“Judy and Liza” reviewed by Frank Meccia

[rating=4]Spring is a great time to be in Chicago, when the rains quit you have perfect sunny days with flowers and trees in full bloom. And no better time to get out of the city. Saturday, I traveled to Western Springs Illinois, hop skip and a jump from Chicago, but you feel your in another state. And for this woman, I would travel to Wisconsin to see her perform. I am talking about no other then Nancy Hays, that Chicago Icon of theatre and cabaret. I got to see her last Judy and Liza tribute at the Greenhouse theatre in March of 2020, and we all know what happened then. Last time she performed with Alexia Castelvecchi, who both came to the radio station so Al could interview them. This time she is performing her Mother’s Day Tribute with her real daughter Mary Heffernan.

A two hour show with intermission, the sad part is its only one show on Saturday, and one show Sunday, A Mother’s Day Brunch at La Piano in Rogers Park. It was a great evening of solos and duets with a little dance added in for fun. As a true mother daughter team this was truly special, nothing against Alexa who also is great, but this made for a deep tribute. Both Lisa and Mary suffered strokes as children and were told they would never be able to walk or talk again. But as you can tell both proved the doctors and medicine wrong.

The tribute concert was an ode to the London Palladium in a 1964 concert that Judy Garland and Lisa then only 19 performed. With the talent of their Music Director the wonderful and talented Robert Ollis at the piano, they did such hit songs as Chicago, Get Happy, the man that got away, Just in Time, Ring those bells and many more. Of course, the final hit was Over the Rainbow, and nobody can sing that like Nancy can today. And a standing ovation followed.

Sad, when we only have two short days and not able to get people to see this great performance. But knowing Nancy and Robert, they will do another one soon.

The Western Spring performing Arts Center is located one block off the Metra Line and a short drive from Chicago. This June they will be doing Gypsy. I hope some of our readers made it to La Piano for the Sunday tribute.