Max & Louie Productions Presents The STL Premiere Of END OF THE RAINBOW

Max & Louie Productions present the St. Louis premiere End of the Rainbow written by Peter Quilter, starring Angela Ingersoll as Judy Garland, directed by David New, with music direction by Thomas Conroy. It will run at The Grandel in the Grand Center Arts District, June 21 through July 1, 2018. Individual reserved seating is now available. To purchase tickets call MetroTix at (314) 534-1111 or visit www.maxandlouie.com

Max& Louie Productions proudly present the limited run of the London and Broadway smash hit play with music End of the Rainbow about the later years of the legendary Judy Garland about to make her comeback...again. In a London hotel room, with both her new young fiancé and her adoring gay accompanist, Garland struggles to get "beyond the rainbow" with her signature cocktail of talent, tenacity and razor sharp wit. End of the Rainbow is a dramatic play and not a tribute show or jukebox musical. Featuring some of Garland's most memorable songs, this savagely funny and deeply moving drama offers unique insight into the inner conflict that inspired and consumed one of the most beloved figures of our time.

*Contains adult language.

This St. Louis premiere stars Angela Ingersoll as Judy Garland. Ms. Ingersoll is the recipient of numerous awards and nominations recently earning Chicago's Jeff Award, a Broadway World Award and "Top Performances" honors from both the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times for her star turn as Judy Garland in "End of the Rainbow" at Porchlight Music Theatre.

Rounding out the cast is Kyle Hatley as Mickey Deans, Thomas Conroy as Anthony and Paul Cereghino playing multiple roles.

David New Directs with Music Direction by Thomas Conroy

"Angela Ingersoll is an absolute knockout.....Masterful, memorable stage performances do not come around very often." - Peter Quilter, Playwright, End of the Rainbow.

Tickets for End of the Rainbow are available through Metrotix by calling (314) 534-1111 or by visiting www.maxandlouie.com Single tickets range in price from $35.00 to $60.00 for reserved seating. Booth seating with beverage and food service is available for 2-6 persons. Prices range from $200.00-$300.00. End of the Rainbow will be presented at The Grandel, 3610 Grandel Square located in the Grand Center Arts District in St. Louis, Missouri. The show runs June 21 through July 1, 2018. Show times and other information about End of the Rainbow are available at maxandlouie.com

The first thing to say about END OF THE RAINBOW is that it is a dramatic play and not a tribute show or jukebox musical. It includes some of Garland's most famous songs, of course, but the focus is on exploring her character and telling the story of a remarkable, emotional and deeply intense period of her life. The show was nominated for the Olivier Award as Best New Play and on Broadway it received three Tony nominations. The play has also been presented with much success in over twenty countries around the world. This demonstrates, i think, the incredible fascination that the public has with Judy. She was undoubtedly one of the great talents of Hollywood's golden era, but she was also a tragic figure, someone who struggled to find personal love even though the whole world adored her. She also suffered problems with addiction and acquired, at times, a terrible reputation. Yet through all this, she remained a hugely charismatic woman and one with an incredible and alarming sense of humor.

The play END OF THE RAINBOW centers on a period in the late sixties when Garland was performing in London at the Talk of the Town. It was towards the end of her life, she had a new fiancé by her side (Mickey Deans who was to become her fifth husband) and her beloved pianist Anthony found himself in the middle of a tornado of concerts, drugs, fury, comedy, anxiety and romance. It was an incredibly compelling time and what has been most interesting about my journey with this play is that no matter how badly Garland behaves, the audiences come out of the theater admiring her. I think it is because they are witnessing a real woman with all her flaws and complexities, bravely fighting against the incredible pressures of her life in the pursuit of ultimate happiness.

As i am writing this, the movie version of the play is filming in London. It will be released early next year with the title "Judy" and starring Renée Zellweger as Garland. It will be the next step in the long journey of this play, which had its world premiere at the iconic Sydney Opera House in 2005. I hope audiences will flock to the St Louis premiere of this show and will appreciate the opportunity to see a play of characters, emotions and comedy. Though peppered with many wonderful songs, it is an evening that promises far more than a concert or a tribute. Plus, to make the evening extra special, audiences will have the pleasure of seeing Angela Ingersoll's incredible performance as Judy, which i saw myself recently in Los Angeles. She is an absolute knockout, something confirmed by the numerous awards given to her when she first did the show in Chicago. I am sure she will cause the same sensation here as she did in those other cities. Masterful, memorable stage performances do not come around very often. I hope you won't miss it.

- Peter Quilter, author.

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