Valley audiences are in for a holiday treat as acclaimed singer and Judy Garland tribute artist Debbie Wileman brings her warm and nostalgic Christmas concert, Judy Garland – We Need a Little Christmas, to the Mesa Arts Center on Friday, December 27. The Phoenix-area stop is part of Wileman’s national holiday tour, produced by Scott Stander, which is spreading cheer across nine U.S. cities including San Francisco, Fort Lauderdale, Cheshire, Peoria, Toledo, Akron, Palm Springs, and Los Angeles.

For the Mesa performance, Wileman will be joined by special guest Hayden Schnepf, a celebrated Arizona-based vocalist known for her expressive delivery and versatile range. Schnepf’s local connection and rising profile in the state’s music community make her an exciting addition to a show already brimming with heart, humor, and holiday magic.

Wileman has earned international acclaim for her extraordinary ability to channel the unmistakable voice and spirit of Judy Garland. Reviews have praised her for capturing Garland’s emotional depth and vocal power while still bringing her own warmth and charm to the stage. We Need a Little Christmas blends musical nostalgia with engaging storytelling, inviting audiences into a festive world inspired by the golden age of Hollywood.

“I’ve loved Judy Garland all my life,” Wileman says. “When I’m singing, I try to bring Judy’s essence—her style, her humor, her heart—to life. But the talking in between? That’s me! So you get a little mix of Grand Rapids and London on stage.”

Her emotional connection to both Garland and the holidays stems from childhood memories with her grandmother Joanna, who introduced her to Garland’s music. “We used to sing ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ together every year,” she recalls. “Creating this show feels like honoring two special ladies: my grandmother and Judy herself.”

Wileman also weaves charming and often hilarious family stories between songs. She delights audiences with tales of her grandmother’s famously disastrous holiday cooking, including the notorious Christmas Cassata and the unforgettable “ice-skater lake cake,” which hid a sunken center cleverly masked with bright blue icing. “The cake had sunk in the oven, so she filled the hole with icing and called it a lake,” Wileman laughs.

Musically, the concert features a mix of Garland classics, holiday favorites, and rare gems. One of the show’s highlights is Wileman’s rendition of “After the Holidays,” a poignant song Garland performed only once, during a 1968 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. “Judy never recorded that song in a studio,” Wileman says. “Performing it feels like a tribute to both her and its songwriter, John Meyer.”

The tour arrives on the heels of Wileman’s celebrated holiday album A Christmas Garland, arranged by Grammy Award–winner Steve Orich of Jersey Boys. Recorded with a full orchestra at New York’s Power Station—where albums by Broadway stars and icons like David Bowie were crafted—the album captures the lush musicality that audiences can expect from the live show.

For Wileman, We Need a Little Christmas embodies everything people crave during the season: “Christmas is such a happy time. When you celebrate it by listening to Judy’s music, you can forget your troubles and just get happy.”