Judy Garland News

On this very sad day, BroadwayWorld.com will be sharing memories from around the theatre industry. This piece is written by Broadway legend Liza Minnelli. To contribute your memories, please contact us.

...we'll still be playin' his songs.

Producers Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel and Howard & Janet Kagan announced today that THE ANARCHIST, a new play written and directed by DAVID MAMET starring PATTI LuPONE and DEBRA WINGER, previously announced to be presented at the Lyceum Theatre, will now be presented on Broadway at the newly refurbished Golden Theatre (252 West 45th Street). All persons who purchased tickets prior to the venue change will be contacted by Telecharge.

LIZA MINNELLI, the irrepressible icon of stage and screen, queen of cabaret and winner of Tonys, Golden Globes, a Grammy, an Emmy and an Oscar, returns to the Hollywood Bowl for a special, one-night-only appearance on Saturday, August 11.

Les Michaels Sundays In Summer at the Arthur Newman Theater in Palm Desert will present the multitalented impressionist Bethany Owen direct from the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas.

Mario Cantone, star of TV's Sex and the City, Comedy Central's Chappelle's Show, and Broadways Assassins and Laugh Whore, for which he was Tony-nominated, will join the Broadway at The Art House series for two shows only, tonight, Aug 4 and tomorrow night, Aug 5, joined by host Seth Rudetsky at the piano.

Magic ruby slippers, singing munchkins, a dancing scarecrow and an Emerald City all come to life again on the big screen when Theater To Go presents a special family sing-along of the classic film "The Wizard of Oz" at Mercer County Community College's Kelsey Theatre. This interactive presentation will take place on Friday, Aug. 3 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 4 at 7 p.m.; and Sunday, Aug. 5 at 2 p.m. Kelsey Theatre is located on the college's West Windsor campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road.

According to Deadline.com, Broadway and Smash executive producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron of Storyline Entertainment have just signed a two-year contract with Sony Pictures Television to produce several TV movies and miniseries.

Feinstein's at Loews Regency will continue its Summer 2012 season with the return of internationally acclaimed entertainer, Deana Martin, August 14-18.

One for My Baby, set to a score of some three dozen Harold Arlen classics and billed as "a song-and-dance celebration ofbig-city nightlife at the end of World War II," will have a private, industry-only workshop at the New 42nd Street Studios, 229 West 42 Street, this October 11 and October 12.

Another truly masterful turn - this time as Liza Minnelli - is what Peter Mac presents in his newest tribute show Liza in Concert. Sharing the weekend bill - Thursdays & Fridays through August, with mama Judy Garland on Saturdays and Sundays, Liza has deliciously choice things to say about ex-hubbie Peter Allen, composers Kander & Ebb, and of course, Judy. But mostly, in this show, the emphasis is on singing.

The highly acclaimed Broadway production of End of the Rainbow, written by Peter Quilter and directed by Tony® Award winner Terry Johnson, will play its final performance on Sunday, August 19, it was announced today. The production, which began performances on Monday, March 19, 2012 and opened to rave reviews on Monday, April 2, will have played a total of 176 performances at Broadway's Belasco Theatre.

Universal Television and NBCUniversal International have signed a development deal with Storyline Entertainment's Craig Zadan and Neil Meron ("Smash," "Chicago," "Hairspray") that will give the studio a first look at series and specials created by the acclaimed multi-award winning producers for US and international television markets.

FEINSTEIN'S AT LOEWS REGENCY will continue its Summer 2012 season with the return of jazz vocalist REBECCA KILGORE in her new show "The Jazzy Side of Judy Garland."

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.'

Philadelphia native and acclaimed singer Melody Gardot returns to Philadelphia to make her debut at the Merriam Theater on Saturday, September 29 with a performance of works from her third album release, The Absence.

By any definition, Ann Arbor resident, author, theatre professional, teacher, lecturer, mother and wife, Jacqui Robbins is a veritable renaissance woman, and this summer has been no exception. A founding board member of Ann Arbor's Penny Seats theatre group, Robbins just directed her third production with the troupe - the musical 'She Loves Me' - which opened to capacity crowds at the West Park Band Shell this past weekend. Robbins also has two successful children's books in print 'The New Girl...and Me' and 'Two of a Kind," and she has just had a poem published in the compilation 'Dare to Dream...Change the World."

SG Productions and the Arts Theatre present DRAG DIVAS, opening on 9th August 2012.

In preparation for the All-Day Long Island Al Jolson Festival (in Oceanside, NY) on Saturday, August 18, BroadwayWorld.com cabaret columnist Stephen Hanks offers his take on what made the 'World's Greatest Entertainer' so great, and muses about the reasons as to why he is such a devotee of the man who once owned Broadway and starred in the first talking picture.

The countdown to Profiles in History's July auction begins. Run by Joe Maddalena, Profiles in History has announced that costumes from Whitney Houston, Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez will be in attendance. Taking place in Los Angeles, The Dreier Collection will be auctioned off today, July 28th, the Animation Auction will be July 29th and the Treasures from the Hollywood Vaults auction has been moved to July 30th and July 31st.