Paramount fundraiser to tell the story of Judy Garland
Published 10:21 am Thursday, March 13, 2014
Local performers are bringing the story of a Minnesota-born entertainment legend to the Paramount Theatre stage.
“Judy, Judy, Judy!” opens at 7:30 p.m. Friday and continues with performances at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The show, which is a fundraiser for the Paramount, pays homage to Judy Garland, with Krista Lenn Johnson portraying one of the three versions of Judy Garland.
Krista Lenn Johnson plays one of three version of Judy Garland in the upcoming presentation of “Judy, Judy, Judy!” and also wrote the script. She adapted the script from an earlier production that was also a fundraiser for the Paramount. — Herald file photo
“I want to give a picture of Judy that’s different,” Johnson said. “We highlight aspects of her life that were beautiful and aspects that were not so great, but it’s the truth.”
The idea for the fundraiser came from Austin Area Commission for the Arts Executive Director Jennie Knoebel, who approached director Jerry Girton about revisiting the production that first served as a fundraising for the Paramount a number of years ago.
That incarnation of “Judy, Judy, Judy!” was a narrative of aspects of Garland’s life. If it was going to be done this time it would be different.
“There was a narrator and then there were songs,” Girton said. “They weren’t related. I was in it and I don’t think we even went to a rehearsal. We should have Judy talk about her life in monologues and then do the songs.”
The script was written by Johnson, who has immersed herself in details about Garland’s life. Johnson said she simply wants to portray a version of Garland that is open and factual, which shouldn’t be hard considering Garland wore her own life on her sleeve.
“That’s what set her apart,” Johnson said. “She just simply was. It wasn’t an act, she wasn’t pretending.”
Garland had a presence on stage that took people away from their lives. According to many of her fans, including Johnson, Garland had the ability to sweep her audience away with her, raising them to her emotional plane.
“You appreciate her realness,” Johnson said. “You appreciate her openness. She was speaking her soul and that’s a brave thing to do.”
And of course, there were the songs. In a time when there were plenty of voices shining on stage and screen, hers was the one many remember the most.
Known as “One Take Judy” for her ability to do movie scenes in one take, Garland’s voice was distinctive. Musical director Coni Nelson said all the songs featured in “Judy, Judy, Judy!” are songs that not only are familiar, but that resonate.
“Every song here has a beautiful melody,” Nelson said. “They carry you away. So many singers you don’t remember, but Judy was unique that after three notes you knew who she was.”
Garland also had the ability, much like Carol Burnett, to interact with her fans, something that will also be reflected by Johnson throughout “Judy, Judy, Judy!” who will interact with the Paramount crowd.
It was a special quality few have.
“There’s an invisible fourth wall that singers and actors had with their audience that they didn’t cross,” Johnson said. “But not Judy. She was onstage and they were in the audience and their two worlds met. It was a relationship.”
Tickets are $20. All funds raised from the show will be donated to the Paramount.