Judy Garland News

ETonline reports that Julien's Auction house has sold the dress worn by the character 'Dorothy' in the iconic 1939 film THE WIZARD OF OZ for a a whopping $480,000. Actress Judy Garland donned the blue gingham frock, which brought in the highest price of any other piece of film memorabilia offered at the event held over the weekend.

'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 through the Fall season at Don't Tell Mama's (343 West 46th Street).

To high-kick-start its 60th anniversary season, Musical Theatre West in Long Beach, CA is presenting a glossy, high-energy revival of what could be the Great Grand-Daddy of all backstage musicals: 42ND STREET. This terrific, tap-tastic new production continues performances at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center through November 11.

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) will welcome Linda Eder to the Music Center at Strathmore tonight, November 8 at 8 p.m., who will perform "Songbirds," a program featuring the music of Lena Horne, Etta James, Barbra Streisand, Judy Garland, Eva Cassidy and more. Note: The BSO does not perform on this program. Please see below for complete program details.

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 on December 11, 2012 and is available for pre-order HERE. 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.

After receiving more than 3,000 nominations once BroadwayWorld.com announced it's first-ever New York Cabaret Awards in early October, BWW is now pleased to announce it's final nominations ballot in 20 categories. Now it's time for all you cabaret performers and fans to vote for the best singers, musicians and shows of the year. Voting will continue until December 31 and winners will be announced in early January.

On November 1 the annual Palm Springs Follies opened their 22nd spectacular season with an all new show entitled Dance to the Music featuring special guest star Lorna Luft. Slick, scintillating, sophisticated, sassy - the ladies are dressed...or should I say undressed more provocatively than ever - the show runneth over with ageless appeal. And what is more vitally expressive than dance? Move, move, move to musical styles that cover the 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s! After that, they are quick to point out, real music stopped.

The first 11 o'clock number of the evening came at around 8:05, when Marc Kudisch opened Town Hall's The Best of Broadway By The Year concert by caressing Lerner and Loewe's “If Ever I Would Leave You” with his rich, dramatic baritone and superlative musical acting skills.  It was a very appropriate opening since Kudisch, a regular participant throughout the concert series' twelve-season history, very much represents what these evenings have evolved into; a look at what Broadway could be in a commercially different environment.

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre - the acclaimed gay comedy/variety show - will continue their fourth season on Thursday, November 15, 2012 at The Duplex in New York's West Village.

Renowned, powerhouse vocalist and entertainer Lorna Luft will headline the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies newest incarnation, DANCE TO THE MUSIC, when it opens today, November 1 in the historic Plaza Theatre in downtown Palm Springs. Born to legendary entertainer Judy Garland and producer Sid Luft, Lorna's acclaimed career has encompassed virtually every arena of entertainment. A celebrated live performer, stage, film and television actress, best selling author, recording artist and Emmy nominated producer - she continues to triumph in every medium with critics labeling her one of the most vibrant, versatile and exciting artists on stage today.

In her new cabaret effort, It's a Good Day: A Tribute to Miss Peggy Lee (running four more times through next February at the Metropolitan Room), Stacy Sullivan so adroitly articulates and emotionally inhabits the songs-and Lee's life story-through the astute arrangements and the well-crafted script, that it is almost impossible not to come away with a new appreciation for one of America's greatest jazz/blues/pop singers.

Only the very best of the Great American Songbook will be featured as Closter, NJ residents, Francine Evans and husband, Joel Zelnik extend their run of "DESTINATION: Las Vegas - The Musical Journey" through December at Stage Left Studio, 314 W. 30 St/7 Ave/6th. floor, NYC.

La revision del clasico 'El Mago de Oz' trae en clave de funk, rock, gospel y pop las aventuras de Dorothy y su viaje hasta ciudad Esmeralda. El teatro Maravillas de Madrid acoge hasta el 27 de enero la produccion de la compañia Mundiartistas, que ofrece una actualizacion del tradicional relato de la joven de Kansas acompañada de nuevos estilos musicales, aunque con el mismo mensaje de optimismo.

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) will welcome Linda Eder to the Music Center at Strathmore on November 8 at 8 p.m., who will perform "Songbirds," a program featuring the music of Lena Horne, Etta James, Barbra Streisand, Judy Garland, Eva Cassidy and more. Note: The BSO does not perform on this program. Please see below for complete program details.

Darren Julien, Founder and CEO of Julien's Auctions and Martin Nolan, Exeuctive Director, will bring some of the world's most iconic costumes to New York this week for one day only on Thursday, 10-25-2012. The world's premiere celebrity and memorabilia auction house will celebrate Hollywood Icons & Idols, an unprecedented Hollywood collection of over 800 items of screen worn wardrobe, props, original photographs, and celebrity owned items which will go on the auction block on November 9-10, 2012.

Legendary Latin/jazz percussionist Jack 'Mr. Bongo' Costanzo has only performed twice in New York City in the last 60 years--once at Carnegie Hall in 1948 and once at the famed Basin Street East in 1961--but he'll make a rare NYC appearance October 30 at The Iridium to perform with cabaret favorite Terese Genecco & Her Little Big Band featuring Ricky Ritzel. Sets are at 8 & 10pm.

Streisand is currently touring North America, selling out from Brooklyn to LA, and yesterday performed at Montreal's Bell Centre where she performed 'Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again' - the duet arrangement Judy Garland and Streisand made famous on The Judy Garland Show - with her sister, Roslyn Kind.

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre - the acclaimed gay comedy/variety show will continue their fourth season tonight, October 18, 2012 at The Duplex in New York's West Village.

Gay Film Weekend, today, October 18 to 21, will feature enhanced staged readings of the five finalists, panels on the history and creation of LGBT film, and a Queer Shorts Film Program curated by Indie Boots Film Festival.

Florida Studio Theatre presents a tribute to the dreamy harmonies and boyish innocence of pop music's past with Let's Twist Again: with the Wanderers, the new '50s & '60s style revue bopping into Florida Studio Theatre's (FST) Goldstein Cabaret (1241 N. Palm Avenue) tonight, October 17 at 7:30pm. Tickets