Judy Garland became the consummate star of Hollywood's golden age thanks to turns in “The Wizard of Oz” and “Meet Me in St. Louis.” Nearly 46 years after her death, she remains a icon of tenacity whose talent was offset by personal struggles that gave her performances a heartbreaking authenticity.
At 2014's “Night of a Thousand Judys,” New York cabaret star Natalie Douglas paid appropriate tribute to the legend with a stirring rendition of “Stormy Weather.”
In this exclusive clip above, Douglas tackles the Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler classic, which Garland first performed at her storied Carnegie Hall concert in 1961.
Now in its fifth year, “Night of a Thousand Judys” -- which is a special presentation of New York- and Los Angeles-based actor, writer and performer Justin Sayre's variety show, “The Meeting,” and timed to coincide with Pride Month -- will benefit the Ali Forney Center, a New York advocacy group dedicated to homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) teens and young adults.
As in previous installments, performers from Broadway, television and downtown cabaret will hit New York's Merkin Concert Hall at the Kaufman Center June 1 to croon songs made famous by Garland during her fabled career. The 2015 lineup includes Melissa Errico, Liz Callaway, Michael McElroy, Lauren Worsham and The Skivvies, among others.
Sayre interviewed Ali Forney Center founder Carl Siciliano for his “Sparkle & Circulate with Justin Sayre” podcast. You can check that out here.
Meanwhile, you can also view some previous performances from “The Meeting” on Sayre's official YouTube page. For more Sayre, head to Facebook and Twitter, too.
“Night of a Thousand Judys” plays New York's Merkin Concert Hall at the Kaufman Center on June 1. Head here for more details.
Before You Go
