End of the Rainbow is set in December 1968 and Judy Garland is about to make her comeback... again. In a London hotel room preparing for a series of concerts, with both her new young fiancé and her adoring accompanist, Garland struggles to get "beyond the rainbow" with her signature cocktail of talent, tenacity, and razor-sharp wit. This savagely funny drama offers unique insight into the inner conflict that inspired and consumed one of the most beloved figures in American popular culture. End of the Rainbow features some of Garland's most memorable songs, performed with the show-stopping gusto for which she will always be remembered.
What Is the Story of End of the Rainbow?
Judy Garland returns to London in 1968 to prepare for a comeback concert at the Talk of the Town nightclub. Accompanied by her new, young fiancé Mickey Deans and her loyal pianist, Anthony, Garland is struggling to stay sober and afraid to perform without drugs and alcohol. As the stress builds and her demons reappear, Garland must decide for herself the best way to get through the ordeal.
"After watching Tracie Bennett’s electrifying interpretation of Garland in the intense production that opened on Monday night at the Belasco Theater, you feel exhilarated and exhausted, equally ready to dance down the street and crawl under a rock. Ms. Bennett is giving one of the most complete portraits of an artist I’ve ever seen. Ms. Bennett locates, both physically and emotionally, that perilous, bipolar energy that so often animates great performers. Touch this woman at your own risk. She burns."
The New York Times
Ben Brantley
"Somewhere over the rainbow, Judy Garland never spotted her pot of gold. But a British actress named Tracie Bennett found hers - in the person of Judy. She is sensational in the erratic Broadway show End of the Rainbow, about Garland's last attempt at a comeback, which opened Monday night."
Philadelphia Inquirer
Howard Shapiro
"There are productions that exist solely to feature a spectacular star. This is one of them. Rush to the Belasco to catch Bennett and revel in her—and Garland’s—glory."
Backstage
David Sheward
"In a full-throttle performance that holds nothing back, Tracie Bennett channels an off-the-rails Judy Garland near the completion of her downward spiral, giving End of the Rainbow a fiercely dynamic center. "
Hollywood Reporter
David Rooney
"Tracie Bennett, the woman tasked with filling Garland's ruby slippers, is so stunning that she manages to raise the dead. Bennett doesn't simply play the fading actress and singer – she IS Garland: haughty, mannered, funny, arch, kittenish, pleading, needy, imperious, tortured and savage. Bennett also peppers the play with husky, vibrato-filled, pitch-perfect versions of songs in Garland's repertoire, including ‘The Man That Got Away,’ ‘Come Rain, Come Shine’ and ‘Dancing in the Dark.’"
Associated Press
Mark Kennedy
