Turn up the volume: Liza Minnelli is taking on the world of fashion and making beautiful music

June 30, 8:15 AM · Joshua Estrin - Pop Culture Examiner


What good is sitting alone in your room? No good can be had by it and life certainly can be cabaret. A new day is dawning at Home Shopping Network (HSN) and who better to set the pace than the unparalleled dynamo Liza Minnelli! During a recent chat as Ms. Minnelli was dashing with the ever present grace of nothing less than an athlete, she was kind enough to slow down long enough to spare me the exhaustion of watching her in action to comment on her new adventure.

“My life has provided me the ability to amass a wonderful wardrobe designed by fashion’s brightest stars,” said Liza Minnelli. “I am excited to work with HSN in launching The Liza Collection and to have the opportunity to share my favorite looks with millions of women who want to look fabulous and feel their very best.”

"We are honored to offer our customers this exclusive fashion collection from Liza Minnelli. Partnering with such a renowned star reinforces HSN's unique ability to effortlessly bridge the worlds of fashion and entertainment," said Lynne Ronon, Executive Vice President of Merchandising, HSN. "As one of the most celebrated entertainers today, I am confident Liza will connect directly with HSN customers in marrying her iconic style with their own."

The collection is yet another “first” for Liza, bringing to life some of her most enduring looks, including sequined separates and signature flowy pants. Jewelry is inspired from some of her most treasured pieces pulled straight from her jewelry box including necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings.

What more could a woman ask for and will this remarkable woman ever slow down? Her publicist, Scott Gorenstein told me, "Wherever Liza goes she is always being stopped and asked about her jewelry and clothes. So many pieces that she wears are just so ... 'Liza'. We all know she has a distinct style and after she makes her HSN debut we'll probably be seeing it on women all around the country."

So what does all this mean? Quite simply “Some People”, or rather an army of women across the nation can now experience “Liza with a Z” up close and personal and enjoy it without having to be a “Big Spender”.

The Liza Collection will debut at 10 p.m.–midnight EDT on June 30 at HSN and hsn.com. Retail prices for apparel will range from $29.90 for a Charmeuse Scarf to $129.90 for a Sequined Boyfriend Blazer and for jewelry from $39.95 for Silver-tone Triple Heart Pave Drop Earrings to $79.95 for a Silver-tone Pave Rose Bangle.

Liza Minnelli is one of the most versatile and highly regarded performers in the entertainment industry. She began her show business career at an early age and won her first Tony Award for Best Actress in a musical by the time she was 19. Since then, Liza has garnered critical acclaim for various acting roles and has risen to international stardom. Along with countless honors and awards, Liza Minnelli is one of very few personalities to win entertainment’s top four awards – The Oscar, The Tony, The Emmy and The Grammy.

Liza Minnelli Debuts The Liza Collection on HSN, 6/30

broadway WORLD.COM
Monday, June 28, 2010; Posted: 11:06 AM - by BWW News Desk
Minnelli will debut The Liza Collection on June 30 at 10pm EDT on HSN. The Liza Collection - exclusive to HSN - will consist of limited-edition apparel and jewelry inspired by Liza's trademark look and recreated from her personal archives.


"My life has provided me the ability to amass a wonderful wardrobe designed by fashion's brightest stars," said Liza Minnelli. "I am excited to work with HSN in launching The Liza Collection and to have the opportunity to share my favorite looks with millions of women who want to look fabulous and feel their very best."

The collection is a first for Liza within the fashion category, bringing to life some of her most recognized looks, including sequined separates and signature flowy pants. Jewelry is inspired from some of Liza's most treasured pieces pulled straight from her jewelry box including necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings.

COPY link below for a sneak peak of Liza on HSN:


http://www.hsn.com/320-x-240-video-player_at-4953_xa.aspx?c=1&videoid=10547026

Liza Minnelli is one of the most versatile and highly regarded performers in the entertainment industry. She began her show business career at an early age and won her first Tony Award for Best Actress in a musical by the time she was 19. Since then, Liza has garnered critical acclaim for various acting roles and has risen to international stardom. Along with countless honors and awards, Liza Minnelli is one of very few personalities to win entertainment's top four awards - The Oscar, The Tony, The Emmy and The Grammy.

Another review of Liza at Wente Vineyards, June 24th by Jennifer Abraham.

Hi all; I saw Patrick's review for the Wente show got posted, and remembered that I still desperately need to write my review of the same show! I won't beat around the bush that I'm probably not the best at writing concert reviews, so I'll do my best :)


Had I left a little earlier, I could have seen Liza perform her soundcheck, but got caught up in traffic and missed it. (I know someone who got there early enough to see it though and thought she was amazing!) I got there a little bit later, in time for dinner (we had restaurant seating) which was...interesting, to say the least. (Unless you have a taste for them, I wouldn't recommend their "pea shooters". I think several tables around ours got an interesting pre-show laugh at watching me try to gag that thing down and make every weird face in the book.) I only mention this part because our table was directly across from the building Liza was using as her backstage area. No, I didn't end up getting back there, but I sur e did try! And while we were eating, I saw several familiar faces of Team Liza milling in and out of there, which was exciting. This was the first time I took my dad with me to a Liza show, so he pretty much just thought I was nuts for being able to rattle off the names of each of these people like it was nothing. He just doesn't understand the Liza fandom at all. ;) He's more used to rock concerts - it was more his speed when I was still employed by Pete Townshend and could get him back to meet all that crew. So I figured I'd take him along to show him what a classy show is like, even if just once. :)

I must re-iterate what's already been said about the weather there...even before it got dark out, it was downright COLD, and only got worse as the night progressed. (It dipped down to about 50 degrees out and started raining not very long after the end of the show - had the intermission been held, Liza would've gotten rained on.) Genius me wore a sleeveless dress and several staff members in charge of the place even came up to me and asked a few times if I was "going to be okay" like that, haha. Amazing how quickly I completely forgot about the cold once Liza May hit the stage though ;)

