* A reminder
to record NIGHTLINE tonight, Friday, November 30th, 2007, at
11:35 PM. The 30-minute show airs on ABC-TV, and Liza taped
a segment late October, about "Top Ten Songs" or
something along those lines (it's a recurring segment) ....
The air date may change, but it SHOULD be tonight -- or MAYBE
NEXT WEEK (etc), so keep recording/catching EVERY FRIDAY Night,
until it airs (we're still trying to confirm the airdate with
ABC).
* It seems as
if Liza's performance on GMA will be performed "live" with
her musicians, but in THE STUDIO -- NOT outdoors, as in GMA's
other (summer?) concert appearances by stars .... A good thing
since it's supposed to be quite COLD here by Tuesday.
* Liza will sing "New
York, New York" on this coming Tuesday's GOOD MORNING,
AMERICA, airing on ABC-TV. (That's December 4th, 2007). She
is slated to be on during the 8:30 AM segment (but it might
not be a bad idea to catch / record the entire show, which
airs from 7-9 AM, just in case her segment is changed). We're
also trying to confirm the setup at GMA, but USUALLY these
live performances are indeed performed outdoors in front of
a crowd, so .... Will send thru more info as it comes through,
to the Yahoo Groups, since that will be the fastest way to
get info to you, so make sure you've subscribed to that service
(see Yahoo link above), and that "version" of the
website for speedy updates, often before the website's server
will process updates (our webmaster is on vacation until Tuesday!)
Liza will obviously be talking about the 30th Anniversary Edition
DVD of "New York, New York," which is being released
the same day as the GMA appearance. But she will also talk
about the KAY THOMPSON act.
Enjoy this sure-to-be-thrilling performance, which has been
in the works since September (I'm pleased to say I brought
this offer to Liza personally, through GMA and MGM-UA / Fox
Home Video.)
|
POSTED NOVEMBER 29, 2007:
* Liza's Copenhagen
concerts have been cancelled. All is fine, Liza is fine, and
the tour is continuing, otherwise, as scheduled.
|
POSTED NOVEMBER 26, 2007:
* The Alan Titchmarsh
TV appearance has been postponed until Spring next year due
to Liza's commitments in the USA in early December (It was
announced before it was confirmed, which does happen frequently,
another reason why I like to try and confirm things as much
as possible). More on those ASAP -- but there is something
exciting in the works, so stay tuned.
|
POSTED NOVEMBER 16, 2007:
* Be sure to
watch tonight's episode of "Access Hollywood" for
part two of their interview with Liza. Last night was part
one. Check your local listings. It airs anytime between 4pm
(EST) and 7:30pm (PST).
* Another great
cover article featuring Liza. This time in Palm
Springs Life.
|
POSTED NOVEMBER 9, 2007:
* SCOOP: Keep
an eye out on Friday nights for a Liza appearance on NIGHTLINE,
which airs on ABC-TV, after your 11 PM local news (Check Local
Listings).
About two weeks ago, Liza taped an appearance for their Friday
night "Top Ten Songs" or something like that ....
It had been slated for late November, early December (again,
on a Friday night), but there's a chance it could be as early
as TONIGHT, so .... Keep those DVRs, VCRs, etc at the ready!
ACCESS HOLLYWOOD was taped on Wednesday (11-7-07), and we're
hoping to hear of an air date this afternoon, but it should
air soon - so stay tuned and we'll get the news to you just
as soon as we know!
* SCOOP: Liza
is taping ACCESS HOLLYWOOD in NYC today, Wednesday, November
7th, 2007 -- Should air sometime over the next few days. We'll
give you the air date just as soon as we know!
|
POSTED NOVEMBER 2, 2007:
* Due to server
issues we've been unable to update the site until now.
Check out the Concerts & Appearances
page for new updates, including the now official appearances
in the U.K. in May and June 2008:
Minnelli to embark on first UK tour in more than 20 years From
The Stage:
This will be a 2-disc special edition release. The film transfer
is the same director's cut version from 1981 which was featured
on the last release however they have done a bit if clean up
work and there will be new 5.1 Dolby Surround as well as the
original mono audio track. It will be presented in a widescreen
aspect ratio and will be conformed to fit widescreen TVs.
Following is a list of all the added value material:
Disc One
* Martin Scorsese's Introduction to New York, New York - 5:35
min.
* Audio Commentary by Director Martin Scorsese and Film Critic
Carrie Rickey
* Alternate Takes / Deleted Scenes
* Photo Gallery - see below for breakdown
* Sub-Category: Filmmakers, Cast & Crew
* Sub-Category: French Lobby Cards
* Sub-Category: Original Posters
* Sub-Category: On Set
* Sub-Category: Research Photos
* Sub-Category: Storyboards
* Theatrical Trailer - 3:18 min.
* Teaser Trailer - 2:00 min.
Disc Two
* The New York, New York Stories Part One - 25:29 min.
* The New York, New York Stories Part Two - 26:56 min.
* Liza on New York, New Yor - 5:35 min.
* Commentary on Selected Scenes by Lazlo Kovacs, ASC - 9:45
min.
The “Liza on New York New York” IS the version
which was included in
the overseas edition from a few years back. This segment was
originally taped on November 10th, 2003, and the segment was
culled from the 30-minute interview.
|
POSTED OCTOBER 17, 2007:
* A reminder
that a new Liza DVD was released yesterday, Tuesday, October
16th, 2007, from Liberation Entertainment : "SHOW BUSINESS
: The Road to Broadway" examines four shows on their way
to New York from a few seasons back (including "Wicked," "Caroline
or Change," "Taboo," and "Avenue
Q"). Included in the Special Features section are a selection
of interviews with Broadway stars -- Liza is interviewed by
Alan Cumming (apparantly videotaped circa 2003 - 2004, likely
early 2004); Liza mentions the way she makes a character study
for each song, using "Come in From the Rain" as
an example. LM also talks about getting the "gypsy
robe" on her opening night of "Flora" in 1965
(a color photo of this is included in "The Liza Minnelli
Scrapbook.") This entire interview with Liza only runs
just over two minutes, so it's not long, but no doubt we'll
still want it in our collections.
