Judy and Liza - Once In A Lifetime Reviews
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
"...Hays is a fine singer who shines in more reflective moments—her introspective rendition of "Over the Rainbow" is genuinely touching. And Castelvecchi is a dynamic belter and comic whose knockout rendition of the standard "Who's Sorry Now?" is a first-act highlight; even more gripping is her second-act rendition of "Quiet Please, There's a Lady Onstage," the song that Minnelli's onetime husband Peter Allen wrote in Garland's memory following her 1969 death from an accidental overdose of barbiturates. The show's best moments are the duet medleys, in which Hays and Castelvecchi evoke the deep and honest affection that bonded mother and daughter in both triumphant and trying times."
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
"...The musical selection, as previously stated has been expanded and there appears to be more story telling as to the events that brought this mother and daughter together this one time, live onstage. I loved it far more than in the earlier version. The new venue for this slick production is the revamped studio theater at The Greenhouse on Lincoln Avenue. This is the small , under 50 seat, room right next to the lobby bar. It is cozy and intimate and the perfect place for shows of this nature. We get to see the faces of our two stars and we get to hear every note. Because f the intimacy of the space, both “Judy” and “Liza” can walk into the audience area and stare us right in the eys, evoking the drams that one can feel from the emotions these tow wonderful performers bring to their roles."
Buzznews.net- Highly Recommended
"...Both Hays and Castelvecchi dispense with all too easy impressions of Judy and Liza. Instead, they both knock it out of the park in the intimate cabaret space at Victory Gardens’ Greenhouse. Castelvecchi really taps into the bluesier aspect of Liza Minnelli’s vocal range. Hays probably has a better voice in 2020 than Judy had by 1964, and her renditions of the jazzy standards are a real treat. All together, “Once in a Lifetime” is a fun hour and a half filled with the enchanting music of Harold Arlen, George Gershwin and Jerry Herman."
Chicagoland Musical Theatre- Highly Recommended
"...Despite its somewhat misleading (and very long) title, Judy & Liza-Once in a Lifetime: The London Palladium Concert-A Tribute, it's the unmistakable honesty from three exceptional talents that make this production at Chicago's Greenhouse Theater a true delight."
Chicago Theater and Arts- Highly Recommended
"...Their back and forth banter is a loving testament to the mother-daughter relationship and a fitting tribute to Garland who died much too soon."
PicksInSix- Recommended
"...The essential spark at the center of this show is the marvelous chemistry and remarkable vocal precision of these two vocalists who create a genuine sense of what it might have been like to see Judy and Liza perform together. The song selections—many from their only live concert appearance at the Palladium Theatre in London in November 1964—along with a few surprises, punctuate a storyline that reveals a lot about their relationship and allows the show to breeze by focused on the music and the performances without the weight of scene changes, elaborate costumes or projections."