We had third row, directly center seats. Guess who I had the pleasure of sitting directly behind? A one mr. Ron Lewis! And anyone who's ever seen Liza perform in front of him knows that her eyes stay fairly glued to him, so it felt like she was staring at me the whole night since I was right there behind him :) (I got the back of his head in a couple of pictures I snuck.) I was amazed at JUST how close the stage was - my pictures to NOT do it justice, they make it look further away than it was. It felt like you could practically reach out and touch her! And even the seats off in the back weren't very far away; it was a VERY intimate setting. I was already practically hyperventilating before she even took the stage. (And this comes from the gi rl who traveled across the country to see her 10 times at the Palace!) I've never been this "up close and personal" at any other show of hers I've ever been to; even at the Palace when I had second row seats. But anyway, Liza took the stage in her black velvet pants, what looked to be the same boots from the Palace show tucked up under said pants, and her black sparkly off the shoulder top that looks SO much better in person than it ever does in photos. Let me tell you... She definitely seems to have taken off more weight since the knee surgery; she is TINY now! (I think her legs may very well be smaller around than mine now, and that's saying something, since I'm only like 85 pounds.) She opened with "Teach Me Tonight", which gave me instant giddy flashbacks to the Palace tour. I don't care if anyone else thought she sounded rough during the first few songs, I thought she sounded AMAZING. The little 'scat' part in the middle of the song, she changed up a little from how she normally performs it, but I still liked it. :) In between the first and second songs, she asked the audience if they were cold, before making a comment about how "damn" cold the weather is (the only time she swore all night...darn, I'd had my fingers crossed for another f-bomb after the St Louis show ;) Sorry, it just amuses me to hear her say it, it somehow sounds cute when she does it!). She asked for her jacket from one of her assistants down in the front row, which was, of course, another Ed Hardy one. But a different one I haven't seen before, so at least she's changing it up a little. Liza had Billy Stritch help her put it on, and he playfully yanked the hood up over her head (to which someone in the audience jokingly shouted "Don't touch the hair!", which made Liza smile and she took it back down and pretended to preen her hair a little.) She told us that no matter what, the show must go on, as they say! She carried on like a trooper, and I love her for it. Sh e also went and retrieved her director's chair for the first time at this point. I think the cold was bothering her knee, she kept holding at it but trying not to be obvious about it. My mother had a lot of knee problems, so I guess I'm just really subconsciously in-tune to picking up on that and noticing when it's bothering someone. The next song she did was one of the new ones, I think. I believe it was "On Such A Night As This". I was very impressed that there's a mention of Judy Garland in the song and I hope that line is in the album version :) I'd never heard this song before so the Judy mention caught me offguard and made me squeal a little. (Liza just nodded to me after I did.) She then went straight into "He's Funny That Way" without much seque into it. If you're comparing this to the other shows she's done this tour already, you'll notice that she's already dropped a couple of songs from the setlist thanks to the cold. She also didn't spend nearly as long telling h er usual stories in between songs like she usually does. Just figures, the ONE day last week it wasn't still scorching hot out (or even still warm at that hour) had to be Liza's day. But anyhow, from there, she talked about her knee surgery, which led into "Why Don't They Mention The Pain?". I was a little disappointed when I got home and saw that this song is NOT on the new album; I think it was my favorite of the new material she's doing! (And if anyone might be able to turn up a recording of her doing that song for me, I may just love you for forever.) Seriously, it's SO catchy! And she did indeed try to dance in that chair during this song. After that, she told us a bit about her new album, how it's composed of songs she's basically known her whole life, then went into "I Can't Give You Anything But Love". She then told us about how the whole album was recorded while she was still recovering from her knee surgery, so instead of "being able to sing loud and brassy, like I usually do", she can't do that lying down, so she had to do quiet songs. This of course led to an "...in bed" comment as one would expect (one never gets too old for those jokes!) to which someone shouted "ATTA BOY, BILLY!" You should have seen him blush. From here, she performed "I Hadn't Anyone Til You", followed by "Cabaret", which seemed almost odd that it was so early on in the show (but made sense once I thought about it later and realized so many songs had been dropped from the setlist) - it was still light out when she did that! She also got up from her chair for this number. I will tell you something though; seeing her perform "Cabaret" against a sunset sky is quite possibly one of the most incredible things I have EVER seen in my life, and probably will never be so lucky as to see again, so it's a memory I will hold to and cherish my whole life. It was truly magical, I don't even know how to put it into words beyond that. She then performed "But The World Goes Rou nd", which completed the segue between night and day, light and dark, but just sounded SO incredible. I couldn't believe THAT much sound could come out of a 6 piece band and still sound like a whole orchestra. I was SO beyond excited to hear this one, you have no idea! I think it was after this song that I finally waited for a quiet moment to yell my usual "I love you, Liza!!" and got back an "Oh honey, I love you too!" Which sparked off about 10 other people trying to say it, but the most they got was her saying "Where does that keep coming from?" (I feel special ^_^) Anyway, after this, I should've started writing down which songs she was doing. I THINK after that she did "Confession", which although wasn't the first time I've ever heard it, it was the first time I've heard her do it in person, so that was awesome. It sounded MUCH better than the performance she gave of it at the PFLAG gala, she was really on her game! After that, "You Fascinate Me So", "Moments Like This", I think she did "This Heart of Mine", commented on the cold again, and I couldn't help but noticing how very professional she was in not being the LEAST bit distracted by the moths that kept fluttering through the stagelights around her face a few times (whereas all I was doing was sitting in the audience and couldn't help but be distracted by them...but then again, I should be probably be nicknamed "Princess ADD" or something, haha) but she didn't so much as swat them away or anything. I can't say as much for the rest of the guys in her band - I don't know the names of all the horns section but one of them, I don't know, this particular moth seemed to like messing with and he kept trying to twitch his face to get it off him and to inconspicuously blow it off his face. But I always notice all the tiniest things that most people don't, so I couldn't help but notice this going on in the back while Liza was totally oblivious to this poor guy's plight with the moth. She t hen asked if we remembered that old Disney movie "Lady and the Tramp", which, of course, everybody does, and launched into "He's A Tramp". (I knew there was a reason that movie was always one of my favorite Disney films!) It seemed odd at first she'd randomly do a song from a Disney film until I made the connection that wait, it's a movie about dogs...of course she's seen it. :) Then she did "Maybe This Time", which is the point where she decided it was really too cold and put the hood up on her jacket. If this were anybody else, it would've looked weird, but she can pull it off. I thought it was adorable on her :) Plus with the short hair, I don't blame her at all. When your neck gets cold, you tend to feel cold all over. So she put it up and sang the song in her chair before getting up to sing "New York, New York" - hoodie still up. The performance was amazing, don't get me wrong, but something just seemed almost comical for some reason about her doing that particular trad emark song.......with a hoodie on. Don't ask, I'm a strange little person. It didn't take anything away from it, it juse amused me that it seemed so out of place. But it was at this point that I realized that WAIT, it hasn't even been two hours, the show can't be over yet, can it?? (Her concerts always fly by way too fast, but this one especially. Then I figured out why when I looked at the setlists of the other stops.) She ended the show with telling us about her first husband, Peter Allen, and how she'd been married at 18 (I thought she was 19 when she married him, but I guess I could be wrong) and ended the show with "The Lives of Me". This too, I can't tell you how excited I was to hear. Through Liza, I discovered Peter Allen's music and found that I really, really like his work too. So to hear her singing his song was really exciting for me :)