* Liza singing
in Port St. Lucie, Florida, this Saturday, October 20th, 2007
(Private Date) (Tickets not available to the general public)
See long article below on the $45 million clubhouse Liza is
appearing at:
* Great interview
with Liza by the fabulous Coco Peru in this month's "In
LA Magazine". CLICK
HERE to read. Or go to their website: www.inlamagazine.com.
|
POSTED OCTOBER 12, 2007:
* Another new
article about Liza, from Newsday. CLICK
HERE to read.
|
POSTED OCTOBER 9, 2007:
* Recent interview
with Liza:
From the St. Petersburg Times - Thanks, Shannon! :)
Chatting up Liza Minnelli, from A to Z
By Shannon Breen, Times Staff Writer
Published October 6, 2007
The program ended with a bang: Mr. Stevenson's freewheeling,
let-the-sparks-fly L – a tribute to Liza Minnelli – abetted
by an impressive percussive trio. It starts simply, with 12
men in smart, simple formation warming up as in a ballet barre.
But soon, they are airborne, leaping, spinning and coming to
quick halts – and beginning again, the moment big and
yet as clear and sharp as a dime. It was exhilarating, with
a brilliant finish.
* Liza is interviewed
by actor Alan Cumming as an "extra"/"bonus" feature,
on the new DVD due out on October 16th, 2007: Show Business:
The Road to Broadway examines four shows as they make
their way to Broadway in the 2003-2004 season. The DVD is available
through THE LIZA STORE, by clicking HERE.
|
POSTED OCTOBER 5, 2007:
* VARIETY review
of Liza's latest concert (a Rave review, but they end with
an upcoming concert date listed as October 28th, when the correct
date is MARCH 28th, 2008!)
By Kevin Walker of The Tampa Tribune
Published: October 3, 2007
TAMPA - Liza Minnelli is on the telephone, calling from New
York, New York. She's also on the computer screen, singing "New
York, New York" onstage with Luciano Pavarotti in a concert
in Italy.
"Really? When was that from?" Minnelli asks. Then
she laughs. "Nine thousand years ago?"
No, 1996. And Pavarotti looks positively delighted, grinning
like a little kid, when Minnelli joins him onstage. Amazingly,
Minnelli admits she is unaware of her presence on the Internet,
especially places such as YouTube, where there are clips of some
of her iconic moments, including scenes from the film "Cabaret" and
the award-winning TV special "Liza With a Z."
"I have a computer, honey, but I don't even know how to
turn it on," she says.
It's a cliché, but here it is: At 61, Liza Minnelli has
not slowed down. This year, she has already done a 21-city tour
in South America. This summer she played Cape Cod, where Harry
Connick Jr. joined her onstage. She played one show in August
in Italy. She's working on a Showtime special about her godmother,
Kay Thompson. She also sang the national anthem at the U.S. Open
in September.
She even loves to rehearse. CLICK
HERE to read the complete article.
|
POSTED SEPTEMBER 29, 2007:
* FINALLY added
some information to the CAREER
ARCHIVE section! It's not much, but it's a beginning.
Expect this section to grow and change as we add more. We'll
keep you updated... :)
Minnelli uses acting to keep songs from getting stale
Friday, September 28, 2007
By IAN SPELLING
SPECIAL TO THE RECORD
"If somebody likes a song, any song, it's your job to
sing it and to make it fresh every time," Liza Minnelli
says. "It's really an acting exercise, you know?"
Minnelli should know. The legendary performer has recorded
thousands of songs over the years, played to millions of people
in countless concerts around the world. And if she chooses
to play a role, so to speak, when belting out some tunes --
particularly the older ones -- that's just fine, too. After
all, as an actress, she's won an Academy Award, three Tonys
and an Emmy.
"Maybe it's a different woman is singing the song, or
maybe something happened in her life that made her think these
thoughts and they're the words to the song," Minnelli
says. "But the ones I never get bored of are songs like
'But the World Goes 'Round,' 'New York, New York' and ... God,
there are so many. Kander and Ebb really, really wrote beautifully
for me."......CLICK
HERE for the rest of the article.
* Nice article
on the upcoming HD-DVD & Blu-Ray boxed sets of the That's
Entertainment! film series:
Liza saw the Broadway musical "Curtains" -- score
by her team of Kander and Ebb -- last night, Wednesday, September
26th, 2007, at what used to be the Martin Beck Theatre (where
Liza starred in "The Rink" back in 1984). Liza was
escorted last night by John Kander and Johnny Rodgers. See
photos at the link above.
Liza Minnelli has been one of Broadway's best friends since
our earliest days. Here is the ultimate collection of Liza's
on CD and DVD, all signed by Ms. Minnelli including:
* CDs of the films of CABARET and NEW YORK, NEW YORK
* CD's of Broadway's FLORA THE RED MENACE and THE ACT
* The CD of LIZA MINNELLI AT CARNEGIE HALL
* DVDs of the films of CABARET and NEW YORK, NEW YORK and the
recently
re-mastered television special, LIZA WITH
A Z!
Best of all, you and a guest will be in House Seats at LIZA IN
CONCERT on Friday, September 28th at The Community Theatre at
the Mayo Center for the Performing Arts in Morristown, New Jersey.
After the show, meet Liza in her dressing room backstage!
Please note this is only good for the Friday, September 28th
concert performance.
