Judy Garland Hologram Show Announced

Fans have joked about “next we’ll have a Judy hologram…”  Well, here it is!

Vanity Fair just broke the news of Hologram USA’s Judy Garland Hologram Tour which will debut simultaneously in London and Hollywood in 2017.  It looks to be something fantastic.

Judy Garland Hologram Tour Announced

Hologram USA and Royal Rainbow Productions announced the launch of a touring stage show featuring Judy Garland faithfully recreated and singing her most famous songs. Production begins in May and the tour will launch in 2017, simultaneously in London and Hollywood. The stage show will be produced by Hologram USA Productions and FilmOn TV, both companies are part of the FOTV group of companies. The announcement was made by Hologram USA CEO Alki David, and Garland’s son Joey Luft, along with his partners John Kimble and Phil Sandhaus of Royal Rainbow Productions.

Garland–the Academy, Tony, Golden Globe and Grammy winning star of The Wizard of Oz, A Star is Born and Judgment at Nuremburg–was named one of the most wanted in a Hologram USA global poll about which artists audiences would most want to see in a hologram stage show. FilmOn TV will project the show to its hologram venues worldwide and stream Virtual Reality and 360 versions of the show to audiences. Additionally the show will be available On Demand through digital storefronts via the FOTV group of companies. The Hologram USA and Royal Rainbow Productions tour will be based on CBS’ The Judy Garland Show, which ran 1963-64, and several Emmy-nominated specials. With accompaniment by Mort Lindsay, costumes by Edith Head and arrangements by Mel Torme, Garland attracted special guests such as Tony Bennett, daughters Liza Minnelli and Lorna Luft, Count Basie, Lena Horne, Barbara Streisand, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. The shows were directed by TV legends George Schlatter and Norman Jewison.

Songs included in the hologram tour will include Garland’s takes on “Stormy Weather,” “That’s Entertainment,” “Chicago.” “Come Rain or Come Shine,” and of course signature songs such as “The Trolley Song,” and “Over the Rainbow.” The show will also include Garland’s famously frank commentary on her life in showbiz.

Royal Rainbow Productions created the sold out “Ovations Tour” of Judy Garland’s singing with the Boston Pops in 2008, proving the enduring qualities of Garland’s charisma and emotional power. Reviews of that tour called the presentation, “Seductive and electrifying,” and said it was full of “Knock-out performances.”

“Nobody moved audiences like Judy Garland,” said Hologram USA and FilmOn TV CEO Alki David. “Royal Rainbow proved her star power can fill major concert halls around the world five years ago—now with our patented technology we’ll be able to let old and new fans alike feel her immense presence.” “From Frank Sinatra to Fred Astaire to Tony Bennett: all called Judy, ‘The Greatest Entertainer of all time.’ We are pleased to be working with Alki David and his team at Hologram USA to show that this is still true,” said Phil Sandhaus, Advisory Board of Royal Rainbow Productions. “Through their state of the art technology this production will bring Judy’s intimate TV performances to life again on stage, with all her biggest hits performed for both her fans and a new audience who only know her through her films and records.” John Kimble, trusted friend and advisor to Garland’s second husband, Sid Luft said, “Sid was always quoted as saying, ‘All you have to do is put Judy in a theater and you’ll cause a riot.'”

Sid Luft and Judy Garland’s son, Joey Luft of Royal Rainbow Productions said, “I believe the show will keep the memory of my mother and her talent alive for years to come.”

Hologram USA has been called a force changing the music business by CNN, Vice, Rolling Stone and The Hollywood Reporter. With FilmOn TV, it is also creating hologram shows with the estates of Patsy Cline, Buddy Holly, Billie Holiday, Dean Martin, Whitney Houston and many more. The technology has also been used to create live appearances including beaming ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel to the Country Music Awards in Nashville, Julian Assange into the United States and virtual town halls across India that helped Prime Minister Narendra Modi win the election.