By on October 18, 2012 at 5:30 AM
First things first: Yes, Liza Minnelli will be a part of the upcoming “Arrested Development” reunion.
In fact, the award-winning actress and singer recently finished shooting several sequences for the hotly anticipated fourth season of the cult comedy series, which will be shown on Netflix in 2013. (Fun trivia fact: She’s one of the only entertainers to have won an Oscar, a Grammy, a Tony and an Emmy.)
In between filming, Minnelli also is on tour — really, she’s never stopped touring — and she’ll be performing at the Luhrs Center in Shippensburg on Friday.
The legendary performer and “Cabaret” star talked about returning to “Arrested,” and what it was like to meet Lady Gaga.
Q: What are you going to be performing in Shippensburg? Is it going to be mostly from your recent “Confessions” album, or will it be a mix?
A: Yes. It’s a mix, and it’s very intimate concert. There’s only seven musicians. It’s fun. Not much of it is written dialogue-wise, I go by the audience.
Q: I went on Twitter to see if anyone had any questions, and the thing that everyone wanted to know was if you were going to be on “Arrested Development”?
In fact, the award-winning actress and singer recently finished shooting several sequences for the hotly anticipated fourth season of the cult comedy series, which will be shown on Netflix in 2013. (Fun trivia fact: She’s one of the only entertainers to have won an Oscar, a Grammy, a Tony and an Emmy.)
In between filming, Minnelli also is on tour — really, she’s never stopped touring — and she’ll be performing at the Luhrs Center in Shippensburg on Friday.
The legendary performer and “Cabaret” star talked about returning to “Arrested,” and what it was like to meet Lady Gaga.
Q: What are you going to be performing in Shippensburg? Is it going to be mostly from your recent “Confessions” album, or will it be a mix?
A: Yes. It’s a mix, and it’s very intimate concert. There’s only seven musicians. It’s fun. Not much of it is written dialogue-wise, I go by the audience.
Q: I went on Twitter to see if anyone had any questions, and the thing that everyone wanted to know was if you were going to be on “Arrested Development”?
A: I came back a couple of days ago from shooting, and I’m going to shoot there on my way to Brazil. When I come back, I’m shooting more. It’s so great to be back with everybody. And it’s so funny. [Creator Mitchell] Hurwitz is a genius.
Q: How does the experience of being on “Arrested” compare to other acting you’ve done?
A: It’s constantly funny. We all laugh all the time, because Hurwitz is so brilliant. He changes things on the spot, so you really have to be alert and hang in there.
Q: Does acting flex different muscles for you than singing?
A: I’ll tell you what happened. I didn’t ever think that I sang very well and when I was about 19, I went to see [French singer] Charles Aznavour. I didn’t breathe for two hours during his show because each song was acted so brilliantly.
He came to see my show at the Coconut Grove and liked me very much, and I called him later that month and said, ‘Excuse me Mr. Aznavour but can I be your protege? I want to do what you do.’ He said ‘Good, all right. Come on.’ So off I went to Paris.
So with each song it’s like a complete acting experience. I know the character’s name, where she lives, what she’s been doing right up to the moment she sings. What color hair she has, what decals are on her refrigerator, what she’s looking at out the window — is it a city, a field, a forest? Is she on a plane? That makes it specific. And I think that’s what people like about what I do.
Q: It’s interesting that you said you didn’t think you sang very well.
A: Well, yeah, I really didn’t. I still don’t. I think that’s why I try so hard every time [laughs). It also makes it easier with the acting, cause I don’t concentrate on ‘Oh, am I flat,’ I concentrate on the moment.
Q: How does the experience of being on “Arrested” compare to other acting you’ve done?
A: It’s constantly funny. We all laugh all the time, because Hurwitz is so brilliant. He changes things on the spot, so you really have to be alert and hang in there.
Q: Does acting flex different muscles for you than singing?
A: I’ll tell you what happened. I didn’t ever think that I sang very well and when I was about 19, I went to see [French singer] Charles Aznavour. I didn’t breathe for two hours during his show because each song was acted so brilliantly.
He came to see my show at the Coconut Grove and liked me very much, and I called him later that month and said, ‘Excuse me Mr. Aznavour but can I be your protege? I want to do what you do.’ He said ‘Good, all right. Come on.’ So off I went to Paris.
So with each song it’s like a complete acting experience. I know the character’s name, where she lives, what she’s been doing right up to the moment she sings. What color hair she has, what decals are on her refrigerator, what she’s looking at out the window — is it a city, a field, a forest? Is she on a plane? That makes it specific. And I think that’s what people like about what I do.
Q: It’s interesting that you said you didn’t think you sang very well.
A: Well, yeah, I really didn’t. I still don’t. I think that’s why I try so hard every time [laughs). It also makes it easier with the acting, cause I don’t concentrate on ‘Oh, am I flat,’ I concentrate on the moment.