COURTESY OF LM CONCERTS with special thanks to Casey Paul and
Jim Caruso
Go here to get info on bidding: Broadway
Cares
* NEW YORK, NEW
YORK 30TH ANNIVERSARY DVD:
Product Information:
List Price : $19.98
Audio:
ENGLISH: Dolby Digital 5.1
ENGLISH: Dolby Digital Mono
SPANISH: Dolby Digital Mono
Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Studio: MGM / UA
Production Year: 1977
Release Date: 12/4/2007
Rating: PG
(Thanks, Dan, for the info .... We'll try and get additional
info from MGM-UA ASAP)
|
POSTED SEPTEMBER 14, 2007:
* Chimes Hall
of Fame 2007 - Liza’s first Baltimore area appearance
since the 1990’s
Tickets will go on sale on Monday, September 17 at Noon.
RESERVED GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS AT $50 AND $75 ARE AVAILABLE
BY CALLING THE MEYERHOFF TICKET OFFICE 410.783.8000 OR ALL TICKETMASTER LOCATIONS.
Tickets are subject to handling fees and service charges. No
exchanges or refunds.
A limited number of donor tickets are available at $275, which
includes a 5:30 p.m. open bar cocktail and buffet dinner reception. Special
access tickets can be purchased for $500 including the pre-show
reception and post-show dessert and after dinner beverage reception
with the opportunity to meet Liza Minnelli. Call 410-358-7774
for more information.
Proceeds will benefit the new Chimes School for children
with disabilities.
|
POSTED SEPTEMBER 10, 2007:
* A
few new concert appearances have been added to the Appearances
page. Liza will be a part of "A Classic Christmas
Night" in Sweeden. Click on the image at right to see
their site (it's all in Sweedish)- and click on the appearances
link above to read more details about the concerts.
Thank you Liz for providing the detailed information and links!!
|
POSTED SEPTEMBER 7, 2007:
* Liza will be
singing the National Anthem at the U.S. OPEN (Tennis) this
coming Sunday, September 9th, 2007. The game is broadcast on
CBS (and likely on ESPN or some of the other Sports networks:
but CBS will likely be in HD -- High Definition -- Not sure
about the other networks).
Liza is scheduled to sing at 4:30 PM, but the Broadcast on
CBS starts at 4 PM Eastern (3 PM Central), so it might be a
good idea to watch starting then.
* Check out this
link for the latest in a series of videos Sam Harris has made
about his working with Liza on the Kay show!
* Tickets for
most of the shows at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center will
go on sale Monday, August 20th. For more information, call
the ticket office at (813) 229-7827, go on the Web to www.tbpac.org
or attend the annual open house at 10 a.m. Sept. 15. The venue
is at 1010 N. MacInnes Place, Tampa, Florida.
20th Anniversary Gala featuring Liza Minnelli -
[Correction] Concert tickets are $150, $100, $79.50, $69.50
and $59.50.
For more details, see the "Appearances"
page.
Bill LaVorgna, 74; music director for Liza Minnelli
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
By JAY LEVIN
STAFF WRITER
Back in the day, no one at Paterson Central High School played
a meaner set of drums than Bill LaVorgna.
"He was the most popular boy in school," said the
girl who married the musical prodigy in 1953.
"And he got off to play with the USO," Joan LaVorgna
said. "That would annoy us."
Bill LaVorgna, who grew up on Ryerson Avenue in Paterson's
Totowa section, went on to perform with show business greats:
Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Dizzy Gillespie, Sammy Davis Jr.,
Pat Boone and Barry Manilow, among others. For more than 30
years, he was musical director for Garland's daughter, Liza
Minnelli.
Mr. LaVorgna, 74, died at his home in Stuart, Fla., on July
31, two days after suffering a heart attack.
This week and next, he was to accompany Minnelli on a concert
tour of Spain and Monaco.
Minnelli, who was 11 years old when her mother signed Mr. LaVorgna
to a contract in 1957, offered a tribute to the man she called "Pappy" on
her Web site, officiallizaminnelli.com.
In a broadcast interview last year, Mr. LaVorgna discussed
his long association with Minnelli:
"When the red light's on and we're working, it's dead
serious. But other than that, she treats my kids like they're
family."
"Liza calls me every day," Joan LaVorgna said. "She
has been a part of our family."
Mr. LaVorgna took up the drums as a child. Jack Smith, who
lived across the street from the LaVorgna family, remembered
neighborhood musicians -- including the future jazz guitar
great John "Bucky" Pizzarelli -- flocking to his
classmate's house for jam sessions.
Smith said young Bill knew where his destiny lay.
"Bill was a very good athlete," said Smith, of West
Paterson, "but he gave up sports to protect his hands."
After graduating from Paterson Central in 1951, Mr. LaVorgna
attended New York University, earning degrees in education
and music. He was never without work; his wife said his 10,000
recording dates in New York City must be some sort of record.
Early in their marriage, the LaVorgnas lived in Paterson and
Kinnelon.
Besides his wife, Mr. LaVorgna is survived by three sons, David
of Baltimore and Mark and Blaise, both of Salisbury, Md., and
six granddaughters.
The family is holding a memorial service Sunday at Trinity
United Methodist Church in Salisbury, Md.
* Excerpt from
The Saratogian, August 7th, 2007, by Jeannette Jordan
Liza Minnelli's ode to Sarah Lee loosened up a crowd of 600
that had just spent more than $350,000 to support Equine Advocates
and its international fight against horse slaughter Thursday
night.
Minnelli told the well-heeled crowed at Stonebridge Farm in
Schuylerville that she'd just lost 30 pounds on Jenny Craig,
then broke into her musical farewell to all things sweet to
eat.
STUART — Broadway musical director Bill LaVorgna, 74,
died at his home here on Tuesday. He had suffered a heart attack
while walking his dog on Sunday.
LaVorgna was known as the musical director for singer Liza Minnelli
and her mother Judy Garland. He was an accomplished musician
and drummer.
Born in Paterson, N.J., on June 3, 1933, he graduated from New
York University with a musical degree. He was a veteran of the
Korean War and more than six decades in the entertainment field,
performing with such greats as Garland, Minnelli, Frank Sinatra
and Dizzy Gillespie.
