 at Flat Rock Playhouse, the State Theatre of North Carolina, nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Click below to watch highlights from the show!

Flat Rock Playhouse's presentation of CHASING RAINBOWS: THE ROAD TO OZ world premiere chronicles the life of a young Judy Garland. This exciting new musical explores her extraordinary journey from vaudeville to Hollywood to stardom which culminated in one of the most popular films of all time, THE WIZARD OF OZ. The production runs now through December 19, 2015 at Flat Rock Playhouse, the State Theatre of North Carolina, nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: FUNNY GIRL opens tonight in London, INVISIBLE THREAD bows off-Broadway, and BRIGHT STAR begins in D.C.!

The Off-Broadway premiere of Jerry Mayer's new comedy, 2 Across, began a open-ended engagement on November 14th at St. Luke's Theatre (308 West 46th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). Emmy Award nominee Evelyn Rudie ("Eloise") directs a cast that stars Andrea McArdle and Kip Gilman. Opening Night is set for Wednesday December 9th.

This December and January, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW presents an exciting lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond. Located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street. For a detailed schedule of upcoming performances at Feinstein's/54 Below and to purchase tickets, visitwww.54Below.com/Feinsteins. 

Universal Music Enterprises celebrates Judy Garland's incredible legacy with a trio of remastered, 180-gram vinyl reissues of her greatest albums

Left, check out the three actresses sharing the role of Judy Garland in the world premiere of THROUGH THE MILL!

The Fred Ebb Foundation in association with the Roundabout Theatre Company presents the eleventh annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters to Stacey Luftig and Phillip Palmer. The award, named in honor of the late award-winning lyricist Fred Ebb, will be presented by Karen Ziemba tonight, November 30th from 6-8pm at a by-invitation-only ceremony in the Penthouse Lounge of The American Airlines Theater.

In an all-new mashup video, characters from the Golden Age of Hollywood show off their dance moves to the tune of Mark Ronson's 'Uptown Funk' featuring Bruno Mars.

The Palmer House Hilton is proud to announce dinner, dancing and an all-star performance in celebration of the centennial of Frank Sinatra's birth, tonight, Nov. 28 in the legendary Empire Room within the Palmer House Hilton, 17 E. Monroe St. The event begins at 6 p.m. with a cocktail hour followed by, a three-course gourmet dinner with choice of entrée, and wine service then a special “Tribute to Frank”  featuring Chicago's top cabaret performers Joan Curto, Shelley MacArthur, Paul Marinaro, Beckie Menzie, Tom Michael, and Johnny Rodgers. The birthday party concludes with dancing to The City Lights Orchestra conducted by Rich Daniels until 11 p.m.  Single tickets are $125, with VIP tickets, which include premium seating and an open bar throughout the night, are $150. Reservations may be made at celebrating100yearsofsinatra.brownpapertickets.com.

The film and stage star purchased the apartment with then-husband Jason Robards in 1961 fir under $100,000.

On Thanksgiving Day, BroadwayWorld announced the nominees in 14 categories for the 2015 BWW New York Cabaret Awards. BroadwayWorld's cabaret editors and reviewers congratulate all the deserving nominees and everyone who performs in the great art of cabaret in New York. But today, as you munch on the leftovers from last night's dinner, it's time to actually vote for that one performer who you think is the absolute best in each category. Voting ends on December 31 and after a review of the ballots, winners will be announced officially early the week of January 4, 2016. (Note: There will not be a BWW Awards Show this year.)