MI's Meadow Brook Stages Garland Bio Beyond the Rainbow Beginning Jan. 7

By Kenneth Jones
January 7, 2009

The life story of Judy Garland is conjured at Meadow Brook Theatre in suburban Detroit with William Randall Beard's play with music, Beyond the Rainbow, Jan. 7-Feb. 1.

Beyond the Rainbow "is set during a 1961 Carnegie Hall performance by Judy Garland," according to MBT. "As she sings the songs that made her famous — 'The Trolley Song,' 'Get Happy' and 'Over the Rainbow' — the story of her life unfolds around her."

The play was commissioned by the History Theatre in Minneapolis, where it premiered. This is the Michigan premiere. Opening is Jan. 10.

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Kimberly Vanbiesbrouck plays Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall, with Andrea Mellos playing Judy Garland in flashbacks. The cast also includes Seth Amadei, Milica Govich and Chris Korte, each playing people Judy encountered throughout her life.

Travis W. Walter directs. The creative team includes Stacy White (musical director), Terry W. Carpenter (stage manager), Brian Kessler (set design), Liz Moore (costume design), Reid G. Johnson (lighting design) and Mike Duncan (sound design).

Meadow Brook Theatre is the resident professional theatre on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester, MI.

For more information call (248) 377-3300 or visit www.ticketmaster.com or mbtheatre.com.