Happy summer!
The Judy Garland Festival was a great success with
many visitors and happy times for people from Maine to California and not a few
in-between: Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona and more.
So we’ll get right to our report as well as
developments on the Judy Garland Birthplace and Garden.
In
this Issue
-
Judy Garden Birthplace Repair Fundraiser
-
Judy Garland Museum Garden
-
A New House and Garden Committee
-
Garland Festival Success!
- Chasing Rainbows News
-
Gift Shop Surprises
Judy Garland Birthplace
Repair and Restoration
As most of you know, the Judy Garland Birthplace is in
serious need of repair. Fundraising efforts began this spring on GoFundMe. At
present, we have raised over $1,000 on this site and an additional several
hundred through direct donations at the Judy Garland Museum and during the
Youth Wizard of Oz play at the Reif.
Following the Festival, organizer Paul Herrick and Judy’s fans agreed to
donate the several thousand raised during the Festival to the House fund as
well.
Meanwhile, a great deal more is needed, so fundraising
continues.
Judy
Garland Museum Garden
For many years now, the garden next to the Judy
Garland Birthplace has been owned by the Evergreen Nursing Home. When the
Nursing Home was recently sold, it did not include the garden. This June we
received news that the owner now wishes to sell the garden. Although it may not
be a site conducive for a business, this is not a good thing.
Fundraising efforts have begun to buy the Garden from
the owner and keep it as a permanent public garden with the Wizard of Oz theme
– a beautiful, restful place for visitors and a fun place for kids. The Judy
Garland Birthplace lot ends only ten feet from the house and the beautiful
garden effects the views from the historic home. Greenery and flowers in spring
and summer, autumn leaves in fall and a forestry snow in winter. Visiting the
garden is FREE and open to the public. It is a benefit to the entire community
and visitors to Grand Rapids. Different options are still being looked at. To
learn more, please visit our GoFundMe page.
Judy
Garland Birthplace and Garden Committee
Due to all the work needed to coordinate a Committee
for the purpose of coming up with fundraising ideas, promoting the fundraising
efforts and organizing estimates by contractors, etc. is being formed. Our
Board of Directors has put Michelle Russell in charge of this effort and we are
presently looking for committee members. We local people with ideas and
connections. Out of town persons may also be able to be involved in the
fundraising and idea efforts.
If you, or anyone you know might be someone who would
like to be involved, please contact Michelle Russell – catsong2@netzero.net
or call/text 218-259-4097.
Our goal is to get the most serious problems completed
this year by fall. It has been suggested that we could have a volunteer crew
scrape and sand the house. The paint job on the home will involve at least
several thousand dollars.
It is also possible that there may be contractors out
there who would like to do some volunteer work for the Judy Garland Birthplace,
either completely or in part. We are a non-for-profit and so donations of any
kind are tax deductible.
If persons wish to donate directly rather than on
GoFundMe, they may call us during business hours to charge: 218-327-9275
or
Go to our website: http://www.judygarlandmuseum.com
and donate via PayPal – PLEASE SPECIFY HOUSE or GARDEN
Persons may also mail us a check to the Judy Garland Museum P.O. Box 724, Grand
Rapids, MN 55744, again please specify HOUSE or GARDEN
We look forward to having a better report for you
within the next month.
Please check our Facebook for updates.
Judy
Garland Festival 2019
2019 marks the 80th anniversary of the
classic film, “The Wizard of Oz.” It also marks the 50th Anniversary
Thursday
The Festival opened with a bang-up event with Judy at
her very finest – The Jack Parr Show from December 1962 – a one hour plus of
“sock-o entertainment” as they used to say. John Fricke opened this event with
an explanation of where Judy was at this time – only two years from serious
illness when she was told she might not live and that she would never work
again.
Since that time, she had recorded a voice-over with
new songs for the cartoon, “Gay Puree,” (also starring Robert Goulet), and had
performed the triumph of her life at Carnegie Hall, releasing a recording of
that which brought her a Gold Record and the first Grammy for the live
performance by a female artist. In addition she’d lost a great deal of weight
and looked fantastic.
Although many people have seen clips of this show, to
see the entire show in context on a 10 foot screen was another matter. Her humility,
sweetness, humor and amazing performances told an audience who had for the most
part never seen her live, what the Garland phenomena was all about. In the end,
she and Robert Goulet sing “Mewsette” together in a performance that is show
biz perfection. It was a great opening for a Festival that continued from
there.
That evening pianist Josh Gallagher, took us through Judy’s
performance life by the decade, performing unique jazz renditions of Judy
Garland songs. The performance was one that could bring tears, smiles and make
you want to dance and Josh Gallagher was rewarded at the conclusion with a
standing ovation. By the way, Mr. Gallagher, who has attended and performed at
our Festivals for many years will soon be accompanying Wayne Newton in
Wisconsin.