Minnelli’s Website, www.officiallizaminnelli.com, announced
LaVorgna’s death, and urged everyone to pray for his family.
A formal statement, it said, would be forthcoming.
His son, Mark said, that before moving to Florida, he made his
residence in Princess Anne, Md., for 20 years. Prior to that,
the family lived in Walton, N.Y., and Sussex, N.J.
He said that aside from his musical passion, his father was
an avid sportsman with a love of the outdoors and most especially
deep sea fishing. The family raised and trained sporting dogs
for decades on their Windswept Farm.
LaVorgna is survived by his wife of 54 years, Joan; his three
sons, Mark, Blaise, and David, all of Maryland, and six granddaughters.
Memorial contributions may be made to either The Salvation Army
or The Recreational Fishing Alliance ( PO Box 3080 , New Gretna
, NJ 08224).
A memorial service will be Aug. 12 at 2 p.m. at Trinity United
Methodist Church in Salisbury, Md., for friends and family.
Also, a new message from Liza on the homepage.
(Be sure to hit your "refresh" or "reload" button
to see the July 27, 2007 note).
|
POSTED JULY 23, 2007:
* Review of Liza
CapeCod concert of Saturday, July 21st, 2007
CapeCod Times/CapeCodOnline.com
Minnelli presides over Tent love fest
By Johanna Crosby
Sunday, July 22, 2007
HYANNIS – It was an intimate evening with Liza Minnelli
and more than 2,000 of her friends at the Cape Cod Melody Tent
last night.
The event seemed more like a love fest between performer and
audience than a concert. Thunderous applause erupted when Minnelli
appeared on the stage, and she won several standing ovations
throughout the show.
The 61-year-old star shared a string of personal stories with
her fans and dropped show biz names like you would talk about
your friends.
She seemed genuinely happy to be back in the theater where she
cut her teeth working as an apprentice making scenery. She recalled
her mother, Judy Garland, sitting in the back of the tent and
watching her make her debut: dancing for 22 seconds in “Wish
You Were Here.”
She also told about growing up on the MGM lot where her father,
film director Vincent Minnelli, made movies.
But the most moving story was about the day her mother died.
Looking glamorous and slim, Minnelli announced that she shed
47 pounds thanks to Jenny Craig. Then she launched into the amusing
“Sara Lee.”
The audience got a special treat when Minnelli introduced a
surprise guest who was sitting in the audience, singer Harry
Connick Jr. She coaxed him to come on stage and sing. And he
did.
Connick offered a smooth rendition of “It Had to Be You” as
Minnelli danced around him. Then he harmonized as she sang. The
mutual admiration was evident.
Flanked by a crack orchestra, Minnelli packed the show with
songs that suit her voice, including the empowering “I
Am My Own Best Friend,”
the plaintive “What Did I Have” and the classic “Cabaret.” She
also put her inimitable spin on the amusing English ballad “London
Town.”
Minnelli is one of the few performers to have won them all:
Oscar, Emmy, Grammy and Tony. The accomplishments not surprising
considering her gene pool, but she’s long been a star in
her own right.
More than just a singer and actress, Minnelli is an entertainer
who gives it all she’s got. She knows how to connect with
an audience and make it seem like she’s singing and talking
just to you.
She injects lyrics with passion and emotion. She can still belt
out a song.
The second half of the show was a throwback to old Hollywood.
Minnelli recreated Kay Thompson & the Williams Brothers’ nightclub
act. She was joined by four talented crooners. The star, who
has had hip replacement and surgery on her knees, left the dancing
to the men, who performed a snazzy dance routine to “Liza.”
Minnelli brought down the house with her signature song, “New
York, New York.”
One of the best moments of the show came when she toned it down.
Standing in the middle of the stage, she softly sang “I’ll
Be Seeing You” a capella. And it was wonderful.
|
POSTED JULY 19, 2007:
* An article
on Liza's August 20th concert in Italy -- with a photo from
our website, OfficialLizaMinnelli.com!
:)
Renaissance Productions Ltd involvement in Liza Minnelli Taormina
Concert
The directors of Renaissance Productions Ltd have announced
their involvement in the organisation of the concert by singer
Liza Minnelli at the Teatro Antico in Taormina, Sicily, on 20
August. This will be the only show Ms Minnelli will be giving
in Italy.
Anton Tabone and Amabile Zammit announced that their company
would be co-organising the concert in tandem with Laboratori
Eventi and Fenice under the patronage of the Sicilian Region
and the Taormina Council. The concert is one of a series organised
as part of the annual Summer Taormina Arte events with the proceeds
of the concert going to the United Nations Children Fund – UNICEF.
Renaissance Productions Ltd will be continuing where they left
off last March when they organised the successful Mro Riccardo
Muti and his Luigi Cherubini Orchestra concert which was held
at the Teatro Bellini in Catania, Sicily.
In the Taormina concert entitled The Best of Liza, Minnelli
will be accompanied by her 26-piece band and performing her best
hits live. A grand dinner will follow at the Timeo Hotel with
her in attendance.
* Excerpts from
a great article (with portrait!), on Liza's latest singing
TV appearance ("Singer Spotlight," airing on PBS
in Chicago, July 26th and again on the 29th, Ch.11 -- Taped
on May 10th, 2007)
Ann Hampton Callaway: Life is a Cabaret
by Richard Knight, Jr.
2007-07-18
Let’s talk about your first guest: Liza Minnelli. Talk
about a coup right out of the gate.
AHC: I know! I met Liza on March 15, 1991. I went to a show
that she had attended of my friend, Billy Stritch, and after
the show there was a wonderful musical party; that’s when
I met Liza. We started singing together around the piano. At
that point in her life, she was inviting people over for wonderful
nights of music and I really spent a lot of time with Liza. Over
the years we’ve had a wonderful friendship—she’s
been very inspirational to me. I couldn’t ask for a more
wonderful, brilliant, gracious and generous guest than Liza Minnelli.
