Judy's Scary Little Christmas: Noho Arts Review

NOHO ARTS

12/20/02

Judy’s Scary Little Christmas

A theater review by Michelle Malik

Judy Garland makes a final comeback to Television City with a cast of posthumous guests in a remarkably funny and sentimental play, Judy’s Scary Little Christmas at the Victory Theatre in Burbank. Amanda Abel played Judy on the night of December 8th, replacing regular cast member Connie Champagne. With the Garland drawl, affected persona and warm interpretations of original songs, Ms. Abel takes us back to 1959 in a Twilight Zone moment, as Judy is joined by the uncanny likenesses of boo-booing Bing Crosby (Sean Smith), a boisterous Ethel Merman (Lauri Johnson) nemeses, the hysterically stiff Richard Nixon (Eric Anderson) and hot-under-the-collar Lillian Hellman (Jan Sheldrick), who duet in a show-stopping rendition of “Ever Been in Love?,” a melodramatic, grotesquely made-up Joan Crawford (Joanne O’ Brien), and an ostentatious Liberace, played by Charles Herrera (regularly Don Lucas). Dustin Strong played the role of Punch, the 50’s puppet, usually played by Jim Hormel.

The show opens with a be-bopping quartet (Heather Holland, Terri Homberg, Jonathan Neeley, and Charles Herrera) singing “Back in Christmas Town” with exaggerated expressions. During commercial breaks, the audience listens in to uncensored banter between the characters. As the show becomes increasingly bizarre, Judy, like her Dorothy character from The Wizard of Oz, tries to uncover what strange land she is in and why she gathered such a ridiculous consortium of visitors. Death (director, Mark Cross) comes to claim everyone back, revealing that they are not really in Television City but the void in between, where they finally come to grips with their lifetime transgressions.

Dustin Strong also played the departed gay Sailor, who helps to build Judy up, insecure even in death, in a final heart-wrenching scene before the marvelous finale number, “Make it Shine.” Directed and choreographed by Kay Cole, written by James Webber and David Church, and music and lyrics by Joe Patrick Ward, Judy’s Scary Little Christmas is the most refreshingly unusual fare you will see this holiday season. The show runs through December 22nd. Contact the Victory Theatre for remaining show times and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”