"People think it's a tribute show, and I'm certainly not one of those genius impersonators that ya'll have," said Bennett. "I've made it clear that I'm not here to copy Judy, you can't be Judy, it's the essence of her I've tried to go for."
Bennett says the play is about much more than Garland's troubles.
"She was always funny, and witty, let me just stress that, she's not a tragic figure. I think the circumstances around her might have been tragic," Bennett said. "Basically it's about the fear of losing your gift and the price of fame."
Bennett has performed this role for three years, first in England, then on Broadway, and now in Los Angeles.
She'll happily play Judy for three more weeks, and the end of this journey will be bittersweet.
"I'm always a bit sad when I leave any play, because it's part of who you are, you work so hard at things," she said. "But you learn over time to wrap it in a ribbon and put it somewhere the memory folder of your mind and just bless it, and say thanks to it."
"End of the Rainbow" runs at the Ahmanson Theatre through April 21.