She’s done it all; she’s truly an American icon and
a real survivor in an age when this kind of music is fragile.
WCT: I’m hoping you and Liza are going to duet on something.
AHC: We are—probably more than one song—but we’re
definitely going to be doing Stormy Weather together. I asked
Liza what she wanted to do together and she said, “Well
let’s do something where we belt our asses off!” [
laughs ] and I said, “Right on sister!”
|
POSTED JULY 18, 2007:
* Liza attended
the "Hairspray" movie's NYC premiere this past Monday,
July 16th, 2007, at the Ziegfeld (where "Liza With a 'Z'" screened
last March 13th, 2006) .... You can see photos at the usual
sites, such as BroadwayWorld.com.
"We're all set for that interview with Liza Minnelli today," the
Cape Cod Melody Tent's PR person told me.
I wasn't assigned to interview Minnelli, I told her, and no
one else at the paper was, as far I knew. She said she'd check
into it and call me back.
Life is a ...
Liza Minnelli's one of the few people to have won an Oscar (best
actress, "Cabaret"), an Emmy (outstanding single
program: variety and popular music, "Liza With a Z"),
a Tony (best leading actress in a musical, "Flora the
Red Menace" and "The Act") and a Grammy (Grammy
legend award).
Her major film roles include parts in "The Sterile Cuckoo," "Cabaret," "New
York, New York" and "Arthur." Recent TV appearances
includes roles in "Arrested Development" and "Law & Order:
Criminal Intent." The daughter of Judy Garland, Minnelli
started performing at 17. Two years later she won her first Tony.
A minute later the phone rang.
"Hello, Bill. It's Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiii-za!"
If not for the previous call, I'd have guessed it was a friend
pulling my leg. But this was no gag. I had one of the biggest
stars in show biz — one of the few people to have an Oscar,
Emmy, Tony and Grammy in her collection of awards — and
I had no questions lined up for her.
I tried to explain that I wasn't prepared to do an interview
and that she might want to wait for me to do a little homework.
But Liza wanted to talk.
I knew she was a regular visitor to the Melody Tent, so I asked
her if she had any special Cape Cod memories.
"When I was 15, I was an assistant at the Cape Cod Melody
Tent. I didn't do anything but change the scenery. I was so thrilled
that I was assisting."
What was the highlight of the summer?
"It was the most exciting time of my life. Hollywood, for
me, was boring. To be in the theater was so exciting. I learned
the discipline of the theater."
Did she have any advice for a young person going into the theater?
"Do your very best." Pause. "Try not to be caught
on the stage when the lights come up."
Is she looking forward to doing anything while she's on the Cape?
"I look forward to going out and having some crabs."
I wondered if she meant clams, but before I could ask, she told
me that she's touring with a new show.
What's it like?
"There's lots of movement. Lots of Kate Thompson."
This is where my lack of preparedness showed. I had no idea
that Thompson was a vocal arranger for MGM Studios, the author
of the "Eloise" children's books — and Minnelli's
godmother.
"She had the most marvelous club act. She blew everybody
out of the water.
"This show — it's so filled with energy and fun."
She starts to sing: "Won't you come along with me to the
Mississippi?"
I knew from overhearing the reporter's half of an interview
conducted two years ago that Minnelli doesn't like to talk about
her mother, "The Wizard of Oz" star Judy Garland. I
was guessing she wouldn't want to chat about the most recent
of her four marriages and divorces, which was all over the tabloids
a few years back.
I was wishing I could come up with a question she hasn't heard
a million times but was willing to settle for a coherent question
when my boss, who'd done a quick Internet search, handed me a
slip of paper.
Minnelli had appeared on Kathy Griffin's reality show, "My
Life on the D-List," a week or so before. How did that come
about?
"Anything she asks for, I'll do."
What's Griffin like?
"She's immediate."
What do you mean?
"I mean she's immediate."
I get the sense Minnelli isn't having any more fun with this
than I am.
I'm about to ask what she'd call a reality show about her when
I remember that several years ago VH1 planned but never aired
a program about her and then-husband David Gest. Instead
I ask what a reality show filmed about her right now would be
titled.
"Right now."
It takes a moment before I realize that's an answer, not a question.
A glance at my boss's notes shows Minnelli recently returned
from performing in Buenos Aries and Rio de Janeiro. What was
Brazil like?
"It is so fabulous. It is so miraculous."
I'm trying to put together a good question about "Cabaret," the
movie that landed her an Oscar, or maybe something about why
she keeps touring after all these years.
But Minnelli speaks first, reciting what sounds like some sort
of Hollywood twist on haiku.
"I'll tell you what." (Pause)
"I know you." (Pause. Now I'm really confused.)
"I love you." (Pause ... and wait for the big finish.)
Music: Feature
One Hand Loves the Other: Fanfare for the uncommon band
Liza Minnelli gives Atlantans a (helping?) hand
BY CHAD RADFORD
Published 07.04.07
It's not every day that a mega-star like Liza Minnelli comes
out to a show featuring an experimental pop band from Atlanta
that's signed to a willfully obscure label rooted in punk and
hardcore. But that happened when One Hand Loves the Other performed
at the Annex in Manhattan on June 4. Minnelli didn't just make
an appearance, she dominated the scene -- laying claim to a front-row
table, cheering wildly and demanding to meet the band. When asked
about the experience of such a surreal and enthusiastic cheerleader
in the crowd, all four members of the group eyeball each other.
They're hesitant to say anything that might scare away their
newest No. 1 fan. After a few awkward moments, vocalist Lou Rodriguez
leans over his noontime beer at the Righteous Room on Ponce to
save face. "She was very kind," he offers as he straightens
the dingy and worn red bill of his trucker cap. "She was
supportive and said that she sees us going far." But his
assessment doesn't even come close to cutting the tension that
lingers over the table as the rest of the group smirks.
