Arts & Entertainment
Judy in disguise
New York production explores Garland’s wobbly London shows
‘End of the Rainbow’
Belasco Theatre
111 West 44th Street
New York
$31.50-$121.50
212-239-6200
From left, Michael Cumpsty, Tracie Bennett and Tom Pelphrey in ‘End of the Rainbow.’ (Photo by Carol Rosegg; courtesy O and M Co.)
The Judy Garland of “End of the Rainbow” (now on Broadway) isn’t the triumphant Judy who reclaimed her starry diadem after the astonishing comeback concert at New York’s Carnegie Hall in 1961. This Judy is seven years older, further down on her luck and shakier than ever. And while playwright Peter Quilter’s close-up look at the disintegration of a great talent is compelling, it’s Tracie Bennett as Judy who takes the show to an entirely different level. Her spookily spot-on channeling of the troubled superstar is phenomenal.
Set in a suite in London’s Ritz Hotel and the nearby Talk of the Town nightclub where Judy is precariously poised to make yet another comeback, the musical play repeatedly asks the question will she or won’t she? Will Judy be able to perform? Will she stay sober? Doing their best to prop her up offstage and on are manager and soon-to-be fifth husband Mickey Deans (Tom Pelphry), and her gay Scottish-born pianist, Anthony (the excellent Michael Cumpsty). Ultimately, each is fighting a losing battle. Just months after the erratic London club dates, Judy would be dead from an accidental overdose of barbiturates. But for now the show must go on.
Bennett’s Judy draws on the star’s renowned wit, clownishness, foul humor and charm. There’s also the cunning and desperation of an inveterate drug addict. At this point in her life, Judy’s poison of choice is Ritalin washed down with Stoli vodka, but when she can’t get that, any other “adult candy” will do: After mistakenly gobbling pills that were prescribed for a mangy cocker spaniel, she says, “I don’t need a doctor. Call a vet. If I start to pee on a lamppost, then call a doctor.”
Within the fancy suite (designed by William Dudley who also did the perfect costumes), there’s tension. Judy sees her younger paramour as a protector while accompanist Anthony considers Mickey a crass opportunist. He’s written and Pelphrey plays him somewhere in between. Initially Mickey weans Judy off drugs, but later becomes her supplier when she can’t perform without them.
Like any good bio play, “End of the Rainbow” covers all the bases. Judy recalls her vaudeville roots and Benzedrine-fueled MGM youth, cracking jokes about Mickey Rooney’s cigarette–stunted growth, Deanna Durbin’s unibrow and young Elizabeth Taylor’s charm (“She was so charming you just wanted to run her down with a car!”). She covers her lifelong drug addiction and a couple ex-husbands, but conspicuously absent is any mention of her three children whom from all accounts she adored. She gives a nod to her gay fans: “I could throw up in their laps and I would still be glamorous.”
Bennett, who’s been playing the part since early 2010 when the musical opened to critical acclaim in London before transferring to Broadway in March, sounds and looks (especially in profile) like the bony, middle-aged Garland seen in variety show and concert clips. The manic, jerky movements are all there — outstretched arms, upturned palms, jumpy legs. But it’s more than an impersonation. Directed by Terry Johnson, Bennett fully inhabits the star, artist and damaged woman.
Her quavering voice is a tad hoarse, but it works for this late stage in Judy’s career. When she sings “The Man that Got Away,” her hotel room morphs into a nightclub, nicely demonstrating the blurred boundary separating the star’s private life and career. Her riveting Ritalin-addled take on “Come Rain or Come Shine” is a poignant commentary on a once great talent now sick but still putting across one of her signature songs.
Wry and unconditionally loving, Anthony (representing Garland’s many gay fans) offers Judy permanent sanctuary at his home by the sea, promising wholesome food, quiet walks and chaste kisses. Sounds cozy, but Judy isn’t biting. Despite more than once claiming to be “all sung out,” in the end she goes with what she knows: a chaotic life of work, fans and drugs.
Out & About
Congressional Cemetery hosts Gays & Graves
Daylong Pride celebration blends history, remembrance, art and community
Historic Congressional Cemetery will host the second annual “Gays & Graves: A Big Gay Festival” on Sunday, June 14 at 11 a.m.
The event will feature pioneering activist Randy Wicker, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, and new public art installations and programs celebrating LGBTQ+ history. Gays & Graves is an official partner event of Capital Pride 2026.
This event is a daylong Pride celebration blending history, remembrance, art and community. Visitors can shop from LGBTQ+ and allied artists and makers, experience performances and interactive installations, and engage with programs exploring LGBTQ+ history and lived experience.
For more details, visit the cemetery’s website.
Baltimore Pride is underway, taking place from June 8-14.
The Pride Parade will be on Saturday, June 13 at 12 p.m. at Charles Street & North Avenue, followed by the Pride Block Party at 1 p.m. at Druid Hill Park. And then the Pride Festival will be held on Sunday, June 14 at 12 p.m. at Druid Hill Park.
There will be an array of additional events including: a fashion show, a “Suits and Sneakers” reception and a 5k race, among many other events.
For more details, visit Baltimore Pride’s website.
Friday, June 12
Bet Mishpachah will host “Pride Shabbat Happy Hour” at 6 p.m. at Edlavitch DC Jewish Community Center. This is an in-person happy hour with an open wine and beer bar, great company, and joyful conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Women in their Twenties and Thirties will meet at 8 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social discussion group for queer women in the Washington, D.C. area. For more details, visit Facebook.
Saturday, June 13
Out N Bad will host “SWEET WHINE: DC Pride Queer Caribbean Slow Whine Function” at 9 p.m. at Decades DC. This is a late-night escape into slow and steamy Dancehall & Kompa only. No splits. No headtops. No pressure. Tickets are $22.14 and are available on Eventbrite.
The DC LGBTQ+ Community Center will host a screening of “10s Across the Borders,” a bold pan-Asian queer film that confronts homophobia, transphobia, and racism while celebrating Southeast Asia’s underground ballroom scene. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Sunday, June 14
Beth A Wolfe Yoga will host “Pride Baby Goat Yoga” at 1 p.m. at Faith Lutheran Church in Arlington, Va. The goats will be decked out in their finest Pride apparel, and human participants are welcome to do the same. Proceeds from this event will go to the Trevor Project. Tickets cost $44.52 and are available on Eventbrite.
Monday, June 15
“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam ([email protected]).
Tuesday, June 16
“Self-Defense Class with Avi Rome” will be at 12:30 p.m. Rome is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and a full-time Martial Arts instructor with 25 years of teaching experience. He holds a 5th Degree Black Belt in Jhoon Rhee Tae Kwon Do and is the director of the studio’s Adaptive Tae Kwon Do program for students with special needs. He has also run numerous self-defense workshops for various groups and situations. For more details, visit the center’s website.
Center Bi+ Roundtable will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is an opportunity for people to gather in order to discuss issues related to bisexuality or as Bi individuals in a private setting.Visit Facebook or Meetup for more information.
Wednesday, June 17
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.
Thursday, June 18
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5:00 pm if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.
Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breathwork and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Congressional Cemetery hosts Gays & Graves
Baltimore Pride is here
Calendar: June 12-18
Gender-bending buddy film gets 4K restoration for 25th anniversary
German group slams White House’s LGBTQ rights record ahead of World Cup
‘Mighty Real’ explores history of LGBTQ music
D.C.’s housing reality: Cautious optimism meets landlord strain
Hundreds of thousands expected to attend D.C. Pride events
PHOTOS: Pride Run
