Grab a taste of Judy Garland at the Gibson Centre this week
For Debbie Collins, working as an actress is often like going off to see the Wizard, when she'd really like to find jobs closer to her Beeton home.

"It's terrific that I'll be performing at the Gibson Centre in Alliston, but right after that I'm off to Neptune Theatre in Halifax to do The Producers," says Collins. "Beeton is my home now and I'm trying to figure out a way to stay here as long as I can."

Being able to work close to home while still doing that memorable song from The Wizard of Oz is just one of the reasons Collins is excited about bringing A Taste of Judy - a tribute to the late Judy Garland - to the Gibson Centre on March 13.

The performance will be taken from a longer, fullblown stage show - The Judy Garland Story - that Collins wrote and performed initially at the Orillia Opera House, then expanded into an Ontario-wide tour with the Smile Theatre Company a few years ago. She'll be joined on stage in Alliston by Sherisse Laurence, who hosted CTV's weekly Circus show from 1978 to 1983.

"In addition to being a fantastic piano player, (Laurence) is also a great singer. She adds a whole new dimension to the show," adds Collins.

Although there are many people today who never saw Garland perform, entire generations continue to connect with the singer as a youngster through the legendary film and its theme song, Somewhere, Over the Rainbow, says Collins.

"They may not know Garland, but they know Wizard of Oz. There's a strong emotional attachment to that song and that movie," she said.

ATaste of Judy will begin at 8 p.m., as part of The Gibson's Friends of the Theatre project. An open discussion of future theatre projects at The Gibson will follow the performance

Tickets are $10 and can be ordered by calling the box office at 435-2828.