- Bushnell Theater -

Bushnell 'Mob' Won't Let Judy Go
By Malcolm Johnson - The Hartford Times

They wouldn't let Judy Garland off the stage of the Bushnell Sunday night. 

The bigger than capacity crowd that filled not only the orchestra, the first balcony and the second balcony, but the orchestra pit too screamed, whistled, clapped their hands endlessly, pleading for Judy not to go at the end of her performance.

And she came back to sing what they had been waiting for -- 'Over the Rainbow.'

That wasn't enough. They stood up and moved as close to the stage as they could and shouted even louder.

And Judy Garland with the face of a kewpie doll or a wistful mime, Dorothy of Oz become a myth, donned a top hat and came back to sing three more encores -- 'Swanee,' 'Rock-a-by Your Baby with a Dixie Melody,' and 'Chicago.'

Even after they reluctantly left the theater, the crowd still wouldn't go home, but mobbed outside the stage door, waiting for Judy Garland to appear. 

From the moment the orchestra on the stage struck up 'The Man That Got Away,' even before Miss Garland appeared on stage, the crowd was excited and applauding.

Dressed in a black dress and a crimson Chinese jacket, she sang her first song - 'When You're Smiling' and the magic she must have learned in Oz fell over the audience.

When she sang a torch song, looking up into a pale white spotlight, the spot became a moonbeam on her sadly raptured face.

And she really cried when she sang.

For another kind of song, 'San Francisco,' she crooked her elbow, stuck her thumb jubilantly up and it was San Francisco all right as she jauntily bounced down Market Street swinging the cord of her microphone.

She could do anything with her voice. In a slow love song it was soft, husky and sweet. She knew how Gershwin wanted 'Do It Again' sung.

Or she could belt out 'Chicago,' gyrating like a blues singer, her voice gravely or brassy.

In between songs, she was relaxed and natural in a crazy kind of way.

When she reached for the high note and hit it, the song was her life - and she put everything she had into it.

When she asked the audience to sing 'For Me and My Gal' with her, they sang. Otherwise, they just applauded as hard as they could.

The orchestra was with her all the way. With her timing, her stage presence, unbelievable until seen, her choice of the great songs of the past 50 years, it was a great act and the audience proved it.