Q: I saw where your Winter Garden concert was just released on CD.
A: What happened was I did a long run on a Broadway stage. They recorded it and decided to bring it out. Then they stopped putting it out because “Cabaret” was released, so they held it to promote “Cabaret.” They just decided to bring it out again. I’m thrilled, because all of the songs are so wonderful and Marvin Hamlisch’s arrangements are sensational.
Q: Do you use opportunities like the Winter Garden release to reflect on your career?
A: If I haven’t seen it in a long time, I’ll watch it or listen to it just to remember the funny things that happened, but I certainly won’t sit and study it, no. Cause there’s always something ahead. There’s always something immediate, and that’s great.
Q: Do you try to stay contemporary?
A: I don’t have to try. I love it, so I do.
Q: Shows like “Glee” suggest there’s a resurgent interest in the musical. Do you see your influence in any of that?
A: I went to see Lady Gaga, whom I love. I went to see her in concert, and someone came out and said, ‘Gaga wants to see you.’ So I go backstage, and she hasn’t got her gear on yet. And she came out and said, ‘I do what you do. I do it because of you.’ I said, ‘What?’ Madonna had said that, too. It’s just amazing to me.
Q: You’re surprised by that?
A: Yes, constantly. But she was so nice and boy, is she talented. The woman’s a great musician, plays the piano like a sunuvagun, sings her behind off and has figured out the sensationalism and how to use it in her artistry.
Q: You mentioned the late Marvin Hamlisch. Can you talk about his influence on you?
A: It was huge. I loved Marvin, and he was my best friend. He was everything to me, and I’ll miss him like crazy, but thank God for him and what he’s given this world.
Q: You’ve had such an acclaimed career. What keeps you going at this point?
A: Curiosity.
Q: About what?
A: About what’s happening, what different people are like. What’s going on? That’s why when My Chemical Romance calls me [to sing on “The Black Parade” album], I do it.
Q: What was that like?
A: Oh, wonderful. That guy [lead singer Gerard Way] is as smart as a whip. It was great fun.
Q: Do you feel like you have a responsibility at all to make people aware of the Great American Songbook tradition you come out of?
A: No (laughs). I sing what I like. I sing what moves me, whether it’s Aznavour or Pet Shop Boys.
A: What happened was I did a long run on a Broadway stage. They recorded it and decided to bring it out. Then they stopped putting it out because “Cabaret” was released, so they held it to promote “Cabaret.” They just decided to bring it out again. I’m thrilled, because all of the songs are so wonderful and Marvin Hamlisch’s arrangements are sensational.
Q: Do you use opportunities like the Winter Garden release to reflect on your career?
A: If I haven’t seen it in a long time, I’ll watch it or listen to it just to remember the funny things that happened, but I certainly won’t sit and study it, no. Cause there’s always something ahead. There’s always something immediate, and that’s great.
Q: Do you try to stay contemporary?
A: I don’t have to try. I love it, so I do.
Q: Shows like “Glee” suggest there’s a resurgent interest in the musical. Do you see your influence in any of that?
A: I went to see Lady Gaga, whom I love. I went to see her in concert, and someone came out and said, ‘Gaga wants to see you.’ So I go backstage, and she hasn’t got her gear on yet. And she came out and said, ‘I do what you do. I do it because of you.’ I said, ‘What?’ Madonna had said that, too. It’s just amazing to me.
Q: You’re surprised by that?
A: Yes, constantly. But she was so nice and boy, is she talented. The woman’s a great musician, plays the piano like a sunuvagun, sings her behind off and has figured out the sensationalism and how to use it in her artistry.
Q: You mentioned the late Marvin Hamlisch. Can you talk about his influence on you?
A: It was huge. I loved Marvin, and he was my best friend. He was everything to me, and I’ll miss him like crazy, but thank God for him and what he’s given this world.
Q: You’ve had such an acclaimed career. What keeps you going at this point?
A: Curiosity.
Q: About what?
A: About what’s happening, what different people are like. What’s going on? That’s why when My Chemical Romance calls me [to sing on “The Black Parade” album], I do it.
Q: What was that like?
A: Oh, wonderful. That guy [lead singer Gerard Way] is as smart as a whip. It was great fun.
Q: Do you feel like you have a responsibility at all to make people aware of the Great American Songbook tradition you come out of?
A: No (laughs). I sing what I like. I sing what moves me, whether it’s Aznavour or Pet Shop Boys.
IF YOU GO: An Evening With Liza Minnelli: “Confessions” begins at 8 p.m. Friday at Luhrs Center, Cost: $95, $87, $77 and $67. Info: 717-477-7469 or www.luhrscenter.com
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment