Lorna Luft

As she brings her show Songs My Mother Taught Me to Mesa, Judy Garland's daughter talks about her mother's legacy.

By Glenn Gullickson

Lorna Luft

Judy's Girl

Lorna Luft's show features songs made famous by her mother, Judy Garland, but there's one song she won't sing

It takes time to appreciate a parent's legacy, according to Lorna Luft.

For Luft, the parent is Judy Garland, whose legacy includes a songbook of great American music.

Luft shares her mother's songs in a show, "Songs My Mother Taught Me," which will be on stage Feb. 17 at the Mesa Arts Center.

Luft has had her own career in entertainment, but she said it took awhile for her to come around to the idea of doing a show centered around her mother's music.

"I would not have been ready in my 20s or my 30s," Luft said, noting that those years were devoted to establishing her career and having her children.

"You have a better comprehension in your 40s of what your parents went through," Luft said during a telephone interview. "I think you get more of a perspective."

Garland's body of work extends from her start as a child actor to a lifetime of movie, TV, theater and concert appearances. Songs she's known for include "The Man That Got Away," "Come Rain Or Come Shine" and "I Can't Give You Anything But Love."

In her shows, Garland introduced Luft and her half-sister, Liza Minnelli. Luft said she learned her work ethic from her mother. "She gave me the idea that I always had to be 110 percent," she said. "You can't phone it in."

After writing the 1998 memoir Me and My Shadow and co-producing the TV mini-series based on the book, Luft said she was ready to create the show of Garland's songs, which she has preformed between other engagements over the past few years.

"It's really tells a story of a mother and daughter and the journey I took growing up," Luft said. "It's more like a theatrical piece, with a beginning, middle and end."

The show makes use of video, with clips starting from when Luft was born, and features Luft singing along to video of Garland performing.

Luft said it's a complicated production. Since the orchestration couldn't be removed from Garland's videos, Luft's audience hears two orchestras — one on the video and the orchestra in the theater, a feat of timing.

Luft was reluctant to name a favorite song from the show, which she said covers many songs in medleys. "All of the songs have special meaning for me," Luft said.

But Luft said she has never performed her mother's most famous song, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," from the movie The Wizard of Oz. "But I'm not saying it's not done in the show," Luft said.

Luft said she's had good reaction to the show from her mother's fans. "Everyone grew up watching my mom grow up," Luft said. "Everybody has a story of when they first heard these songs."

Luft said that her mother's iconic status in the gay community can be overanalyzed. For her, the adoration of Garland is simple: "The gay community has really good taste," Luft said.

Luft noted that New York City's Stonewall Riots for LGBT rights occurred in the same week of her mother's death in June 1969. Some say grief helped fuel the riots.

"I've always been very grateful to the gay community," Luft said. "They have always kept my mother's legacy in the proper light. Her legacy will go on forever." -E

VITAL STATISTICS

"Lorna Luft: Songs My Mother Taught Me"
8 p.m. Feb. 17
Mesa Arts Center
1 E. Main St., Mesa
Tickets: $37
www.mesaartscenter.com

Lorna and Judy Garland 1957 Photo-courtesy-of-Private-Family-Archives

More about Lorna Luft

Born Nov. 21, 1952, in Santa Monica, Calif., to Judy Garland and her third husband, Sid Luft.
Made her show business debut at age 11 on her mother's TV show.
Made Broadway debut in 1971 in Promises, Promises and has had roles in Guys and Dolls, Snoopy! The Musical, Extremities and White Christmas. Portrayed the Wicked Witch in a stage production of The Wizard of Oz.
Film roles include Pink Lady in Grease 2.
Did voice work in two episodes of Logo's animated series Rick & Steve the Happiest Gay Couple in All the World.
Has two children and is married to Colin Freeman, who conducts the orchestra for her show.