PAST SHOWS - 2008
LORNA LUFT in
SONGS MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME
Celebrating her mother JUDY GARLAND
Written & Directed by Ken & Mitzie Welch
Arranged/Orchestrated/Conducted by Colin R Freeman
31 May 2008 @ 8pm
City Recital Hall, Angel Place
SYDNEY
“A rousing, dramatically riveting musical event. The use of Garland video has enormous impact” ~ Daily Variety Lorna Luft – daughter of Judy Garland is returning to Sydney to perform one show only at the City Recital Hall on Saturday 31 May of Songs My Mother Taught Me - a lovingly staged multimedia extravaganza melding one of the most familiar songbooks with intensely personal, often hilarious memories plus private photos and video footage of Lorna’s mother; the legendary Judy Garland. Sydney audiences already know the irresistible talents of Lorna Luft, after her sell-out concert in February.
Showtune Artistic Director David Hawkins said “I had to bring the entire show to Sydney as it was wonderful to see the audience spell bound when she did only a segment of the show and it made me realise the huge love there is in Australia for Judy Garland. Showtune is also touring Lorna 's cabaret show nationally but only Sydney audiences will see Songs My Mother Taught Me.” New musical arrangements of Garland’s classic orchestrations ensure that this rich tapestry of songs are given the illustrious and deferential treatment they deserve with a ten piece band made up of some of Australia’s best musicians. Lorna brings unmatched emotion to many of her mother’s signature songs including Come Rain or Come Shine, The Man That Got Away, Rock-A-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody accentuated with touching and humorous memories. The show features never before seen footage and photos plus dozens of tunes from some of Garland’s most popular films: The Wizard Of Oz, Easter Parade, Meet Me In St. Louis and A Star Is Born.
Written and directed by Emmy Award Winners Mitzie and Ken Welch (best known for The Carol Burnet Show), Songs My Mother Taught Me pays homage to composers, performers and pals who were part of Garland’s life including Harold Arlen, Ira Gershwin and celebrates the birth of the Rat Pack.Variety called Songs My Mother Taught Me “a rousing, dramatically riveting musical event” that played eleven weeks at the historic Canon Theatre in Beverly Hills and was awarded two Los Angeles Theatre Alliance Ovation Awards for ‘Best World Premiere Musical’ and ‘Best Musical Direction’. The show completed an-eight week engagement at The Savoy Theatre in the West End, and just this year a regional tour of the UK. an incandescent revelation, not to be missed”. ~ Los Angeles Times“ Attendance is mandatory at this rainbow-vaulting occasion ~ Critics Choice LA Times
"Affectionate, Amusing… a knock-out” ~ New York Post