I only wish the show had been longer, but I'd just like to say that the naysayers really had no leg to stand on here - sh e was incredible that night, I don't know what they were watching, but Liza gave it her absolute all, and I thought she was marvelous.

Liza Minnelli with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

When: Fri., July 2, 8 p.m.


Price: $25-$414

If you haven't gotten enough of Liza Minnelli in the past month with the sequel to Sex and the City and a hilarious Snickers commercial, then it's your lucky day. The singer will be joined by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra at Chastain Park Amphitheater. Minnelli is one of only 12 people who have won an EGOT, which is an individual who has won Academy, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony awards, so there's going to be a lot of talent, and a lot of diva, up on that stage.

— Madison Bopp

LIZA AT WENTE VINEYARDS, THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 2010, by ~ Patrick O Sanchez

Hi Kids! It's been a busy week for me, but now here is my review!


First of all I took my mom with me to see Liza's concert. It was my birthday present to her. We had dinner in the restaurant and we had a wonderful time. As we go outside to find our seats we find it to be very cold and windy. We had to buy a blanket. Everyone was cold. I thought to myself OMG! Liza is going to be cold too! I was looking around to see if they had heat lamps, but there were none. Now it's time for Liza to start. I can see her backstage standing there shivering before she comes out. As soon as the band starts to play shes gets in Liza mode! She opens with "Teach Me Tonight" and she was a little shaky. I blame it on the weather. Every time she opened her mouth you could she her breathe. That's how cold it was. After the first song she asked the audience if we were cold, because she was freezing! Someone had her sweatshirt hoodie that they toss on stage and Billy Stritch helps her with it on. The sweatshirt was covered with rhinestones with a rhinestone eagle on the back. Liza was swimming in it. She looks great! But she is so tiny now. She then sits down and sings some new stuff! Which was great. She tells us about her knee surgery and throughout the evening she keeps rubbing her knee. I'm sure the cold weather didn't help the situation. Liza asked if we minded that she sat, and everyone said "no". I could see she really wanted to get up and dance and do what she does, but she couldn't. I actually liked the intimate Liza sitting in her directors chair. She did stand for "Cabaret" "Maybe This Time" and "New York". She didn't do any costume changes and didn't take a break because of the cold weather. She said "The show must go on, and we deal with it" She went straight through for almost two hours. Towards the end of the concert she put the hoodie on her head and it was really cute. She sang "Maybe This Time" and she looked so youthful. She reminded me of when she played Little Red Riding Hood. Also her voice finally warmed up. It was great. For her encore she did " All The Lives of Me", which was wonderful and very strong. I thought it was great concert. I really enjoyed it. I can't wait to see her in December. I like her better in an indoor venue. Mother Nature wasn't on our side that day. But because Liza is such a true performer she kept going and did the best that she could. It will remain in my bag of Liza memories and I can't wait to add more to the bag!
~ Patrick O Sanchez

" Nothing like a show to sober you up!"

Rick Skye ~ Revue captures the essence of Minnelli

Richmond Times ~ Dispatch By JULINDA LEWIS

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Published: June 26, 2010
Rick Skye wrote and directed this solo revue that is equal parts tribute and parody.


But most of all, Rick Skye is Liza Minnelli. It's not so much that he looks like Minnelli. The huge gamin eyes are easy enough to apply, as is the signature short, dark, spiky wig and the sequined outfits.

Skye has applied the requisite physical attributes, and is gifted with a pair of very shapely dancer's legs, but it isn't any of the physical attributes that make him Minnelli. At one point in the second half of this 90-minute revue, Skye stands still and turns his eyes upward and suddenly, you realize, he has embodied the essence of Liza.

Skye has mastered her gestures and mannerisms, and has himself been blessed with a powerful voice that, at times, is almost too large for the intimate confines of the Altamont Avenue theater space. It is apparent that Skye loves playing the role of Liza Minnelli.

"A Slice O' Minnelli" is a balanced blend of classic Minnelli and parody, connected with a chain of biographical data and Minnelli-esque patter, sharpened with double entendre and an edgy commentary that is, at times, too fast to hear.

Highlights of the first half of the revue are "Mein Chair," a racy parody of "Mein Herr," and a touching but hilarious song about a woman in love with a man who uses sign language. The second half includes an audience-pleasing medley of Judy Garland and Minnelli classics, including "Life is a Cabaret" and "When You Wish Upon a Star," as well as songs by Minnelli's godmother, Kay Thompson, whose work Minnelli included in her comeback album.

Throughout the revue, Skye is accompanied by a very agreeable Michael Ferreri, who occasionally yet humbly manages to steal a well-deserved moment of his own.

The audience was diverse, the laughter free-flowing and frequent, and the applause long and genuine. Even those who are not great fans of Minnelli can enjoy this well-paced, edgy revue.

Julinda Lewis is a teacher, dancer and writer who lives in eastern Henrico County. She can be contacted at jdldances@yahoo.com.

Legendary Liza Minnelli comes to Atlanta July 2 to perform with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra at Chastain.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution   PHOTO ~ Ruven Afanador


Legendary Liza Minnelli comes to Atlanta July 2 to perform with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra at Chastain.