A review of the show posted at CMJ.com/relay captures the sense
of excitement best: "I'm not shitting you, Liza Minnelli
was there, complimenting and kissing the lead singer of the band
after the show ... ."
So what the hell was she doing there? As it turns out, OHLTO's
publicist, Shane Marshall Brown, works for Springer Associates
PR, who also handles publicity for Minnelli.
An encounter such as this sends tremors throughout the DIY community
on the home front. But even though a brush with a celebrity has
raised the group's profile somewhat, OHLTO is still moving at
the pace of a local band.
The group's self-titled debut was released in April on Stickfigure
Records, and when OHLTO booked its first East Coast tour earlier
this summer, it didn't even have a CD to push. Rodriguez, along
with Nancy Shim (flute, keyboards), Tracy Tzen (cello) and Mikey
Johnson (electronics), booked most of the tour by sending MP3s
to people in towns where Stickfigure already had friends.
It looked to be a standard-issue tour of sparsely attended clubs,
low pay and life on the road as temporary gypsies.
Rodriguez spent the money they made from the CD release show
at the Drunken Unicorn a few weeks prior on a big pillow, in
case he had to sleep in the van.
It's a common concern for the average indie-rock band on the
road. But OHLTO isn't the average indie-rock band, and it's certainly
not of the gruff, outsider, post-hardcore stock for which much
of Stickfigure's catalog is based. The music is jarringly clean-cut
by comparison to the more aggressive Stickfigure titles – perhaps
too precious for fans of releases by Blame Game, Electrosleep
Int'l and Deerhunter.
The group's sound is an amalgamation of classical music, glitch-laden
electronica and dramatic pop tones. Shim and cellist Mary Knight,
who recently replaced Tzen, craft a pensive backdrop of subtle
string and woodwind melodies. Johnson, who also performs as the
knob-twiddling unit Music for People, adds crackle and distortion
to the music while Rodriguez puts a sharp point on songs like "Interpret
a Poem," "Tortoise" and "Burden of Barnacles." His
voice embodies a distressed quality that spans a vast range of
shattered and theatrical emotions as he plows through soaring
high notes and darker tones in one flowing motion.
On stage the group is a sharp-dressed lot, adorned in flowing,
colorful dresses and GQ duds that are fashionably out of place
amid the smoke-filled ambiance of a rock club.
Rodriguez laughs wholeheartedly when he recalls that prior to
starting OHLTO, he was working on a development deal with Sony
Records. But once he heard the marketing geniuses refer to him
as "the ethnic Justin Timberlake," he jumped ship.
Even though the specter of mainstream appeal hulks over OHLTO,
self-sufficiency serves the group well. The CD was recorded in
Johnson's bedroom, aka Hot Stub Studios, where the sound booth
was a bay window curtained off by a blanket. "We didn't
have a microphone stand so we hung one from the ceiling, and
there was just enough space for Tracy to play her cello, but
she kept hitting the blanket with her bow," Shim explains. "Mikey
was convinced that the cat had peed on the blanket, but we just
kept recording."
Ingenuity like this bodes well for a group left to its own devices.
And, when OHLTO arrived in New York without a place to stay,
it looked like Rodriguez was going to need that big pillow. But
publicist Brown also had ties with sales execs at Expedia.com who
hooked the group up with a suite for five days.
As happy coincidences like these added up, OHLTO didn't return
from touring with the same horror stories of sleeping in vans
and playing to little-to-no crowds. "We played one of the
best shows ever that night in New York," says Rodriguez.
Celebrity gossip only goes so far, and any notoriety the group
gained from rocking Liza Minnelli into hysterics is based on
its own merits, which people will be talking about long after
the encounter with the superstar is forgotten.
|
POSTED JULY 2, 2007:
* Information
about Liza's August 2nd appearance:
(Edited press release)
Roy and Gretchen Jackson, owners of 2006 Kentucky Derby Presented
by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Barbaro, will receive a Congressional
Honor from U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield as a tribute to their late
colt at the Equine Advocates annual awards dinner and charity
auction Aug. 2.
“We are deeply honored to have been recognized by the
House of Representatives,”
the Jacksons said in a joint statement. “It is all Barbaro.
He started it by crossing the finish line by 6 1/2 lengths
and the other by eight months of fighting to beat the odds.
He has brought up many issues teaching us as well. Thank you
indeed for such truly overwhelming recognition”.
The Jacksons are outspoken advocates against the practice of
horse slaughter and have campaigned and lobbied for Congress
to ban the practice. Whitfield, who represents Kentucky’s
first district, is one of the active members of Congress working
to pass the horse slaughter ban.
“The Jacksons continue to be a leading voice in the fight
against horse slaughter," Whitfield said. “I believe
their dedication and tireless work ethic will help lead to
the eventual end of this cruel and inhumane practice of slaughtering
horses for human consumption.”
The annual benefit at Stone Bridge Farm near Schuylerville,
N.Y., will alsohonor Madeleine and T. Boone Pickens. The couple
will receive the Equine Advocates Safe Home Equine Protection
Award for their work and dedication to ending horse slaughter.
Entertainer Liza Minnelli, who is currently on a world tour,
will perform live in concert at the event.
“This year’s event will not only be thrilling on
many levels, but it will also be a call to arms,” said
Equine Advocates president Susan Wagner. "The Pickens
and the Jacksons are an inspiration to us all. This event will
give us the opportunity to honor them andthank them and call
on all Americans to urge Congress to quickly pass H.R. 503
and S.311.”
Some limited tickets at $300 per person are still available,
but must be purchased in advance. For more information, call:
(518) 245-1599.
* Tickets
go on sale TODAY for Liza's newly scheduled appearance on July
31st at the Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts
Center, in Hopewell, Ontario County (Rochester, NY).
Admission is $40 to $75 for Minnelli’s 7:30 p.m. show.
