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PHOTO CALL: Tracie Bennett Stars as Judy Garland in End of the Rainbow

By Matthew Blank
23 Feb 2012

Judy Garland's final days will play out at the Belasco Theatre when the hit End Of The Rainbow makes its Broadway debut there March 19, 2012. Michael Cumpsty, Tom Pelphrey and Jay Russell will join Olivier Award nominee Tracie Bennett.

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As previously reported, Bennett, who earned an Olivier Award nomination for her portrayal of Garland in the final year of her life, will repeat her performance for American audiences. Peter Quilter's music-filled drama will officially open at the Belasco April 2, 2012, under the direction of Tony Award-winning La Cage aux Folles director Terry Johnson.

Joining Bennett will be Cumpsty (The Constant Wife, Democracy) as Garland's accompanist, Anthony, with Emmy winner Pelphrey ("Guiding Light") as her husband, Mickey Deans, and Russell (Our Town, The Play What I Wrote) in a variety of roles.

Lee Dean, Laurence Myers, Jenny Topper and Joey Parnes produce End of the Rainbow. Prior to their Broadway arrival, the American cast of End of the Rainbow will first play Minneapolis’s Guthrie Theater Jan. 28-March 11, 2012.

According to the producers, "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."

Bennett previously worked with Johnson in the London revival of La Cage aux Folles. She earned Olivier Awards for her performances as Velma Von Tussle in Hairspray and as Ilona Ritter She Loves Me. Her stage credits also include Les Miserables and Cash On Delivery. Numerous screen appearances include "Vincent," "The Long Firm," "Heroes and Villains," "Next of Kin," "Coronation Street," "Going Out," "Shirley Valentine," "Knights and Emeralds" and "Deep Red Instant Love."

Visit EndoftheRainbowBroadway.com.

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PHOTO CALL: Tracie Bennett Stars as Judy Garland in End of the Rainbow