Tracie Bennett's End of the Rainbow to shutter early on Broadway

Peter Quilter's play End of the Rainbow with music about the final days of Judy Garland starring Tracie Bennett will close on August19th at the Belasco Theatre on Broadway. It was hoped that the run would last to January 6th next year,

But it's not the end for Tracie as the production will play at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles from March 12th-April 21st, a tour is in offing and a film adaptation starring Bennett is also being developed.

The production began performances in NY on March 19th and will have played a total of 176 performances on Broadway wneh it closes.

Tracie Bennett’s End of the Rainbow extends on Broadway and then tours

Tony and Olivier  nominated End Of The Rainbow starring Tracie Bennett gives behind-the-scenes look at the final months in Judy Garland's life has extended its Broadway run to January 6th 2013.

The show played in London and went on a UK tour before transferring  Broadway in March with Bennett receiving rave reviews for her tour de force performance.   

And it looks as though it will be some time before we see her back in the UK as she is staying on in the US to also go on a national tour which starts on March 2013.

Tracie Bennett to play Judy Garland on End of the Rainbow Tour

Tracie Bennett has just been talking to Paul O'Grady on his live ITV show  and has confirmed that she will be performing the role of Judy Garland in the tour of  End of the Rainbow  which is due to start in August.

End of the Rainbow ends its run at the Trafalgar Studios on 21st May so if you can't get to see it in London you can now catch it on tour.The dates will be published shortly.

Tracie Bennett not performing tonight at End of the Rainbow

But it's not as disastrous as it sounds! Tracie is the tour de force currently playing Judy Garland in End of the Rainbow at the Trafalgar Studios.  It is an enormously demanding part, but somehow she has managed to do every performance - with the exception of tonight when the show is not on.

Instead you can see Tracie on the Paul O'Grady show which is live on  ITV1 at 9:00 pm tonight.

End of the Rainbow closes at the Trafalgar Studios on 21st May, but is due to go on tour in the Autumn (full details to follow in the next few days) and is Broadway bound next year.

Tracie Bennett and End of the Rainbow Broadway bound

The New York Times has reported that End of the Rainbow which is a play with music about Judy Garland’s last months before overdosing on drugs in 1969 is heading for Broadway in the Spring of 2012.

The Broadway production will star the fabulous Tracie Bennett who is so great in this role which she is currently playing at the Trafalgar Studios. 

End of the Rainbow will play eight weeks at the Guthrie theatre in Minneapolis from January 28th-March 11th before opening on Broadway.

End of the Rainbow is also scheduled to do a UK tour after it closes in London on 21st May.  Dates confirmed include Royal & Derngate Theatre Northampton from 25th August - 3rd September and Theatre Royal Norwich from 5th to 10th September 2011.  I don’t yet know if Tracie will be going with the tour – more news to follow shortly.

Tracie Bennett End of the Rainbow Show Recording out on 31st January

One of the best shows I have seen this year is The End of the Rainbow starring the amazing Tracie Bennett as Judy Garland.  It was due to   play at the Trafalgar Studios until 5th March, but due to poplular demand the booking period has now been extended  by 5 weeks until April 16th.  You can purchase tickets for The End of the Rainbow at: www.ticketmaster.co.uk

They are releasing  a London Cast Recording on 31st January 2011 which you can pre-order at: www.amazon.co.uk

The track listing on the album is: 

1. Anything But Love/Just In Time
2. Medley – The Bells Are Ringing for Me and My Gal / You Made me Love You/ The Trolley Song
3. The Man That Got Away
4. When You’re Smiling the whole World Smiles With you
5. Come Rain or Come Shine
6. Somewhere Over the Rainbow
7. Get Happy/By Myself
8. When the sun Comes Out
9. Smile
10. I Could Go On Singing
11. San Francisco
12. Zing Went the Strings of my Heart
13. Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Bonus Track) 

STOP PRESS: Tracie Bennett will be at Dress Circle on Saturday 5th February from 12:00 noon 1:00 pm to sign copies of the New London Cast Recording of "End of the Rainbow".

Tracie Bennett to play Judy Garland in End of the Rainbow

Award winning musical theatre diva Tracie Bennett plays Judy Garland in Peter Quilter's End of the Rainbow in London's  Trafalgar Studios 1.  Directed by Terry Johnson it will open at on 22nd  November 2010 (previews from 17th November) and is  booking until 5th  March 2011.

Joining Tracie are Hilton McRae (Anthony), Stephen Hagan (Mickey Deanes), Robin Browne ( Radio Interviewer, Porter and Stage Manager), plus a six piece on stage band.

End of the Rainbow is a new musical which explores the last days of Miss Garland’s life in 1969 when she was visiting London while married to her fifth husband Mickey Deans. Sadly until her tragic end she was searching for the crock of happiness at the end of a rainbow that never existed.

Quilter's play has already been tried out the Royal Theatre Northampton in February (again starring Tracie Bennett). It features some of Garland's best loved songs including  “Get Happy”, “Come Rain or Come Shine”, “The Trolley Song”, “The Man That Got Away” and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow" from the Wizard of Oz.

Tracie has a long and distinguished career in musical theatre and was last seen in London as Velma von Tussle in Hairspray for which she won the 2008 Olivier Award for the best actress in a supporting role. Prior to that she played Madame Thénardier in Les Miserables.