“Hiya honey,” Liza Minnelli gushes into the phone, her syrupy voice instantly recognizable.

She has 10 minutes to talk in between rehearsals for her latest concert tour. Luckily, no need to spend the whirlwind interview catching up on her recent adventures, because Minnelli, now 64, has become more visible than ever.
In the past few years, the queen of cabaret has once again emerged in pop culture and mainstream television. It began with her stint on "Arrested Development" some seven years ago, and continued with recent appearances on shows including "Drop Dead Diva," "Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List," "Saturday Night Live" and prime-time commercials. Minnelli also recently released a fashion line with HSN, formerly the Home Shopping Network.

She's now making waves with her cameo performance of singer Beyonce's "Single Ladies" in film "Sex and the City 2," delighting die-hard fans who know Minnelli mastered Bob Fosse's style long before Beyonce was born.

Indeed, Minnelli is on fire, an A-list star once again in orbit. She stops in Atlanta on Friday, July 2 to perform songs from her latest album, "Confessions," which is expected to be released this September.

But the woman with enormous successes has few words, especially when it comes to talking about herself. When asked about her renewed popularity in prime-time TV, she cheerfully says: "I think it's fun."

She's equally humble about what she's most proud of in her varied career.

"I guess I’m most proud of the songs that have been written for me," she says warmly. "Like ‘Cabaret' and ‘The World Goes ‘Round,' and ‘Liza with a Z.' They’re quite wonderful."
The daughter of Judy Garland and Vincente Minnelli was born into the business, appearing in her first film as an infant and working steadily since. She long ago reached icon status onstage and in song, winning her first Tony at age 19 for "Flora the Red Menace" in 1965 and an Oscar for "Cabaret" in 1972.

Her dreams for her career were simple, she says: "I just wanted to be on Broadway."
As the muse of songwriting duo John Kander and Fred Ebb, Minnelli made her name on The Great White Way and in Hollywood, but eventually became known for tabloid headlines as much as talent.
Like her mother, Minnelli has a well-documented battle with alcoholism and addiction. In the early 2000s, she suffered a debilitating bout of viral encephalitis. And just as it seemed she had regrouped, came that inexplicable and short-lived marriage (her fourth) to a concert promoter named David Gest.

But the singer-actor with the saucer-sized eyes never really stopped working.

Minnelli demurs when asked how she's managed a career that has spanned stage, film and television and garnered her every coveted award known to entertainment including four Tonys, an Oscar, Grammy, two Golden Globes and an Emmy.

"I just look forward to getting up in the morning and seeing what is going to happen. I stay curious," she says. "I just keep going, I guess."

Even when she can't. Minnelli explains that her latest album was recorded while she recuperated from knee surgery, bored to bits with her immobility.

“I [was] going crazy doing nothing, going bananas,” she explains. “I said to Billy Stritch, my dear friend and my piano player, do you want to do something? He said sure ... And so we sang all of the songs we really liked. I couldn’t move. I had to do it in my bedroom. And he had to do it on a piano in my bedroom. It was very intimate and all the songs that I really love.”

At exactly ten and a half minutes, Minnelli politely ends the call to rush back to rehearsals.

“I gotta go, honey," she says. "I hope I wasn’t too boring.”



IF YOU GO



Liza Minnelli with The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. 8 p.m. Friday at the Delta Classic Chastain Park Amphitheater, 4469 Stella Drive, in Atlanta. Tickets run $25-$89, available at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 404-733-5000.



Find this article at:

http://www.accessatlanta.com/atlanta-music/liza-minnelli-a-star-552663.html

VILLAGE VOICE-Featured ~ Liza's Number One Fan Speaks! Scott Gorenstein from (2008)

VILLAGE VOICE By Michael Musto, Wednesday, Aug. 20 2008 @ 9:00AMComments (18) Categories: quick Q&A
A well known publicist around town, Scott Gorenstein, is Liza Minnelli's number one fan and he has the sequin burn to prove it. Scotty lives, breathes, and eats Liza, and if you so much as say an unenthusiastic word about her, he'll make sure you die a quicker death than Elsie. (If you just said "Who's Elsie?", you probably shouldn't even be reading this. No, really!) Well, I recently rang them bells and coaxed Scotty to come to the cabaret—or at least the blog—and start spreading the news about why he adores the woman more than life itself. And so:

MM: Why are you so obsessed with Liza?

SG: Because her talent ignites something in me that I have never understood as it is so basic to my being. That said, Liza has given some of the greatest performances of all time. I always tell people who only know her from the tabloids, "There's a reason she's a legend. Go watch Liza with a Z or rent Cabaret. It's all right there."
MM: Do you think she's relevant to the young generation?

SG: She's relevant to anybody who is seeking greatness. At the end of the day she's standing alone up there--just her and a microphone in front of an orchestra. There are no bells and whistles other than her god-given talent. I love a Madonna concert just as much as the next guy, but there is something to be said for somebody who can get up and cause a frenzy just by opening up their mouth and singing.
MM: And singing and singing. What is the ultimate Liza moment that you've witnessed?

SG: Luckily I have experienced many great moments with Liza both onstage and off. I've escorted her through Times Square, hugged her when she lost her voice, and told her point blank that as a huge fan I will never abandon her. One of the standout moments, however, was at Fred Ebb's memorial service in December of 2004. For those who don't know, Ebb, along with John Kander, was Liza's songwriter and he was very close to Liza personally. She has said there would have been no her if not for him. And she's right. It was a typical Broadway midday memorial. Lots of great stars of the stage came out to sing Kander and Ebb tunes. As she was their greatest creation, she came out last and sang two songs they had written for her: "The World Goes Round" and "New York, New York." She wasn't even in the best voice that day, but it didn't matter. All of the Minnelli magic was in full bloom and I nearly lost my mind. Sometimes, however, my favorite part of the concert is just watching her walk on stage. A great star taking the stage to the sound of their fans' ovation is a sight to behold.
MM: As for the darker side: Your thoughts on the David Gest years? And her 1988 bomb Rent-a-Cop?

