Perhaps one thing the world doesn't need is another male Judy Garland impersonator. Of course, that's no reason to start bumping the existing ones off. But that's what's happening in Doing Judy!, Dan Evans' new comedy, premiering Jan. 19 at Los Angeles' Matrix Theatre. Broadway performer Tom Pardoe (Miss Saigon, Beauty and the Beast) directs.

The hero of Doing Judy! is beefy homophobic cop Mike Manley, who is assigned undercover work in a desperate class of drag queen wannabes so he can discover who is killing off Judy Garland impersonators. Among his suspects are spicy Chica, who knows he's on the way to drag glory; gay icon worshipper and teacher Kenny, kept party boy Sugar, drunk sugar daddy Shelley, a widow with a temper, and a lost gay son Francine. Doing Judy! is Evans first play.

Doing Judy! features Patti Allison, L.B. Fisher, Jim Pirri, Francesca P. Roberts, Todd Sherry, Michael Bailey Smith, Sammy Williams, George Weiss Vando, Rick Felkins, Jason Morton and Oscar Quintero.

Tickets are $27.50-$29.50. The Matrix Theatre is located at 7657 Melrose Avenue. For reservations, call (310) 289-2999. Doing Judy! is on the web at http://www.doingjudy.com.

— By Christine Ehren