A host of Broadway, television, and film stars will kick off LGBTQ+ Pride Month in New York with a powerful tribute to Judy Garland, some 90 years after her Hollywood debut. The 14th annual “Night of a Thousand Judys” hits Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater on Monday, June 1. As in previous years, the one-night-only concert is poised to be a song-and-dance spectacle, featuring performances by Claybourne Elder, Nathan Lee Graham, and Alysha Umphress, among others.
Proceeds from the show, which is hosted by writer-performer Justin Sayre, will benefit the Ali Forney Center, a New York advocacy group for homeless LGBTQ+ youth. Those who cannot attend but still wish to donate to the Ali Forney Center can do so online.
“Early on, we decided that far from a typical tribute show, this was about inviting artists from all over the creative map to present their take on Judy Garland, to show us what Judy means to them,” Sayre, who uses they/them pronouns, told HuffPost. “I think it makes for a really fascinating evening, because it’s always new.”
Honoring LGBTQ+ Advocates
This year, “Psycho Beach Party” creator and star Charles Busch will be presented with the Judy Icon Award in recognition of his contributions to LGBTQ+ rights and visibility. Similarly, theater producer and marketing professional Steven Tartick will accept the Good Judy Award in honor of his dedication to “uplifting the LGBTQ+ community.”
Though Garland died in 1969, she remains a mythical figure to many members of the LGBTQ+ community, young and old. Sayre believes if the stage and screen legend were alive today, she would “be out there — in any way she could — singing for us, connecting with us, letting us all know that we were not alone in this fight, and encouraging us to go on.”
“In every state, in every city, LGBTQ+ people are seeing their hard-won rights torn away by a religious right run amok and an emboldened Republican party without a moral compass,” they said. “Judy knew how she was loved and by whom. She cared about people. She cared about fairness and love.”
Five Essential Judy Garland Performances
To celebrate the 90th anniversary of Garland’s big-screen debut in 1936’s “Pigskin Parade,” HuffPost asked Sayre for their picks on her five best performances. Here is what they had to say.
‘The Wizard of Oz’ (1939)
“You cannot speak of Judy Garland without mentioning ‘The Wizard of Oz’ or Dorothy Gale. It is her signature role, her signature song, a part and a performance that would inform her entire trajectory as an artist. It is also how we think about Garland herself. To so many, she will always be a young girl looking to go over the rainbow. Almost a century later, it is still captivating and incredibly moving.”
‘Meet Me In St. Louis’ (1944)
“This is a personal favorite. Every Christmas, I curl up with my family and watch this gorgeous film. Not only is Garland sensational in it, but it is Vincente Minnelli’s direction that makes the movie so beautiful. It is a love letter of sorts to Garland and her talents. I love it. Plus, it is packed full of the hits. ‘The Trolley Song,’ ‘The Boy Next Door,’ and ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ — how could you go wrong?”
‘Easter Parade’ (1948)
“Most everyone talks about Judy’s partnership with Gene Kelly, and I love their films together certainly, but for me her on-screen chemistry with Fred Astaire is truly remarkable. It is the meeting of two great talents, playing to each other’s strengths, sharing the screen, and making each other so much better.”
‘A Star Is Born’ (1954)
“It is my go-to, ‘A Star Is Born.’ Not only is Garland incredible as a singer but also as an actor. She is heartbreaking. From ‘The Man That Got Away’ to ‘It’s a New World,’ Garland is at the height of her powers, breaking our hearts and making us believe, somehow, there can be a happy ending after all. Even with its missing scenes, it is a masterpiece.”
‘I Could Go On Singing’ (1963)
“I think this is the rawest and most visceral performance Judy Garland ever gave on film. She is incendiary. She is magnetic. She is basically playing herself, or at least a dramatized version of herself, and she is mesmerizing. Her musical numbers are simple and understated, not the production numbers from her MGM years, but all you need with Garland is a stage and the lady herself. It is magic.”