Tickets available at the CMAC box office and the Auditorium Theatre
box office, 885 E. Main St. - Call (585) 232-1900 or go to www.ticketmaster.com.
|
POSTED JUNE 25, 2007:
* Liza's Friday,
June 22nd, 2007 vist to the Manqueira Samba school in Rio de
Janeiro: www.news.search.yahoo.com
A page on Liza's May 15th Prince Theatre Gala in Philly: jewishexponent.com
* Click
here or on image below to download a PDF of a great review
of Liza's Buenos Aires concert.
|
POSTED JUNE 21, 2007:
* Liza on "Singer's
Spotlight" on PBS in July!
Below is the flyer and the TV program guide cover, both promoting
the SINGER'S SPOTLIGHT debuting on the Chicago PBS station
WTTW - with NATIONAL airings on PBS hoping on the way, stay
tuned!
Also, note the STREAMING broadcast that can be heard on 98.7
WFMT website, so everyone can hear it on Saturday, July 28th,
at 5:30 PM (We're guessing that's Central Time - more to come).
Click on each image for pop-up windows with details.
* Photos of Liza
at the AmFar Event, NYC, Tuesday, June 5th, 2007:
* You may want
to catch Kathy Griffin's show "My Life on the D List" on
BRAVO. First episode of the season aired Tuesday night, June
5th, 2007 (see repeat times below) and Liza plays a big role
(well, not on camera).
The episode revolves around Kathy preparing to play Carnegie
Hall, and she tries to get Liza to attend the performance.
Keep watching til the end for a very sweet surprise, courtesy
of LM.
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List
Ep 12
In the Season 3 opener, Kathy reflects on her life, emotionally
addresses her divorce and prepares for an A-list gig at Carnegie
Hall. Appearing: Whoopi Goldberg; Kellie Pickler; Rosie O'Donnell;
and Joan Rivers. 60 minutes- TV-14, USA, 2007, (CC), New, D,L
Tue Jun 5 10:00P on Bravo
Wed Jun 6 12:00A on Bravo
Wed Jun 6 10:00A on Bravo
Thu Jun 7 12:00A on Bravo
Sat Jun 9 07:00P on Bravo
Sun Jun 10 03:00A on Bravo
Mon Jun 11 03:00A on Bravo
Mon Jun 11 10:00A on Bravo
Mon Jun 11 05:00P on Bravo
Tue Jun 12 09:00A on Bravo
Tue Jun 12 09:00P on Bravo
Wed Jun 13 03:00A on Bravo
Thu Jun 14 09:00P on Bravo
Fri Jun 15 02:00P on Bravo
Sat Jun 16 04:00P on Bravo
Sun Jun 17 02:00P on Bravo
Tue Jun 19 09:00A on Bravo
Tue Jun 19 08:00P on Bravo
Thu Jun 21 02:00P on Bravo
* Liza movies
on TV in June:
Arthur
Directed by Steve Gordon. Starring Dudley Moore, Liza Minnelli,
Stephen Elliott, John Gielgud, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Jill Eikenberry,
Ted Ross, Barney Martin, Paul Gleason, Anne DeSalvo.
Romantic escapades of a perpetually pixilated playboy. 120
minutes- PG, USA, 1981, (CC), SAP, Strong Language,Adult Themes
Mon Jun 11 03:00P on TVLAND
Wed Jun 13 08:00P on TVLAND
Thu Jun 14 12:00P on TVLAND
Arthur: TV Listings, Photos, Message Board, Cast and
More on TVGuide.com
Arthur 2: On the Rocks
Directed by Bud Yorkin. Starring Dudley Moore, Liza Minnelli,
John Gielgud, Kathy Bates, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Paul Benedict,
Jack Gilford, Stephen Elliott, Ted Ross.
The besotted billionaire struggles to protect his marriage and
money from his former fiancée's father. 115 minutes- PG,
USA, 1988, DSS, SAP, HDTV, Strong Language
Wed Jun 20 09:30A on HD Movies
Silent Movie
Directed by Mel Brooks. Starring Mel Brooks, Marty Feldman, Dom
DeLuise, Bernadette Peters, Sid Caesar, Paul Newman, Liza Minnelli,
Anne Bancroft, Marcel Marceau, Harold Gould.
A movie producer hopes for a comeback. 90 minutes- PG, USA, 1976,
(CC), Stereo, HDTV, Strong Language
Fri Jun 29 07:00A on Cinemax
Silent Movie: TV Listings, Photos, Message Board, Cast
and More on TVGuide.com
It was not particularly surprising to find Liza Minnelli at
last night's amfAR Honoring With Pride benefit. It was entirely
surprising, however, when Liza broke into a rap on her way into
the Rainbow Room. "There's always a man that you love," Liza
quasi-rapped for us. "There's always a man that you didn't
love. There's always a man that you love to love, and a man that
you love too much." She's working on a new album inspired
by her godmother, Kay Thompson, and the rap will be on it. "She
was the first rapper," Liza told us, proudly, of Thompson.
Um, okay. If you say so. ˜Brett Amelkin
CORRECTION, June 7: Minnelli is working on an album of songs
associated with Thompson. She is not working on an album with
Thompson, who died in 1998, as that item initially stated.
|
POSTED JUNE 4, 2007:
* As we know,
Liza has concert dates overseas next week, so there is no way
she could be singing with Feinstein at his Manhattan club on
the 12th. The Times and other outlets got the date wrong :
there was talk of Liza singing with Michael (for his Bobby
Short Tribute show) on June 6th, but even that date turned
out not to work. So you can see that sometimes things are announced
before they are officially, completely confirmed.
|
POSTED MAY 31, 2007:
* About three
months ago (Feb-March, 2007), Liza shot a segmentin NYC for
the new AFI (American Film Institute) TV special airing June
20th, 2007, on CBS. Liza's segment pays tribute to her movie
classic "Cabaret."
