Judy Garland Letter from Home - News Time!

HAPPY SPRING TO ALL!

It was spring here in Grand Rapids until Sunday when we woke up to snow. Now, once again, things are turning green and sunny, but we just heard more snow is coming! That’s Minnesota!

Meanwhile, we have a lot of news, including information on our Wizard of Oz Festival, June 8 – 10, so here we go.

                                  ****

Dash for the Ruby Slippers

For the first time ever, there will be a 5k run during the Wizard of Oz Festival. This idea, suggested by fan, Justin Charles, is ready for sign-up! 

Hosted by the Children’s Discovery Museum, the aptly named Dash for the Ruby Slippers will take place on Saturday, June 10^th, beginning at 8:30 a.m.

There will be two prizes for this event – a trophy for the Fastest Runner and a trophy for the Best Costumed Runner. Meanwhile, we think it will be a great event for all ages-- even if you just want to make it a Ruby Slipper Walk!

 Sign-up now and the cost will only be $20. AFTER May 19^th, the fee goes up to $30. Children between the ages of 4 and 12 are $10. Under 4 is free.

To sign up, please go to:   http://www.signmeup.com/119850

Please note: the sign-up for this event is NOT included in the Festival Package.

In addition, we would like to note that we are still in need of:

Sponsors – You or your business may help sponsor this event. Your name will appear on the event T-Shirt

Volunteers – We could use about 10 volunteers for Saturday, June 10^th.

Please contact Sheena Richards at the Museum, if you would like to help.

Judy Garland Talent Contest

2017 will have a return to the annual Judy Garland Talent Contest – an event for youth ages six through eighteen. Now that the Reif Center for the Performing Arts has completed its grand additions and renovations, we will be happy to see this contest held in the Reif’s new 200-seat Ives Studio Theater.

Winners from the 2015 Contest

The show will be MC’d by John Fricke with three illustrious talent judges on our panel: David Marty, director of the Reif, Mary Jo Jess, Grand Rapids theatre director, and our special guest, Tina Marie Casamento Libby, New York actress, director, producer, who conceived the excit-ing new show, “Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz.”

The prizes this year will be extra exciting.

First Place - $1,000

Second Place - $500

Third Place - $250

These prizes are in the partial form of scholarship money.  For the details on this and applications, please visit the www.judygarlandmuseum.com website and look under the 2017 Wizard of Oz Festival. You may print out the application and all the information, or you may go to the Museum to pick them up. In addition, the Museum Gift Shop has songbooks for sale.

All performers are asked to keep with the theme of The Wizard of Oz (including The Wiz, Wicked, etc.) or Judy Garland’s career – which includes a vast amount of material. Applicants should put their own style into these presentations. For further information, please e-mail us or give us a call.

It is suggested that you get ready and submit your application in now. June 1^st is the last day applications will be accepted!

The New Grand Theatre

A few weeks ago, there were reports that a number of buildings in downtown Grand Rapids were about to be torn down to make way for a new brewery/restaurant. Although this heavily trafficked block is passed daily without much thought, there was a great deal of concern by Garland fans that a certain historic building would soon be gone.

The reason for this concern is the fact that it was a building on this Pokegama Avenue block, that Judy Garland—then Frances Gumm-- made her theatrical debut at the age of two and a half. It was a career beginning that never stopped for the next 44 years. This is, indeed, a historic site, so we are happy to report that as of this date, there are no plans to tear the former New Grand Theatre down.

Fan Katie Stella visits the former New Grand Theater

This year is also an important marker in the existence of the former New Grand for it was in April of^th birthday.
1917, that it was completed, marking its 100

There have been many misconceptions about the history of the Gumm theatres in Grand Rapids, so here is some information which may set the facts straight. When Frank and Ethel Gumm first moved to Grand Rapids in 1914, only a couple of months after they were married, Frank went to work for Bentz and Barlow, who were running a movie theatre known as The New Grand, in a portion of the Oddfellows Hall. This building stood across the street, “kitty-corner” to the present New Grand building.

