Judy & Liza musical will reopen Chesterfield's Pomegranate Theatre after lockdown

A heartwarming show charting the careers and relationship between Hollywood mother and daughter Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli will spring Chesterfield’s Pomegranate Theatre out of lockdown.
By Gay Bolton
Published 18th Apr 2021, 05:30 BST
Helen Sheals plays Judy Garland and Emma Dears plays Liza Minnelli in Judy and Liza at the Pomegranate Theatre, Chesterfied, on May 22. Photo by Andrew AB.Helen Sheals plays Judy Garland and Emma Dears plays Liza Minnelli in Judy and Liza at the Pomegranate Theatre, Chesterfied, on May 22. Photo by Andrew AB.
Helen Sheals plays Judy Garland and Emma Dears plays Liza Minnelli in Judy and Liza at the Pomegranate Theatre, Chesterfied, on May 22. Photo by Andrew AB.

Judy & Liza will tour to Chesterfield on May 22, promising a dazzling show jam-packed with songs such as Cabaret, Over The Rainbow, The Trolley Song, Together Wherever We Go, The Man That Got Away and Liza with a Z.

This production tells the turbulent tale of the stars against the backdrop of their infamous 1964 London Palladium concert. The audience will be taken on a rollercoaster journey to discover the uncanny parallels between some of Judy and Liza’s most iconic songs and their own personal lives.

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The show is created and written by West End performer Emma Dears who appears as Liza Minnelli, starring opposite Helen Sheals as Judy Garland

Emma said: “It is with pure excitement that we can take Judy and Liza’s emotional and iconic story on the road. As performers, we crave being in front of a live audience – seeing, hearing and feeling their reactions, it gets no better than that. Whether you’re a fan of Judy or Liza, or both, their story is unique. The show is full of love, heartache, and passion, and Helen and I have worked tirelessly to make sure we get every tiny detail just right. Join us for an evening with the mother and daughter who really did put the ‘show’ into showbiz.”

With a career in musical theatre that began at the age of nine when she toured in Annie, Emma’s route to the West End included a tour of Les Miserables and television roles in Brookside, Hollyoaks, Shameless and Emmerdale. She has performed in Miss Saigon, Oliver and Les Miserables in the West End.

Helen is widely known for playing Mrs Wigan in three seasons of Downton Abbey and appearances in Coronation Street. However, Helen is no stranger to portraying Judy Garland having previously played the title role in the West End musical Judy! at The Arts Theatre in London. Her extensive theatre roles have included Mistress Quickly in Merry Wives and Goneril in King Lear for Northern Broadsides, directed by Sir Jonathan Miller, and Mari Hoff in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice (Hull Truck and UK tour). Helen’s TV credits include Coronation Street, Brookside, Last Tango in Halifax, Silent Witness, Holby City and Casualty.

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Producer Bill Elms said: “We are thrilled to finally announce the 10th anniversary UK tour of Judy & Liza, it’s a show very close to my heart as I worked on the very first run. It is going to be very special tour, for many of the theatres, this will be their first show of the year, coming out of lockdown. We can promise audiences a safe and very memorable experience as they rediscover the joy of live entertainment through this captivating show.”

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Related topics:Judy GarlandLiza Minnelli