JUDY AND LIZA

at the London Palladium-

a tribute

 

Sat, June 17

7:30 pm

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tickets $30

Students/Seniors $25

 

Featuring Nancy Hays and Mary Heffernan

Music Director Robert Ollis plus a jazz ensemble

 

Actress Nancy Hays and her daughter Mary Heffernan will present the story of the famed London Palladium concert which featured Judy Garland on stage with her own  daughter - Liza Minnelli, at age 18, in November of 1964.  Their performances of the classic numbers from that show will be intertwined with glimpses into the joys, traumas and triumphs of Judy’s long career at its peak and the beginnings of daughter Liza’s thrilling rise to stardom.

 

This show grew out of the premiere Chicago production of The Boy From Oz, which featured Nancy Hays in the role of Judy Garland, working with music director Robert Ollis. As they developed this tribute, Robert went to great lengths to re-create the unique musical arrangements of Judy and Liza from the original London Palladium concert. Heartfelt torch songs such as “The Man That Got Away” and “Over the Rainbow”, favorite duets like “Get Happy/Happy Days” and “Chicago”, and special mother/daughter medleys are all backed by authentic stylings for piano, percussion, clarinet and sax.

 

About the performers:

 

Nancy and Mary have appeared on stage together accompanied by an orchestra at Grant Park’s Summerdance, at Freedom Hall and as guests on popular morning TV shows (NBC, WCIU, WGN) with brother, Matthew, and sister, Caroline, as part of the family band, Nancy Hays & the Heffernans.

 

Nancy Hays is a veteran stage performer who has played leading roles in Chicagoland musicals including Mame, Gypsy, How To Succeed in Business, Pirates of Penzance, Steel Magnolias and The Boy from Oz.  Nancy has also worked as an opening act in Las Vegas and elsewhere with such legends as George Burns, Danny Thomas, Tommy Tune, Rita Rudner, Conway Twitty and many others. Her country song Come Dance with Me is an international hit. Nancy has made five tours of the UK with her original music.

 

Mary Heffernan, has overcome health issues and is a remarkable talent and  inspiration.  She has performed in numerous professional, community and school theatrical productions, including Into the Woods (Little Red) and Beauty and the Beast. Her portrayal of Laura in The Glass Menagerie was described as “perfection” by a noted Chicago critic.  At Loyola Academy she was the Rambler’s jazz band vocalist and sang the National Anthem at basketball games. Mary has a Master’s Degree in social work and spends her days working with seniors struggling with dementia, stimulating their minds by recalling favorite songs from their younger years.

 

Music director Robert Ollis will accompany the duo along with a jazz combo. Robert has served as Music Director for productions of Girlfriend, The Things I Could Never Tell Steven, A Man of No Importance, Southern Comfort, YANK! - A WWII Love Story, Priscilla: Queen of the Desert, The Nance, The Boy from OZ, Songs from an Unmade Bed, A History of Summer, The Book of Merman and Under A Rainbow Flag  by Pride Films and Plays in Chicago. He has music-directed multiple productions of the Casting Auction Players, as well as countless theatre-benefit concerts and Underscore Theatre’s hit show Haymarket: A New Folk Musical. Robert received a Jeff Award for music direction of Kiss of the Spider Woman, plus Jeff nominations for seven other shows. Robert has accompanied performers Donna McKechnie, Capathia Jenkins, Andrea Marcovicci, Nick Adams and Alexandra Billings at cabaret and concert venues in New York City and Chicago.

 

For more information, visit www.JudyLizatribute.com