She was adored by millions, plagued by heartbreak, and never far from the headlines. Now, one of the most turbulent and compelling chapters of Judy Garland’s life is brought to the stage in Judy’s Encore: The Return of a Star.
A hit parade of legendary songs and raw, unfiltered storytelling — Judy’s Encore: The Return of a Star is a concert-style theatrical event that has wowed audiences internationally.
Starring award-winning artist Ali Harper (Menopause the Musical, A Doris Day Special, Legendary Divas), Judy’s Encore: The Return of a Star will play at the Bruce Mason Centre on 9 August before transferring to The Court Theatre for a week-long season from 11–16 August. Pre-sales start today with Ticketmaster and The Court Theatre, with all remaining seats on sale on Monday.
Set in 1967, Judy’s Encore: The Return of a Star captures Judy at a crossroads — returning to Australia after a troubled tour, with her reputation on the line and critics waiting. Battling exhaustion, expectation, and the weight of her own legend, she steps back into the spotlight with everything to prove.
This is not just the story of a star — it’s the story of a woman fighting to hold it all together.
Through more than 20 of her most iconic songs — including Get Happy, The Trolley Song, The Man That Got Away, and the Oscar-winning Somewhere Over the Rainbow — audiences are taken inside the pressure, the fragility, the humour and the fierce determination that defined Garland’s final years on stage.
Brilliant, unpredictable, and utterly captivating, Judy Garland was a performer who lived on the edge — and Judy’s Encore doesn’t look away from it. Instead, it leans in, asking the question that hung over every performance: would this be the night she soared… or the night it all fell apart?
AUCKLAND | BRUCE MASON CENTRE | 9 AUGUST | TICKETMASTER
CHRISTCHURCH | THE COURT THEATRE | 11 – 16 AUGUST