SG: David Gest? Who cares?! Her life has been long and full of triumphs. Did she make a mistake? Of course, but it was long ago. She's moved on and has given many amazing performances since then. As for Rent-a-Cop? Its unfortunate that Hollywood wasn't able to present her with better properties to choose along the way. But the few clunkers haven't sullied her legend.
MM: All right, I'll return it to Kim's. And finally: Your message to Liza?

SG: Oh, dear...where do I start? I love you? I've told her that many times. And Liza doesn't need anybody to tell her to keep on keeping on. She knows how to do that better than most people. While she may have fallen along the way, she has always picked herself up and gotten right back where she belongs--on stage. It is where she was born to be and I hope to always be in the front row shouting "You're the greatest!"

Comments (18)


l.m. says:
That was a really terrific, absolutely true story!
Posted On: Wednesday, Aug. 20 2008 @ 9:38AM
Jonster says:

... with whom I shared four sordid rooms in Chelsea...

She was genius in Liza with a Z. I was in the audience at the Winter Garden and that show remains the best of the best. I lost interest when she couldn't make it thru 30 days without drinking when she subbed for Julie Andrews in Victor/Victoria - I bought tkts for a huge Liza fan who immediately flew in from AZ and got the shaft.

She's a member of the lucky sperm club who inherited all the talent and all the tragedy. (And all the gay husbands...)

Posted On: Wednesday, Aug. 20 2008 @ 11:01AM

Michael says:

as one of his oldest friends I have heard every word above uttered from his mouth on numerous occasions. musto just had the brilliance to finally write it down.

Posted On: Wednesday, Aug. 20 2008 @ 11:52AM

Martha says:

SUPER LIZA!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFNHVA4_SVc



Posted On: Wednesday, Aug. 20 2008 @ 12:09PM



Rick Wernsing says:

I am grateful that Scott Gorenstein has introduced me to Liza's music and the music of some many other wonderful people. He too seems to be a star in his own right.



Posted On: Wednesday, Aug. 20 2008 @ 12:49PM



Emily says:

What a great interview. SG is spot on about Liza. A true legend. I hope she knows how devoted he is.



Posted On: Wednesday, Aug. 20 2008 @ 1:45PM



Vagino says:

I'm not particularly interested in defending Ms Minnelli (the daughter, that is). But Michael dear, if we're going to use Rent-a-Cop as a rod, er staff, er cudgel, why don't we point out the other queer icons who boarded that ill-fated jaunt, to wit: Burt Reynolds, Robby Benson, Dionne Warwick. I even looked up the filmographies of the other cast and crew members and saw such exotic titles as The Paul Lynde Show, Brian's Song, Cleopatra Jones, Cruising....



Maybe this was a lost moment when stars weren't obliged to be as predictable as they are now. Or just as likely, when being an Oscar-winning descendant of celebrity royalty didn't exempt one from the specter of hunger, hence the need to indulge in a few potboilers. But hey, Judy Garland did nothing but Hollywood potboilers, some bigger budgeted than others, and we're all the better for it, right? Right? Oh why do I sound desperate when I most need to be confident.



Posted On: Wednesday, Aug. 20 2008 @ 1:49PM



scruffy says:

My Minnelli moment - She came to Le Bilboquet, a chic bar in Paris,the night she before she would appear at the Olympia. I was playing bass. She felt like singing. She dedicated "I've Grown Accustomed To His Face" to her handsome young escort. It was like you had never heard this song before in your life and Liza was speaking from her heart. This is a great musician.



Posted On: Thursday, Aug. 21 2008 @ 2:30AM



eric weissman says:

scott gorenstein is of course a great star in his own right, a p r geniuswho has worked with the likes of carol channing & mandy patamkin who fired scott but i digress. i met scotty many years ago as i was telling celebrity stories out side of the original expresso bar on christopher st, as a former owner of the infamous rounds i knew of many celebrities who came in 4 a cocktail and to oogal the boys. someone stopped me in the middle of a liza story and sid he had to call a friend, that was scotty and i am proud to say we have been bussom buddies ever since long live liza long live scott gorenstein. long live michael musto



Posted On: Thursday, Aug. 21 2008 @ 1:47PM
Kate says:

Mr. Scott Gorenstein is, in the words of David Sedaris' mother, "a free spirit, and we're lucky to have him!"
Great article. Thanks!
Posted On: Friday, Aug. 22 2008 @ 7:03PM

Batman says:

Without fans like Gorenstein, who honor and encourage great talents, the lives of celebrities would be barren. He is truly an ultra-fan.

It's unfortunate that more fans do not cherish the gift that great talents bring to their world the way Gorenstein does with Liza.
Posted On: Thursday, Aug. 28 2008 @ 10:30AM

Caleb says:

It was the weekend. The skies were cloudy, and the gym nearly empty. Strangely, I was feeling as bold as the Equal loaded Komodo I had just ingested. "Should I ask?", I thought. My rib cage fought to keep my heart confined. "No. He'll probably eat my flesh." Just then, caffeine in the form of courage reared its head. The question, "What's so great about Liza?",escaped my lips. Silence... More silence. I felt a slight shake in the floor beneath me. "Earthquake?", I pondered. Interrupting my thoughts, a beam of light encased my dear friend. His eyes became a soft fire, and his skin a glistening gold. He reached out to grasp my head. As his hands tightened, I began to see. Alpha to Omega. Conception, to inevitable death. I saw greatness that day. A connection unlike any I've witnessed.



A career such as Liza's yields money and fame- all of which will pass in time. But fans,for lack of a better word, such as Scott don't succumb to time. They become synonymous to the name that knows no age. A connection only few will ever know. A connection that I've been blessed to witness.
Love the article.

Posted On: Sunday, Jun. 14 2009 @ 10:39PM
the witness says:

It was the weekend. The skies were cloudy, and the building nearly empty. Strangely, I was feeling as bold as the Equal loaded Komodo I had just ingested. "Should I ask?", I thought. My rib cage fought to keep my heart confined. "No. He'll probably eat my flesh." Just then, caffeine in the form of courage reared its head. The question, "What's so great about Liza?",escaped my lips. Silence... More silence. I felt a slight shake in the floor beneath me. "Earthquake?", I pondered. Interrupting my thoughts, a beam of light encased my dear friend. His eyes became a soft fire, and his skin a glistening gold. He reached out to grasp my head. As his hands tightened, I began to see. Alpha to Omega. Conception, to inevitable death. I saw greatness that day. A connection unlike any I've witnessed.



