"Nancy Hays is a powerful Judy Garland as she opens the show with “Once In A Lifetime” and Liza is played to perfection..."
-Alan Breslov, Around the Town Chicago
-Alan Breslov, Around the Town Chicago
ONCE IN A LIFETIME Enjoy Nancy Hays and Mary Heffernan’s performance as they lovingly recall the famed 1964 concert of the legendary mother-daughter duo of Judy Garland and an 18-year-old Liza Minnelli at the London Palladium. This tribute celebrates the classic songs, joyful movement and affectionate banter of that historic occasion, with solos like “The Man That Got Away”, “Just in Time” and “San Francisco” and duets like “Chicago”, "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart" and “Get Happy/Happy Days”, backed by the jazz-combo arrangements of Jeff-Award-recipient Robert Ollis, music director.
The tribute show grew out of the hugely successful Chicago-premiere production of The Boy From Oz, with Nancy Hays starring as Judy Garland. Shortly after the show closed, Nancy approached music director Robert Ollis with the idea of paying tribute to the famous Palladium concert. He agreed to arrange and orchestrate the score, and the rest is history. . . .
The show has had multiple performances to sold-out crowds at the Uptown Underground speakeasy in Chicago, with costumes designed by John Nasca. Later, the Judy & Liza tribute show was presented at New York City's famed cabaret venue: The Metropolitan Room. More recently, singer Mary Heffernan (Nancy's real life daughter) joined the production for a series of concerts and cabaret engagements at venues like the Theatre of Western Springs and Le Piano jazz club in Chicago. Earlier versions of the show have also been presented at The Palace in the Wisconsin Dells and at Chicago's Greenhouse Theater Center in 2020.
The tribute show grew out of the hugely successful Chicago-premiere production of The Boy From Oz, with Nancy Hays starring as Judy Garland. Shortly after the show closed, Nancy approached music director Robert Ollis with the idea of paying tribute to the famous Palladium concert. He agreed to arrange and orchestrate the score, and the rest is history. . . .
The show has had multiple performances to sold-out crowds at the Uptown Underground speakeasy in Chicago, with costumes designed by John Nasca. Later, the Judy & Liza tribute show was presented at New York City's famed cabaret venue: The Metropolitan Room. More recently, singer Mary Heffernan (Nancy's real life daughter) joined the production for a series of concerts and cabaret engagements at venues like the Theatre of Western Springs and Le Piano jazz club in Chicago. Earlier versions of the show have also been presented at The Palace in the Wisconsin Dells and at Chicago's Greenhouse Theater Center in 2020.