As the
Festival gets closer, we are gearing up for some fun events.
Here is more
about what will be happening Thursday, June 8 – Saturday, June 10
In this newsletter we will be talking about:
-
Happy
Anniversary, Judy!
-
The
Munchkins in Grand Rapids Contest and Film
-
High
Tea with Josh Gallagher
-
Talent
Contest at the Reif
Happy Anniversary, Judy!
 |
| Judy on the Jack Paar Show |
Each year John Fricke attends the Wizard
of Oz Festival, he has wonderful, insightful presentations on Judy
Garland. These are always events which convey the love and inspiration she gave
her fans, at the same time revealing something we didn’t know about this
talented woman.
This year, for his special video presentation on Judy, John has chosen to celebrate many of her special anniversaries:
50 years – Judy’s 3rd
triumphant engagement at the Palace on Broadway (1967);
55 years – The top-rated TV special –
Judy with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin (1962), and
The filming of her extraordinary
work in the motion picture “I Could Go on Singing.”
60 years - Celebrating her
long-playing “concept album,” Alone,
and
The record-breaking success
at London’s Dominion Theatre (1957);
65 years - Judy won her special Tony
Award, and
The birth of her daughter,
Lorna (1952).
Host John
Fricke, has just informed us that he has been able to collect some wonderful
footage for this presentation, including unedited news footage of Judy
receiving her Tony Award! This program is going to be an exciting and joyful
celebration of Judy’s fabulous career, so we are sure you won’t want to miss
it!
Happy
Anniversary, Judy will be on Friday, June 9th from 3:00pm - 4:30pm.
Tickets are $20. Of course, with a Judy Garland Membership, you will receive a
10% discount. Don’t miss it!
We’re Off to See the Munchkins and
The Munchkins in Grand Rapids
Contest!
One of the presentations at this
year’s Wizard of Oz Festival will be
the showing of the documentary film, We’re Off to See the Munchkins. In
conjunction with this, the Judy Garland Museum plans to open a new exhibit
titled “The Munchkins in Grand Rapids,” which will tell the stories of these
special little people from the 1939 film,
The Wizard of Oz, and their many visits to Grand Rapids!
In addition, the museum is holding a contest
for the best story/ picture of an experience you had meeting a Munchkin or a
group of Munchkins in Grand Rapids. The winner will receive a free ticket to
the showing of the film and have their story/picture featured in the new
exhibit. And, if you are not too shy, you may be asked to tell that story
before the film! For those who have purchased the special ticket package of all
Festival events, we’ll find a prize of equal value.
“We’re Off to See the Munchkins” is a
documentary film from 1993. In the film, eight “Munchkins” tell their
experiences of working on “The Wizard of Oz,” with cast and crew. Included in
the film are: Jerry Maren, Margret Pellegrini, Meinhardt Raabe, Carl Slover,
Clarence Swensen, Betty Tanner, Nels P. Nelson and Lewis Croft. The film runs 77 minutes.
High Tea with Music by Josh Gallagher
Our High Tea
in the Judy Garland House on Thursday, June 8th at 4:00 p.m. is
about half sold-out, so if you are interested, be sure to buy your tickets
soon.
Last year,
the house looked absolutely beautiful. This year, we have a new caterer with
some nice sandwiches and treats along with piano music by Josh Gallagher, an
amazing jazz musician from Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
Josh was recommended to us several years ago,
after visitors heard him playing the piano in the
Gumm family’s (Garland) front parlor when he was just a visitor himself. For the last two years, he has performed amazing concerts at the museum. This year, Josh will play some of your
favorite melodies in an amazing way during this high tea. He will also have a couple of surprises
for you that we are sure will add to the experience.
 |
| Guillia Piscitelli, winner of the 2014 Talent Show |
Talent Contest at the Reif
The Judy
Garland Talent Contest is for youth ages six through eighteen. The contest will take
place on Thursday, June 8 at 7pm. John
Fricke will host and some illustrious persons will serve as judges.
The guidelines and applications are available on our website, as well as at the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids. Judy Garland Museum
Please check
this out now and don't delay in submitting your application! There are less than
fifteen days left before the deadline to submit!
This is a great opportunity for talented youth! Maybe someone would like to attend a summer performing arts camp or take lessons they might not otherwise be able to afford.
Best of luck!
Coming Soon!
Look for our next newsletter, which will include a story on our special guest, Tina Marie Casamento Libby and her show, “Chasing Rainbows, The Road to Oz”!
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