A career such as Liza's yields money and fame- all of which will pass in time. But fans,for lack of a better word, such as Scott don't succumb to time. They become synonymous to the name that knows no age. A connection only few will ever know. A connection that I've been blessed to witness.
Love the article.
Posted On: Sunday, Jun. 14 2009 @ 10:41PM



fish-oil says:

I found a web site is China that sells those fish oil capsules that take care of the fatty acids. I am not sure that they are safe to eat but I am tempted by the cost. Any suggestion how to have better control over the food safety of my diet supplements?
Posted On: Saturday, Jan. 16 2010 @ 8:29AM

Concert Tickets says:

Liza is great, A friend of mine did that number at GBS v-show. Check it out, type in Carolyn MIller Ring them bells, You won't be disapointed.
Posted On: Wednesday, Mar. 3 2010 @ 1:49PM

Willie Mckey says:

I do not generally comment on web sites but I needed to drop in and say thanks for making this, I absolutely agree with the fact and with a little luck people today can understand this argument.
Posted On: Friday, Mar. 26 2010 @ 9:40PM



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Posted On: Thursday, May. 27 2010 @ 3:57PM



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Posted On: Friday, Jun. 11 2010 @ 3:25PM

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PHOTO FLASH: Liza Minnelli Receives 2010 Pell Award for Lifetime Achievement

THEATERMANIA ~ Theater News
By: Brian Scott Lipton · Jun 25, 2010 · Rhode Island
Stage and screen legend Liza Minnelli received the 2010 Pell Award for Lifetime Achievement at the 14th annual Pell Awards Gala to be held on June 19 at the Sharpe Building at the Foundry Complex. The event raises funds for Trinity Repertory Company's ongoing work.


The event also featured the presentation of the Pell Award for Outstanding Leadership in the Arts to jazz impresario George Wein, and artist Umberto "Bert" Crenca was given the 2010 Rhode Island Pell Award for Excellence in the Arts.

Minnelli's most recent Broadway show, Liza's at the Palace, won a 2009 Tony for Best Special Theatrical Event, and Minnelli has also won Tony Awards for Best Actress in a Musical for Flora the Red Menace and The Act. She also won a special Tony Award in 1974 "for adding lustre to the Broadway season." She was Tony- nominated for The Rink and additional Broadway credits include Victor/Victoria and Chicago. She won the Academy Award for Cabaret and the Emmy Award for Liza With a "Z".

For further information, visit: www.trinityrep.com.

Include Liza With A "Z" to The Library of Congress in their National Recording Registry

by Lou Trigg

The Library of Congress does not (yet) include Liza With A "Z" in their National Recording Registry. Let's change that.


Please send an email to: recregistry@loc.gov

All nominations should include the recording artist(s), title, and record label name/number. Nominations
should also include a very brief justification.

Sample email:
I hope you will consider the recording LIZA MINNELLI: LIZA WITH A "Z" to be included in the National Recording Registry.
Recording company: Sony BMG Music Entertainment / Columbia Legacy 82876 78812 2

Produced for television, LIZA WITH A "Z" was recorded on May 31, 1972 at the Lyceum Theater in New York, NY. Additional studio recording was done both before and after the show was filmed. The orchestra was conducted by Jack French. Engineering: Phil Ramone and Arthur Kendy. Album was produced by Andrew Kazdin.

This recording is a cornerstone of Minnelli's career and represents the complete program from the hour-long NBC-TV special. The recording runs 48:35.

The song selection is perfect and contains a mix of current pop and older standards. Minnelli is in perfect voice, and LIZA WITH A "Z" is quintessential Liza, meaning the essence of entertainment. It is Minnelli's biggest-selling solo album to date and stayed on the Top 40 charts for a total of twenty-three weeks, peaking at #19 and has never been out of print.

My review of Miss Minnelli's show at Powell Hall, Saint Louis, MO June 5th.by Anthony Martucci