Eventually, Frank Gumm, having bought Mr. Barlow out, became partners with Fred Bentz. The movie theater business under Frank Gumm’s management (with Ethel Gumm on piano for the silent movies and onstage with Frank on various weekends) was been quite successful, so it was decided that a new building should be found. After searching for some time, it was decided there wasn’t a suitable building in town. Eventually, it was agreed that one would be built, specifically for use as a theatre. The pair hired Jesse Matson (pronounced Jess), a mining boss in Keewatin, and plans were made for a new state-of-the-art theatre. Frank and Fred took numerous trips to Minneapolis in order to buy seats and sign agreements for the best movies.

Back of the New Grand where the Gumm girls often played.

On April of 1917, with great excitement, the New Grand had its “grand opening.” What Bentz and Gumm couldn’t know was that America would soon join the war in Europe, which changed the whole economic status in Grand Rapids, however, using their ingenuity, he pair rode it out, and the family would continue at the theatre, with frequent weekend performances, both by the parents as “Jack and Virginia Lee,” and their three little daughters, as the “The Gumm Sisters,” into October of 1 926.

After the Gumms left Grand Rapids, the theatre was renovated and continued to operate as The New Grand. It closed in 1931, the day before the new theatre next door, the M opened. It was in this theatre, that Judy Garland appeared during her visit in 1938. At that time, she went onstage to speak to the audience, but per her MGM contract, she was not allowed to sing.

Since that time, the New Grand has operated as an office building, but her basement may be found, marks showing the formerly slanted theatre floor and other details.

More information will be coming soon!

It’s Tea Time!

One of the favorite events last year was High Tea in the Judy Garland House. This year we will have a Tea Party once again with the much-loved Josh Gallagher on the piano. We want to tell you, there are a couple of added surprises too. You’ll have to wait and see what they are!

 The High Tea enables fans and others alike to experience life in Judy Garland’s childhood home the way it was back in 1925. Judy’s parents Frank and Ethel Gumm loved to entertain. Ethel was said to have been a wonderful cook, who also loved decorating her home for special events – using different themes, she would choose follows and colors which brought a certain atmosphere to the event.

Last year, our High Tea was simply beautiful, with loads of ^th from 4:00-5:30 pm. However, we must warn you, there is only room for 30 people, so if you are interested sign up now. This event is a fundraiser for the Judy Garland Museum. The price is $25.

flowers from home gardens, fine china, silverware, and fine linen. This year, the event takes place on Thursday, June 8

To sign-up, visit our 2017 Festival page at www.judygarlandmuseum.com

EMERALD CITY FEST – 

THIS YEAR AT THE JUDY GARLAND MUSEUM

One big change at our Festival this year is that the Emerald City Fest will take place outdoors at the Judy Garland/Children’s Discovery Museum. It was decided in this way people attending the event will be at the same location where Dorothy’s Farm Animals takes place, and at the same time they will be able to visit the Museum, if they wish to do so.

This is a fun event for kids of all ages with games, Oz projects, carriage rides, a scavenger hunt and more. Meet characters from The Wizard of Oz and take pictures with them!

 The Emerald City Fest will take place on Saturday, June 10^th, from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.  Following immediately after will be Dorothy’s Farm Animals from 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

During both events, there will be a Specialty Food & Candy Hut with hot dogs, chips, popcorn, caramel apples, and specialty candies from the Candy Hut. Drinks will include pop, lemonade and water. A wash-up station will be provided.

New Exhibit “LAKE LIFE” at the Children’s Discovery Museum

Director John Kelsch at the Lake Life Exhibit

Speaking of the Children’s Discovery Museum, last Saturday, April 22^nd, the long-awaited “Lake Life” at the Children’s Discovery Museum had its grand opening. The exhibit brings great changes to the museum. The great new design and fabrication was produced by Jeff Brown / BrownKnows Design LLC. In addition, instead of white walls, murals by artist, Ashley Wereley, now grace the walls revealing beautiful nature scenes of all the seasons with snow, green grass and streams, autumn woods and blue skies

.

The children who attended the event were thrilled by the fishing dock, row boat, rock climbing wall, log cabin, rope walk and the new little theatre with pull rope curtains. There’s a lot more to spark children’s imaginations and learn as they play at camping and being out in the wild in a safe environment. If you have children, be sure to bring them to play in at this amazing new exhibit!

***

That’s all our news for now, but we assure you that more will be coming very soon!

Please be sure to visit our website for further information on the Festival http://www.judygarlandmuseum.com

Just pull down the Festival tab!

Please like our Facebook page:  http://www.facebook.com/judygarlandmuseum