Judy Garland News

1963 was a busy year for Barbra Streisand. She released her debut album to the world, Barbra Joan Streisand, and was readying the classic movie-musical Funny Girl. Yet, that year she joined another well known performer, Judy Garland, to perform two songs on her variety show, The Judy Garland Show, and to introduce the world to the seamless melding of Get Happy and Happy Days Are Here Again, a duet with Judy Garland. Of the epic performance, Vanity Fair reports Barbra elucidating Garland's feelings during the song.

In the upcoming musical exploring the relationship between Liza Minelli and Judy Garland, Janke Dekker will portray Liza, Jelka van Houten will play Judy. Theo Nijland, who will compose several new songs to accompagny the well-known hits by the two diva's, will be featured in the show as well.

Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) announced that legendary entertainer Regis Philbin will return as the special guest host of 'Bing Crosby Christmas Radio,' a limited-run holiday channel celebrating Crosby's life and legacy by airing his beloved, classic radio broadcasts from 1942 -1962 brimming with celebrity guests and musical performances, plus a rare recording of Crosby reciting the iconic poem 'The Night Before Christmas.' This year for the first time, SiriusXM's 'Bing Crosby Christmas Radio' will feature special presentations of 'Bing's Basement,' a collection of Christmas-related outtakes, rarities and obscurities from the personal Crosby vault.

The actor/playwright talks about his work on 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'

On Sunday December 16 at Oil Can Harry's in Studio City Peter Mac received the Lifetime Achievement Golden Halo Award from the Southern California Motion Picture Council for his outstanding recreation of Judy Garland onstage. Presenting him the honor was Council President Randal Malone and MGM stars Margaret O'Brien and Mickey Rooney.

'Judy and Liza Together Again', starring internationally acclaimed entertainers Rick Skye and Tommy Femia, named 'Best Duo' this year by the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC), has been extended again through the winter season at Don't Tell Mama's (343 West 46th Street).

Vicky's of Santa Fe in Indian Wells is described as 'the locale for the most exciting jazz series in the Desert presenting 6 Jazz Programs by The American Jazz Institute, proceeds of which benefit The American Jazz Institute's in school mentoring and music scholarship program in the Coachella Valley.'

Emmy Rossum is a double threat. The Award-winning actress will be releasing her first album with Warner Bros. Records on January 29th. The album, titled Sentimental Journey, will feature a collection of covers done of classic songs spanning the 1920's to the 1960's.

Happy Birthday, Tammy Blanchard! Blanchard was nominated for a Tony Award in 2012 for her performance in HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING and is best known for her portrayal of the young Judy Garland in "Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows" (Emmy Award, Golden Globe and AFI nominations). Her Broadway credits include Gypsy (Tony nomination, Theatre World Award). She was most recently seen in the film Moneyball. Blanchard's other film credits include The Good Shepherd, Bella, Cadillac Records and Rabbit Hole, and she recently completed The Music Never Stopped, Certainty, Union Square and Burning Blue. Her television credits include "A Gifted Man", "We Were the Mulvaneys," "Sybil," "Living Proof," "Amish Grace," "The Good Wife," "Law & Order: SVU", "Guiding Light", and the original Lifetime TV movie, "Of Two Minds."

THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF SONG: The Music of Harold Arlen, a musical revue featuring Stormy Weather, Come Rain or Come Shine, Paper Moon, Accentuate-The-Positive, Lets Fall in Love, and all the much-loved tunes from THE WIZARD OF OZ, begins previews at St. Luke's Theatre, 308 West 46th Street, NYC tonight, December 13 and opens officially on Thursday, January 10 at 8 PM.

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre - the acclaimed gay comedy/variety show - will continue its fourth season tonight, December 13, 2012 at The Duplex in New York's West Village. According to Time Out New York, 'The Meeting* has become a cult hit among a young, festive and culturally aware crowd. Sayre is an avatar of modern-retro cultivation.'

n the last few months, Judy Garland memorabilia has earned record-high prices at auction; The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences acquired a pair of the iconic ruby slippers from 'The Wizard of Oz' for their forth-coming museum at a price of more than $2 million dollars and Dorothy's signature blue gingham dress fetched nearly a half million dollars.

By popular demand, Florida Studio Theatre has extended the run of the hit show Let's Twist Again: with the Wanderers, the ‘50s & ‘60s style musical revue, and Smokey Joe's Café, featuring music by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.

Bay Street Theatre, in association with Historic Films Archive, presents The Legends Series CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR film on Friday, December 21 at 8 pm.

Broadway legend Andrea McArdle has two new albums set for release on Broadway Records. The first, '70s and Sunny: Live At 54 BELOW', was recorded during her triumphant debut at the new Broadway hotspot 54 BELOW and will be released today, December 11, 2012. The second recording, 'Calendar Dream', is an exciting new project that teams Andrea up with a stellar array of Broadway's most awarded writers to journey though a year of a woman's life.

Following the passing of Mexican-American singer/songwriter and actress Jenni Rivera, collaborators on her last film, FILLY BROWN, have released statements on her death.

World-class jazz pianist Hal Schaefer died this past Saturday morning, December 8, at his home in Fort Lauderdale, FL. He was 88 years old and still active.

The Des Moines Community Playhouse presents the family holiday classic, 'The Wizard of Oz,' tonight, Dec. 7-30. Tickets may be purchased online at dmplayhouse.com, by phone at 515-277-6261, and at the Playhouse ticket office, 831 42nd St.

When I first opened my New York City studio in 1977, I had just been hired as one of the pianists for the new Broadway musical, Annie. Many of my fellow voice teachers were quite upset that kids were being asked to belt in that show, feeling that only classical "head voice" singing was healthy. Also, at that time, most voice teachers and coaches would refuse to work with any student who had not reached puberty. They were under the impression that voice lessons could "ruin" a child's voice, which for many years was a widely accepted belief.

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre - the acclaimed gay comedy/variety show - will continue its fourth season on Thursday, December 13, 2012 at The Duplex in New York's West Village. According to Time Out New York, 'The Meeting* has become a cult hit among a young, festive and culturally aware crowd. Sayre is an avatar of modern-retro cultivation.'