It is now 6:19 AM, Sunday morning, soon I will have to go back home. The feeling/adapting of being back in reality is still settiling upon me, though last night was reality. I saw my singer, the great Miss Liza Minnelli from my front row seat. It was like a dream but still real at the same time. The best word for the concert experience is magical, it really was magical. To describe Liza the way Fred Ebb once did I think she is just the lovin' end and I am grateful that there is Liza Minnelli to enetertain us. Sitting in the little park area near the concert hall one hour before show time I was smoking a cigarette, dressed up in my suit and tie, and I had a feeling of well-being because I felt I would finally see what I had waited four months to see. I would see Miss Minnelli perform live, and I did. All of this time I have admired her from a distance, seen her in concert videos, in films, and listened to her recordings. This was entirely different and words cannot tr uly capture what it meant to me. It was a feeling, and I still feel like I am floating on air. Waiting in front of the stage for my lady to appear, I knew it was close to show time when all of the orchestra made it to the stage and Liza's longtime piano player Mr. Billy Stritch was seated and playing some notes. After a minute or two of piano, there she was. She came out with her arm around the conductor, a short, dark haired, elderly woman, who just happend to be my favorite woman on the planet. Liza was wearing slim black slacks, low heeled, close toe, black shoes, and a grayish/blackish blouse. She changed her blouse three times during the evening. One was a sparkling black blouse, the other a sparkling purple blouse, both over one shoulder, but the first blouse was over both shoulders. She wore the same black slacks and shoes throughout the evening. Liza looked very short compared to the towering conductor. She took a position close to the piano and Billy Stritch and wen t into the first number, "The Sweetest Sounds", at the part of the song where she sings of changing her style to fit Carnegie Hall from act 2 of the Carnegie Hall 1987 album, she sang instead of Powell Hall, to fit the venue, she sang "Toot, toot, Tootsie", "Buckle down Winsocki", and "Alexander's Ragtime Band" in that order as on the Carnegie Hall album. As "Alexander's Ragtime Band" started Liza went off stage to change blouses and was slightly delayed in coming back. The song played for about two minutes before she came back. Liza was in good singing voice but was occaisionally drowned out as the orchestra would play louder parts of the songs. Throughout all of this I was in awe, i just kept looking at her, admiring her. It was clear that Miss Minnelli was having trouble with her knees. She told us so, she said "I always tell you the truth", as I have heard her say in recordings of other shows, and she proceeded to tell us that she has two false knees, false hips, and a shoulder that cracks when she moves it, oh dear Liza! I was a bit worried for her because of her legs but she pulled off the show fine, sitting in a chair for many of the numbers, smiling, looking around the auditorium at all the faces, occaisonally at me. In the middle of these laid back romantic ballads, she would occaisonally look at me and I would return her look, smiling and captivated as she would sing these words of love. It was easy for me to see during these times of making eye contact with her during the show, that she was really trying to convey something to me and everyone listening to her. Music is made of feelings and the songs have messages. Good singers like Liza are interpreters and conveyers of messages, stories, feelings. This is what she was showing us, feeling, stories, and messages. After telling us about her knee surgery, which she said she had to have because of extensive dance rehersals for t he "Sex and the City 2" numbers, she went into a fitting number "Why don't they mention the pain?" She did a Kay Thompson number "I must have that man", also a song from one of Vincente Minnelli's movies called "Confession". I believe these two might be on the upcoming "Confessions" album. She told us that "Confessions" is an album that she made while she could not walk after her knee replacement surgery earlier in the year. Other numbers from "Confessions" she did were "He's a tramp", "You fascinate me so", and a real treat as well was "Close your eyes" from "Gently" but which I understand is to be on "Confessions" as well. Also wonderful live was "The nearness of you", during the middle of this number Liza grabbed a pair of binoculars and looked around at the audience through them. The symbolism of this was lost on me at the time, but now I real ize that she was making us, the audience nearer for the effect of "The nearness of you", makes sense right? The very superb Liza classic "Let yourself go" was performed. She really slowed that one down and sang each syllable out. A number she only sang halfway through was "He's funny that way", she stopped and said that the song was just too sad for her to finsh it, nobody seemed to mind, the audience laughed about this, as did Liza, oh well mabey next time. She did the classic "Mabey this time" which prompted a much deserved standing ovation. For several of the songs I cannot remember if they were performed during act 1 or act 2 of the show as there was a 20 minute intermission. The songs were all performed though. "Teach me tonight" was performed during act 1 and "Cabaret" was the closing song of act 1. "But the world goes round" was the opening number of act 2. "But the world goes round" is on e of my favorite Liza tunes and it was worth the 22 hour trip by bus to Saint Louis from Houston, Texas for that song alone, as could be said for all the numbers. Early in the second act of the show Mr. Billy Stritch performed a solo number called "No moon at all". I felt that while Billy's song was good I was anxious for it to end so that Liza would come back and sing some more, she came back onstage clapping as "No moon at all" was ending, then as everyone was clapping for him he said "hey everyone Liza Minnelli is onstage" and then we all clapped for her. She sang the opening lines of "You can have him I don't want him" then stopped because it was the wrong song. A couple of times she did start sing the wrong song and then stopped and changed songs, which I attribute to old age more then anything. I would say that Liza in her old age has gotten funnyer onstage and more charming, and in a way sings better even, her vocals are deeper these days in a sultry way. People during the show would shout to Liza that they love her at which Liza May would say that she loved us as well, just as we all have Liza, she has all of us. One lady shouted "how are you Liza?", at which point Liza said she was fine, then turning away from the crowd, but still talking into the microphone, she said in a low voice that probably not everyone caught but I heard it being so close and I completely relate to it, she said "That means I'm fucked up, insecure, neurotic, and emotional", that can be sort of what fine is an acronym for. It's a reminder that Liza has problems like we all do. "New York, New York" was the last number before the encore number. She did twice the part of "New York, New York" where she leans down and circles her arm around and sings "my little town blues are melting away". After this number ended she was in conference a short while with Billy and the conductor an d they decided to launch into "my little town blues are melting away" a third time complete with Liza circling her arm again and singing the lines with all that she had. By this time everyone was on there feet cheering loudly. To say that this concert was special would be an understatement, it was perhaps the greatest two hours of my life. There was a superb encore song that like many of the songs that night I had never heard Liza sing before called "All the lives of me". She introduced this is having been written by her dear friend Mr. Peter Allen. Leaving now for the daylong trip back to Houston, Texas it feels bittersweet. Sweet because of the experience of seeing my lady live, and a bit sad at leaving, the memory is with me though, Farewell saint Louis and PS.no more long greyhound trips after this one.

by Anthony Martucci

Liza ~ US Magazine.com - item

-- Bruce Springsteen and his kids wishing Liza Minnelli (who is on a national tour to showcase material from her forthcoming CD "Confessions") well before her concert at the Paramount Theater in Asbury Park, NJ.

LIZA ~ San Francisco Chronicle - interview

David Wiegand of The San Francisco Chronicle
David Wiegand, Chronicle Staff Writer
Liza Minnelli is a seemingly unstoppable force in the entertainment world, although, heaven knows, she's had more than her fair share of obstacles along the way.


A child of Hollywood who made her movie debut as an infant in her mother's arms in "In the Good Old Summer Time," Minnelli, 64, survived the drug-dusted Studio 54 heyday, four marriages, including at least one to a gay man, and health problems off and on for years.

Yet she keeps on going, doing TV talk shows like Joy Behar's, guesting on Kathy Griffin's "My Life on the D List," swiveling her recently narrowed hips and covering Beyoncé's "Single Ladies" in the otherwise horrifying "Sex and the City 2," and getting ready to introduce the Liza Collection of fashion and jewelry, inspired by her own stuff, on HSN, which used to call itself the Home Shopping Network.

With a new album ready for release ("Confessions," due in September), she's just begun an extensive national tour which brings her to Livermore's Wente Vineyards on Thursday and back to Davies Symphony Hall in December for one of the San Francisco Symphony's holiday shows.
Despite her film cameos and guest roles on shows including "Arrested Development," Minnelli is best in front of a live audience. As if continuing her mother's vaudeville background as the youngest of the Gumm Sisters (Judy Garland was born Frances Gumm), Minnelli is known for pulling out every stop onstage.

While past shows, including one paying homage to her father, film director Vincente Minnelli, and a more recent one honoring her godmother, Kay Thompson, have often featured Minnelli with large orchestras, many of the dates on her current tour will find her backed by a small combo.
What's it like to work with a smaller ensemble?

