Chasing Rainbows – A New Musical

CHASING RAINBOWS is a new musical that tells the story of how Frances Gumm became Judy Garland. This “loving musical focuses on Judy Garland’s early years” (The New York Times), featuring an “Exhilarating” (BroadwayWorld) story “as wide-eyed as one of the Dream Factory’s grandest musicals, while still peering into the darkness of Garland’s early life” (Variety), staged with “Old Hollywood ebullience” (TheaterMania.com).

Hailed as “A refreshing view of Garland’s life with remarkable dance numbers, visually stunning with a top-shelf technical team, capturing the look and feel of a classic MGM film,” (The Broadway Blog), the musical features “buoyant tap numbers” (The New York Times) “bursting at the seams with exuberance, charm and hope.” (Curtain Up). CHASING RAINBOWS features classic songs such as “Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart,” “You Made Me Love You,” “I Can’t Give You Anything but Love,” “I’m Always Chasing Rainbows” and many more. Thrilling for audiences of any age, this “lively and lighthearted, old-fashioned musical” (Talkin’ Broadway) is “entertaining, family friendly and destined for Broadway.” (Popsurfing)

A little girl with a big voice.
An underdog who didn’t fit the mold.
An American icon who almost wasn’t.

In 1935, at the height of the Great Depression, a teenage girl landed a job that could support her entire family. Insecure about her looks and her place in show business, she was routinely demeaned by her boss. Her only solace was her irrepressible spirit and the tender love of her father, who died unexpectedly just two months later. That teenager was Judy Garland.

The show explores the extraordinary journey to stardom that culminated in one of the most popular films of all time,The Wizard of Oz. This story of an underdog is an inspiring tale of eternal love and fortitude.

Reviews

“This loving musical tells us how Garland soared, not how she crashed. Focusing on Judy Garland’s early years, Chasing Rainbows offers buoyant tap numbers.”

The New York Times

“The fresh-faced Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz looks at the performer’s earliest years — the ups-and-downs of when Gumm turned Garland. That Chasing Rainbows stays as wide-eyed as one of the Dream Factory’s grandest musicals, while still peering into the darkness of Garland’s early life, is what makes this new staged work alluring.”

Variety

“The magic of Judy Garland endures! In Chasing Rainbows you actually see the star being born onstage. When Ruby Rakos sings “Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart,” with Lawrence Yurman’s orchestra swinging the backup, it’s an atomic explosion. That’s the moment Judy Garland is born and Rakos thrillingly takes over the show. She’s a tornado.”

Bergen Record

“Ruby Rakos’ stellar voice is worth celebrating. Throughout the show, she demonstrates impressive tonal and expressive range worthy of her character’s legacy, and she nails the show’s climax with an arresting performance of ‘Over the Rainbow.’”

Star Ledger

“What a fabulous night. The talent in this show – Ruby Rakos as Judy, Lesli Margherita, who plays her mom, and Max Von Essen as her dad – is phenomenal. There is also fabulous choreography, including show-stopping tap numbers from Denis Jones.”

ET Online

“A buoyant love letter to the little girl with the big voice. Two-time Tony nominee Denis Jones directs and choreographs with old-Hollywood ebullience. We’re treated to some fabulous dance numbers (“All Ma’s Children” and “Got a Pair of New Shoes” are two of the most memorable) and the formidable vocal stylings of Ruby Rakos, who blasts classic tunes like “You Made Me Love You,” “Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart,” and “Swing, Mister Mendelssohn” to the rafters.”

TheaterMania.com

“Chasing Rainbows is exhilarating! Don’t miss this one. For those of us who are fans of Judy Garland, this show is a must. It will also appeal to people who appreciate an honest coming-of-age story about a young performer with outstanding vocal talent and a true passion for the stage. This compelling story, masterfully directed and choreographed by Denis Jones, is told with humor, spirit, and compassion complemented by an excellent musical score and dazzling dance numbers. Musical highlights abound in Chasing Rainbows. From the young performers to Broadway veterans, the songs are wonderfully presented and the dance sequences are mesmerizing.”

BroadwayWorld.com

“This show that centers on “Over the Rainbow” may well have you over the moon. Denis Jones is one of the few director-choreographers today who knows how to mine gold out of a musical that purposely resembles a Golden Age musical. He also knows Hollywood musicals, too, for his choreography is more in the vein of what we see in song-and-dance films. That’s as it should be, considering the setting.”

Broadway Select

“Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz is lively and intelligently entertaining. It is very well written, choreographed, directed and performed.”

Talkin’ Broadway