Today (Thursday, May 31st, 2007) Liza did interviews for the
South America concert tour next month, a very big event on her
summer tour.
* Excerpts from
a review of Liza's May 28th, 2007 Gypsy show in Vegas, at the
Luxor, from LVCityLife.com/Mike
Prevatt:
"It wasn't hard finding a reason to cheer the 61-year-old
stage legend, who over the past year has resurrected the "Gypsy" show
tradition, where a prominent performer plays a post-midnight
show for Strip performers and crew who normally work their own
productions. For someone who not only battled various health
problems over the past decade, but had already performed earlier
that night, Minnelli was in top form. She hit the high chorus
notes, she participated in dance routines, she was in lock-step
with her 12-piece orchestra and she rattled off anecdotes between
every song. Even if you weren't a fan of musical theater songs
-- I include myself in that camp -- you had to be impressed at
her showmanship.
Even more endearing was how closely she aligned herself with
the audience. Minnelli was pure diva when singing, but the delivery
of her banter indicated she and the onlookers were equals, even
family. It was a sign of class and graciousness you rarely see
in this city any more, and the crowd rewarded her with several
standing ovations (though the loudest whoops followed renditions
of "(Life is a) Cabaret" and "Theme From New York,
New York")."
|
POSTED MAY 30, 2007:
* Liza has just
been announced as presenting an award at AmFAR's annual "Honoring
With Pride," to be held Tuesday, June 5th, at the Rainbow
Room, atop Rockefeller Center in Manhattan. Cocktails at 6:30
PM; Awards presentation at 8 PM. For Tickets: www.amfar.org
Obviously, that announcement over the weekend about Liza attending
the AmFar event was meant for this event, and not the one in
Cannes on Thursday, May 24th, as Liza was definitely in Vegas
last week (bother Joe Luft spent some time with Liza in Vegas,
and was spotted on Saturday's show, backstage).
Also, watch this site for more confirmed concerts in the next
day or so!
* Updated concert
schedule! Check out the "Concerts & Appearances" page
for details. Here are the latest updates:
New Liza concert dates, Confirmed (as of May 30th):
Sept 16 Hinckley,
MN Grand
Casino
Sept 22 Naperville,
Ill Pfeiffer
Hall
Sept 28 Morristown,
NJ Community
Theatre
Oct 6 Tampa,
Fl Tampa
Performing Arts Center
Oct 13 Long
Island CW
Post College
Nov 29 Palm
Desert, Ca McCallum
Theatre
Dec 15 Copenhagen Private
Date
* Liza had a
busy week last week -- Along with the Vegas concerts, and attending
the "Ice" show there (and zooming back and forth
for the AmFar event), LM also sang at the birthday party for
Rosie O'Donnell's partner, in NYC (last Sunday, I believe,
May 20th, 2007)
Saturday, May 26, 2007; Posted: 1:19 PM - by BWW News Desk
Earlier this week, Liza Minnelli attended the newest show at
the Riviera Hotel and Casino, ICE: Direct From Russia. Prior
to the performance, Minnelli took a moment to go backstage
and meet with the all-Russian cast of 42 and expressed her
excitement to see the new show on a stage where she had performed
on in the 70's and 80's.
ICE's producer Sergey Ryshkoff and the cast interacted with
the living legend, who offered American show business advice
and a story about her days at the Riviera. During the curtain
call, Ms. Minnelli was one of the first in the audience to
stand and applaud the performers and was heard saying, "THIS
is the show to see in Las Vegas!".
* Some great
photos of Liza the last time she was at the Luxor, last month,
with a notice of her Memorial Day weekend concerts there, and
the Gypsy Show:
Another music legend has returned to Las Vegas.
Liza Minnelli is back! She may sing about New York, but
it is Las Vegas that holds her heart.
This visit marks Liza's fourth to Las Vegas this year, and
her first return to the Riviera Hotel and Casino since her
last stint in the 80's.
Beneath the glare of photographer flash bulbs, Liza Minnelli
treaded the boards once again at the Riviera Hotel and Casino.
But this time, the stage is covered with ice. It has
been reconfigured for the dazzling new show "Ice" in
the Versailles Theatre.
Nostalgic about life on the Strip, Liza shared some of her
memories and feelings about Las Vegas.
She met with the all Russian cast of "Ice", a once
in a lifetime meeting for them, and offered simple but sage
advice to performer and new transplant Elena Sphagina
Liza is currently in rehearsal for her new show at the Luxor,
slated to run this weekend. Her new show features a tribute
to her godmother Kay Thompson.
Kay Thompson is the author of the Eloise at the Plaza Hotel
book series.
Liza's love affair with Las Vegas endures.
Watch the Action Video to hear more from this interview with
Liza Minnelli.
Keep it tuned to Channel 13 Action News for the latest on entertainment
around the valley.
|
POSTED MAY 22, 2007:
* Liza made a
very special return to Philadelphia this past Tuesday, May
15th, as the main event for the Prince Music Theatre's 24th
Annual Gala. Liza hadn't appeared in Philly for almost 20 years,
since Sunday, February 5th,1989, when she co-starred with Marvin
Hamlisch at another benefit (for her favorite charity, the
Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential, based in
Philly). There'd been a stop on the Frank & Sammy "Ultimate
Event" tour at Philly's Spectrum stadium the previous
September 26th and 27th (1988), and there'd been an week-long
engagement at the Shubert with Joel Grey in 1981 (March 16th-22nd)
but it's really been almost THIRTY years -- since 1979 (Shubert,
November 5th - 11th) -- that Liza has appeared solo in the
City of Brotherly Love.
Our lady certainly had support from her fine dancers on that
1979 Philly engagement, and she again had superb support this
time out, with her heavenly "Andy Williams" men,
for this was the "official" East Coast Premiere of
Liza's KAY THOMPSON material (not counting the invitation-on
