Liza rocked the house

As promised I wanted to follow up about Liza's show at Roy Thompson Hall. First, she started on time, and was in top form. Unfortunately for me, because the price of tickets was astronomical, well at least for me, I saw mostly Liza's back for the first act, but what a back. She really was in good form, and seemed really, genuinely glad to be in Toronto. Her pantsuits, of course she wore pantsuits, were fierce, sparkly, and divalicious.

Now I will say that Liza's voice is not what it once was, but she is such an incredible performer, and she know how to manipulate the music and give her old standards a new fresh sound. And she did do a lot of her old hits, including Cabaret, Maybe This Time, Liza with a Z, The World Goes Round, and New York New York, which was probably the highlight of the show. And she finished the show with an acapella version of I'll be Seeing You, which left me in tears. My favourite part of the evening was definitely after she sang Mammy, and a gentleman rushed from the back of the house to the stage to present her with tulips, which she graciously accepted by says, "these are expensive, you didn't need to bring me these. Honey all you need to do for me is show up." Isn't that great?!

Anyway, overall I think it was, as predicted, a night I will never forget. I was giddy from start to finish and I think Liza was too. It is so wonderful after decades in the business to see that she still gets excited to be on stage in front of a live audience. I will also say, that despite Roy Thompson Hall being a bit spotty sound wise, it was a great venue for this kind of show. Because the Hall feels so intimate and the performers are so close to the audience it really suited the one woman cabaret. It made Liza Minnelli, perhaps one of the greatest stage legends of all time feel accessible, and the connection between her and the audience was undeniable. It was like seeing her at any local piano bar. Boy wouldn't that be something, Liza at Statler's. My only regret was that I didn't wait around after the show to try and get an autograph or stalk her back to her hotel. I could have but I was wiped out.

LIZA LIZA LIZA with a Z

EAP is so excited to be seeing Liza Minnelli tonight at Roy Thompson Hall, we will let you know how the show was tomorrow. For now you can wet you whistle with this gem

Liza extended again!

The limited engagement of the critically acclaimed Liza's at the Palace . . .! has been extended for a second time.

Produced by John Scher/Metropolitan Talent Presents & Jubilee Time Productions, the production was originally scheduled to run to Dec. 14 but was originally extended through Dec. 28. Due to ticket demand, the show will now play through Jan. 4, 2009.

New show dates are Dec. 30, 2008; Jan. 2, 2009; and Jan. 3, 2009 at 8 PM and Jan. 4, 2009 at 3 PM.

(info courtesy of playbill.com)

Liza opens tonight

Her Broadway return begins this evening! Her Playbill for tonight is so fierce.

Minnelli will appear on 'Rosie Live'

Very exciting news from New York yesterday as it was announced that Liza Minnelli will appear on the premiere taping of the upcoming variety show Rosie Live. Liza Minnelli is currently in New York rehearsing her scheduled December 3rd return to Broadway in a limited run of Liza's at the Palace . . .!

TVweek.com is reporting that Minnelli, Kathy Griffin, Tony Award winner Jane Krakowski, Ne-Yo and singer Alanis Morissette are the guests for the NBC variety special, which will air Nov. 26 at 9 PM ET live from New York's Little Shubert Theatre.

Rosie Live, according to a previous NBC press release, will feature "a topical monologue, musical production numbers and hilarious comedy sketches." The program is produced by Universal Media Studios in association with KidRo Productions. O'Donnell and David Friedman are the executive producers.

This is VERY, VERY exciting.

Liza Minelli is going to Broadway

Wonderful news from playbill.com this Sunday morning:

"Tony, Grammy, Oscar and Emmy Award winner Liza Minnelli will return to Broadway in Liza's at the Palace . . .!, a two-week concert engagement that will begin performances Dec. 3. Tickets go on sale to the general public Oct. 26.The limited engagement, produced by John Scher/Metropolitan Talent Presents & Jubilee Time Productions, will play Broadway's Palace Theatre through Dec. 14. Ron Lewis directs and choreographs. Gary Labriola is executive producer. Minnelli will be joined onstage by Cortés Alexander, Jim Caruso, Tiger Martina and Johnny Rodgers." (Andrew Gans, playbill.com)

Show times are Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 PM with matinees on Sundays at 3 PM. The Palace Theatre is located at Broadway and 47th Street. Tickets range in price from $25 to $125. For more information visit www.lizasatthepalace.com.