Angela Ingersoll, an Emmy-nominated actress, singer, writer, director, and host, brings her acclaimed show, Get Happy: Angela Ingersoll Sings Judy Garland, to Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park with a clear intent to inspire and entertain.

In advance of her appearance, Ingersoll discussed Garland’s magnetic artistry and vaudevillian instincts as well as the importance of honoring her legacy with joy.

What led to your admiration for Judy?

I learned to sing by singing along with records. I started performing onstage when I was 5 years old, thanks to my Fairy Godmother, a public school music teacher named Mrs. Holmes. From that time on, folks have likened me to Judy, saying, “How does that big voice come out of that little body?!” I do bear some physical resemblance to Ms. Garland. I’ve always found her range magnetic. She was at once a girl and a woman, an innocent and a sage, a chanteuse and a clown.

Were you ever hesitant to take on the idea of embodying Judy?

Sure, there were times when I thought how dare I? How dare I claim to do justice to an entertainer of such magnitude? But if something is scary it’s likely worth doing

What makes Judy the epitome of an entertainer?

As an entertainer, Judy could do it all — singing, dancing, acting, improvising, transforming. She began performing for live audiences at the age of 2, so she really was a sponge. Growing up in vaudeville, she honed her keen observation skills and quick wit as a survival mechanism. Judy believed that one could only learn to become an entertainer by getting up in front of people and doing it over and over. Get up again, fall again, and get back up again. She believed the audience was the ultimate teacher. So that need for feedback was her lifeblood. And sometimes that need made life on the stage a bit messy.

Photo of Angela Ingersoll.

What should audiences expect at Get Happy? Do you bring yourself and your story to the performance?

This concert is not a play, so I’m not putting on a character. I do sometimes portray Judy in plays, and this is a bit different. I’m very much myself, and who I am as an artist is very much informed by Judy’s great work. I am her artistic descendant. I suppose you could call the concert a “behind the scenes” with an actress who really crawls into Judy’s psyche to bring her to life.

What are some of your favorite songs to perform in Get Happy?

It’s always a thrill to sing Over the Rainbow because it’s quite simply the greatest song of the 20th century. Experiencing the energy of a live audience quietly sharing all the memories in their hearts during that one song is truly spellbinding. Like Judy, I’m a sucker for old Tin Pan Alley hits like After You’ve Gone. And I relish Just in Time because Judy always sang it as a profoundly passionate love letter to the audience.

What are some of your favorite elements of Get Happy as an overall vehicle honoring Judy’s legacy?

In this concert, my aim is to have fun and make sure everyone is having fun around me. Judy was a vaudevillian, you know, so I have a number of silly tricks up my sleeve. I don’t want to wallow in the “poor Judy” narrative. I want to transform it. All that pain we feel, it’s fuel for action. So, in these marvelous songs, I feel things very deeply with the ultimate goal of creating something playful and full of gratitude