Friday
The following day brought a mix of many wonderful
events. The morning opened with Judy Jeopardy presented by Paul Herrick and Joe
Malinovsky, always great fun for those who partake. The event was filmed by
Committee Films, who are working on a documentary about the Ruby Slippers.
Later that day, John Fricke took us to Judy at the
Movies with a special program originally prepared for Turner Classic Movies
Film Festival. This program, with film clips from 1929 to 1963 and wonderful
comments by people who worked with her, brought the audience even closer to
Judy Garland. Later in the afternoon, Mr. Fricke gave a talk on Judy entitled: Powerful,
Sincere, Fragile, Triumphant, Joyous, Iconic, Legendary.
Finally, that night fans and locals as well enjoyed an
amazing evening of music entitled “From Gershwin to
Garland.” Pianist Richard
Glazier, who travels the world performing ,was welcomed back after many years
along with vocalist Joan Ellison, who has her own Judy Garland Show. Joan is also working with the Judy
Garland Heirs Trust to find and restore many of Judy’s lost orchestrations.
 |
| Joan Ellison and Richard Glazier at the Reif Center |
The Mary Ives Theatre at the Reif was nearly full as
Richard Glazier not only played piano brilliantly, but told stories about the
music and his own life- what had drawn him to the music of George Gershwin and
Judy Garland. In a program made specifically for the Judy Garland Festival and
Grand Rapids, Mr. Glazier showed us filmed interviews with persons who had
worked in Judy’s films or knew her, including Mickey Rooney and Daniel
Selznick, (son of David O. Selznick and grandson of MGM studio head, Louis B.
Mayer). It was a beautiful event.
Saturday
The final day of the Festival included a wonderful
talk by John Fricke – Judy in Concert - with many selections from her
television series. The Gumm Family Grand Rapids Bus Tour, which was completely
sold out followed. This also was filmed by Committee Films. For those who could
get a bus tour ticket or preferred, the very first episode of the Judy Garland Show,
which boasted guest Mickey Rooney was shown. Quite a number of people attended
this showing.
Later that afternoon there “Singing in Judy’s House.”
This event was attended by an amazing 45 people. Josh Gallagher took over the
duty of pianist. He began with some wonderful songs that we all know and love
and then the requests started. Professional singer Jack Richter got up and sang
“Where or When” which got everyone wanting to sing. Later another wonderful singer,
Melissa Christopherson, performed Judy’s great hit, “The Man that Got Away.”
This event with all its joy, laughter, amazing piano work by Josh Gallagher and
wonderful singing by the audience was filmed by Committee Films as well.
That evening the Grand Finale Banquet took place at
the Timberlake Lodge. The food was absolutely delicious, the decorations lovely
and many expressions of gratitude for how Judy affected lives were made. And
finally, it was just nice to share with fellow-fans.
Everyone had such a good time, there was much talk
about next year. No announcements have been made as yet.
Chasing Rainbows Reading in Minnesota
Chasing Rainbows is a musical play about young Judy
Garland from the time she left Grand Rapids until she receives her ruby
slippers on the set of The Wizard of Oz. This show has received many
incarnations beginning with its opening in North Carolina a few years back to a
second playing of it at the Goodspeed Light Opera in Connecticut about a year
ago. Now, in advance of it's Papermill Playhouse New Jersey opening there will be a reading with its star in Excelsior, Minnesota!
There has been much talk of the show going to Broadway – not
an easy accomplishment these days with extra huge costs. Meanwhile this year,
Judy’s daughters Liza and Lorna gave their approval to the show. Here from John
Fricke, who worked on verifying the facts during its original conception is the
latest!
Gift
Shop Treasures & Souvenirs
Just an extra note regarding our gift shop. Just
before the Festival we further organized our collection and found that we had
many duplicate Life Magazines and other items that fans might love to collect
on Judy.
As always we have a wide selection of books, DVDs, LP
Records, CDs, dolls and collectible plates among other things. We cannot put
all these things on our website so if you are looking for something in
particular, please call us. We ship.
Added to this, we also carry Minnesota and Grand
Rapids Souvenirs.
I sure hope the Garden issue can be resolved. I am a fan of Judy Garland's as well as her daughter Liza Minnelli; she played Pookie Adams in THE STERILE CUCKOO, a movie that reminds me of my early college years.
ReplyDeleteAs of now, the situation appears to be on hold and we are still trying to work negotiations or see how we can find the money. Thank you!
ReplyDelete