Among those working on the project are director and co-writer Steven Lippman, co-writer and Obie Award winner Ain Gordon, executive producers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman along with producer Mary Wharton.
The documentary, according to press notes, will be told "from the perspective of those who were in the audience at Carnegie Hall to create a picture of that day and evening in Manhattan and the experience of what is often described as 'the greatest night in show business history.' The landmark concert is a prism through which the film reflects upon the powerful bond between Garland and her audience, her lasting influence, life in New York City, and the promise of a new era.... The documentary will make extensive use of the music from the best-selling, multiple Grammy Award-winning recording of the concert, 'Judy at Carnegie Hall' (Capitol Records), in addition to an original instrumental score by acclaimed musician and producer Joe Henry."
Among those who attended the Garland concert are Carol Channing, Lauren Bacall, Henry Fonda, Richard Burton, Julie Andrews, Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Phyllis Newman, Harold Arlen, Kay Medford, Jerry Herman and Terrence McNally.
In a statement director-co-writer Lippman said, "When you listen to the recording, you can’t help but think, what must it have been like to be there? It’s so alive and visceral. Garland is so connected to the people as a performer, and they to her. It feels so personal. By looking at this from the other side of the footlights, it allows the film to explore a mosaic of intimate tales and perspectives, not just of the experience of this legendary night, but also of a great city in a time of social change. These witnesses bring us closer to something we can only imagine being part of. Their memories are potent. Their own lives, compelling. In turn, we’ll see something of ourselves in them, and how the times reflect back to us now. The connective threads all lead to Carnegie Hall and Judy Garland’s heroic and legendary performance. Everything that night merged in a perfect unplanned combination - the artist, the audience, the concert hall, the city, and the era – and it still resonates today."
A release date has yet to be announced.
