Judy Garland News

Florida Studio Theatre presents an exciting new Summer Mainstage and Cabaret Season. The Mainstage kicks off with the foot-stomping musical Pump Boys and Dinettes, the humorous and inspirational drama Becoming Dr. Ruth, and the thought-provoking Taking Shakespeare. The Summer Cabaret Season will consist of At The Hop, by America's Premiere Doo-Wop group, The Alley Cats, Clearly Invisible: Magic Up Close with Carl Seiger, and Somewhere Over the Rose, The Songs and Stories of Judy Garland and Bette Midler.

As we reported last night, A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder's Robert L. Freedman won the 2014 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical. BroadwayWorld's own Richard Ridge was in the press room to catch up with the winner on what the award means to him - hear what Freedman had to say below!

Today, BWW takes an in-depth look at the newly minted winners of theater's most prestigous award!

A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder 's Robert L. Freedman has won the 2014 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical. Freedman received the Fred Ebb and Kleban awards for the musicals A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder and Campaign of the Century with Steven Lutvak, and was nominated for Emmy and Writers Guild awards for the television miniseries Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows.

Adelaide local Megan Doherty brings her next instalment of her personal growth to the stage with her new show DIRTY THIRTY.

Harold Arlen wrote over 400 songs from 1926 - 1974. His music was made famous by Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and the iconic Judy Garland. Vocal powerhouse Johanna Allen showcases a catalogue of his most well known music: The Man that got Away, Blues in the Night, Get Happy, One for my baby, The Old Black Magic, Down With Love, Paper Moon, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, and entwines stories from the women who loved him and the words of his other great musical work 'The Wizard of Oz'.

On Monday, June 9, Lorna Luft will bring 'Accentuate the Positive' to Birdland with performances at 7:00PM and 10:30PM.

'Woody Sez: The Life and Music of Woody Guthrie,' 'Maestro: Leonard Bernstein,' 'The Devil's Music: The Life and Times of Bessie Smith,' 'One Night with Janice Joplin.' What do these all have in common? They are shows that Cleveland Play House has staged in the last several years, and they are productions that showcase the musical talents of a particular artist.

Mercer County Community College's Kelsey Theatre never goes dark for long! Kelsey's summer season commences on July 12 with the first of four performance events that run through August 16. Tickets are on sale now, with discounted packages available with the purchase of three or all four of the shows. Kelsey Theatre is located on the college's West Windsor campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road.

Peter French will play The Pheasantry, Kings Road, Chelsea, tonight, 6th June 2014 with selections from Harry Nilsson's 'A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night'. Show time 8.30pm. Doors open 6.30pm.

Complete with flying monkeys and witches, colorful munchkins, and a real 'Toto,' The Wizard of Oz will run today, June 6th through the 22nd at the Baldwin Theatre, 415 S. Lafayette in downtown Royal Oak.

JudyCast.com has posted a new version of the legendary songstress taking on 'To Build A Home' from Jason Robert Brown's Tony-nominated show THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY on their YouTube channel - check it out below!

Florida Studio Theatre presents an exciting new Summer Mainstage and Cabaret Season. The Mainstage kicks off with the foot-stomping musical Pump Boys and Dinettes, the humorous and inspirational drama Becoming Dr. Ruth, and the thought-provoking Taking Shakespeare. The Summer Cabaret Season will consist of At The Hop, by America's Premiere Doo-Wop group, The Alley Cats, Clearly Invisible: Magic Up Close with Carl Seiger, and Somewhere Over the Rose, The Songs and Stories of Judy Garland and Bette Midler.

On Tuesday evening, June 10, the Burt Reynolds Institute for Film and Theatre will present a preview of The Property Known as Garland starring Lee Marlow and directed by legendary film actor Burt Reynolds at the Lake Park Mirror Ballroom. The show, which is being performed on Judy Garland's birthday, begins at 8:00 pm. The proceeds will benefit the Burt Reynolds Institute Building Fund. Tickets are $25.00 and can be purchased at the door or in advance by calling 561 743-9955. Seating is limited.

Lauren Stanford, winner of the 2013 MetroStar Talent Challenge, headlines the Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd Street, in a special prime time engagement beginning tonight, June 3.

Theater at Monmouth kicks off its 45th Anniversary Season with the return of Black Fly Follies on Saturday, July 5 at 7:30 pm.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com or call (646) 476-3551.

I have always been a sponge and I have and still have stars in my eyes when I see a performance that moves me.

There's a moment in the first act of Nicky Silver's THE LYONS when dying patriarch 'Ben' is asked whether he is in pain; his response, a monosyllabic 'Yes,' hardly ranks with any of the brilliantly barbed lines scattered throughout the play, but as intoned by veteran actor Ron Gephart, it acquires a startling variety of shades. As uttered by this gifted performer, a number of insights can be gained into the unfortunate Ben's character: Frustration, resignation, intolerance. If Mr. Gephart can manage that by simply saying 'Yes,' imagine what he is able to do with the dialogues and monologs that follow.

The East End of Long Island's own singer-songwriter, Rufus Wainwright, who released a "Best Of" compilation earlier this year titled Vibrate, will perform his most popular hits in a solo show at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center on Friday, June 20 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $60, $100, $140 and are available online at www.whbpac.org.