By popular demand, Seth Sikes is back at 54 Below on June 10 with his critically-acclaimed show Seth Sikes Sings Judy Garland. After three sold-out runs and rave reviews, Sikes returns to sing some of Garland's most beloved tunes in honor of the MGM Queen's 93rd Birthday. Get a glimpse of the show (and Sike's incredible talents) in this teaser.
Below, Sikes indulges us by taking on seven questions all about Judy, her films, her live performances and her daughters.
1. Go-to Judy Song to Belt When I’m Alone:
Right now it's "Hello Bluebird." I think it's because I've been feeling happy. I just dance around the room singing to an imaginary little bluebird. It has such a great musical climb toward the end that inspires some fantastic step-touching. The last note probably startles the neighbors. I'd be so embarrassed if someone caught me.
2. My Favorite Judy Costume:
It's hard not to choose the farmer overalls, but I love the black dress with red trim that she wears for the barn dance in Summer Stock. When I was a little boy I always wanted that dress for some reason, and I would try to wear red and black to emulate her. It moves gorgeously when she's dancing with Gene Kelly during “The Portland Fancy”, which is a great number, by the way.
3. YouTube’s Ultimate Judy Movie Musical Moment:
This is so hard! I'm choosing “The Man That Got Away.” It's glorious. And you can watch three other great, totally different takes of it on YouTube! She possessed many geniuses, and lip-syncing was certainly one of them.
4. YouTube’s Ultimate Judy Live Video:
“Old Man River.” At the end of it she lets us glimpse something terrifying with a rawness that I've never seen anyone else reveal in a song.
5. My Desert Island Judy Album (and track you should start with):
I guess the point of having a desert island album would be to remember life. There's nothing more life-affirming than Judy at Carnegie Hall. It's the only album—Judy or otherwise—that really matters, period. If only one album on earth could be preserved for future humans or aliens it would have to be Carnegie Hall. It's super human. When she sang, God spoke. All the tracks are damn great, but if you didn't start in order, I guess I'd say start with "Almost Like Being in Love/This Can't Be Love." The first lyric is so happy, and it just goes up from there.
6. Judy Song I’d Love to Sing with Liza:
Since Liza sang it with Judy after Barbra did, I'd love to do the "Get Happy/Happy Days are Here Again" medley with Liza, and reverse the parts. I can't even imagine how overwhelming that would be. I'd die.
7. Judy Song I’d Love to Sing with Lorna:
Lorna is really fun on up-tempos, so I think it'd be fun to do "When the Midnight Choo Choo Leaves for Alabam." I'm not sure how Lorna dances, but I don't do it well, so we'd probably have to skip that part.
Celebrate Judy Garland’s 93rd Birthday at 54 Below with the acclaimed show ‘Seth Sikes Sings Judy Garland’.