"It's wonderful," she gushes by phone from New York. "Just fabulous. It's just five pieces, and that's great for me. It's much more intimate. It's kinda sexy!"

What's on the touring program?

In addition to her signature material - "Cabaret," "New York, New York," "Maybe This Time," as well as other songs not written by Kander and Ebb - Minnelli will offer samples of songs on "Confessions," including "He's Funny That Way," "Confession" and "I Must Have That Man."

"Well," she says, "it's really stuff that I kind of learned when I was little, when I was just a kid. It's ..."
She pauses for a few seconds, searching for words.

"Well, it's just sexy!" she laughs heartily.

Liza Minnelli: 8:15 p.m. Thurs. Wente Vineyards, 5050 Arroyo Road, Livermore. (925) 456-2424. Other upcoming programs include:

Barenaked Ladies on July 20, Huey Lewis and the News, Aug. 10; Chris Isaak, Aug. 19; ZZ Top, Aug. 25; Earth, Wind and Fire, Aug. 30; Willie Nelson, Sept. 13; Harry Connick Jr., Sept. 21. Dinner is served from 6 to 8 p.m. Tickets without the dinner option start at $89. Tickets for dinner and the show start at $169 for a buffet dinner and $259 for a four-course dinner with stage-front seating. (925) 456-2424.

Minnelli also will perform with her quartet at 8 p.m. Dec. 5 at Davies Symphony Hall, accompanied by Billy Stritch. Tickets go on sale Monday, July 19 and are priced from $15-$90; www.sfsymphony.org and (415) 864-6000.

E-mail David Wiegand at dwiegand@sfchronicle.com.

An Evening with Liza Minnelli Goes On Sale Friday at the Fox Cities P.A.C.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010; Posted: 09:06 AM - by BWW News Desk ~ broadway WORLD.COM
Liza Minnelli, the Tony®, Oscar®, Grammy® and Emmy® Award-winning superstar of stage, film and screen, will be featured in the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center's 2010 Spotlight Event on Friday, October 22, 2010. Tickets for this fundraising event benefiting the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center's mission-based programs go on sale Friday, June 25, 2010 at 10 a.m.




Tickets for the 2010 Spotlight Event An Evening with Liza Minnelli start at $60 and can be purchased starting at 10 a.m. on Friday, June 25 by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 982-2787 or the Center's ticket office at (920) 730-3760. Tickets can also be purchased in person at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center's ticket office or online at foxcitiespac.com. Groups of 15 or more can purchase tickets now by calling (920) 730-3786. Additional fees may apply.

The daughter of actress/singer Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli, Liza Minnelli was destined for stardom, beginning her professional career at age 16 in an off-Broadway revival of the musical Best Foot Forward. In 1965, Minnelli became the youngest woman ever to win a leading actress Tony Award for Flora the Red Menace at the age of 19. Since her early stage performances, Minnelli has continued to appear on Broadway in musicals such as Chicago, Victor/Victoria and The Act. In 1999, she paid tribute to her father in a show called Minnelli on Minnelli. Her most recent stint on Broadway in 2008's Liza's at the Palace... garnered her fourth Tony Award.



Minnelli's concert performances have electrified audiences around the world including London's Palladium, Sydney's Opera House, Paris' Olympia Theatre and New York's Carnegie Hall. In 1991, Minnelli's Radio City Music Hall concert engagement broke box office records playing to sold-out audiences for three weeks. She is noted as having starred in the first concert ever filmed for television in 1972. The resulting album "Liza with a Z" was a Top 20 album and won the Emmy for Outstanding Single Program and the prestigious Peabody Award. It has been released in recent years on DVD and aired on Showtime. This year, she will release a new CD, "Confessions" with her longtime collaborator pianist Billy Stritch.



Minnelli has also lit up the big screen in films such as "Charlie Bubbles," "The Sterile Cuckoo," "New York, New York" opposite Robert DeNiro, "Arthur," "Arthur 2" and, most famously, the 1972 film "Cabaret." Earlier this year, Minnelli made a much talked about cameo appearance in "Sex and the City 2."



To learn more about Liza Minnelli, visit officiallizaminnelli.com.



The 2010 Spotlight Event An Evening with Liza Minnelli is presented with community support from the premier sponsor, Community First Credit Union and supporting sponsor, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.



ABOUT THE FOX CITIES PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

The Fox Cities Performing Arts Center a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in downtown Appleton, provides a premier venue for live performing arts. The Center proudly serves as a gathering place for the community to engage in educational opportunities while enhancing a greater understanding and appreciation of the live performing arts. For more information on upcoming events, education programs and community involvement go to foxcitiespac.com. The Fox Cities Performing Arts Center - Where the Arts Come Alive!

Liza Minnelli accepts Pell Award in Providence, RI (VIDEO)

Trinity Rep bestows Pell Awards honoring arts

Pell Award winner Liza Minnelli arrives at Saturday’s event at the Foundry.
By Channing Gray

Journal Arts Writer
Sunday, June 20, 2010 12:02 a.m

The Providence Journal / Ruben W. Perez

About 440 fans of Trinity Rep turned out Saturday night at the Foundry complex for the theater’s annual Pell Awards, which recognize excellence in the arts. The event, which benefits programs at Trinity Rep, raised an estimated $230,000.

Guests munched on sushi and other Asian delights as they mingled with the likes of Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed, who introduced the award for jazz promoter George Wein, one of three recipients.
“It seems to grow every year,” said the Oscar-nominated actor Richard Jenkins, a Rhode Islander who was there with wife, Sharon. “Senator Pell did so much for the arts, it’s just a great legacy.”

Sitting at a table with the late Claiborne Pell’s daughter Dallas Pell was his widow, Nuala, who said she wished her husband could have seen the festivities. “He would have loved it,” she said.
The awards were given to Wein, Umberto Crenca, founder of AS220, and Liza Minnelli, who mingled with the patrons who paid $1,000 for a VIP reception with the star. Minnelli said little at the reception and sang a song when she was given the award.
Minnelli was not only recognized for her career as a performer but for her charitable causes, such as support for AIDS research.
Curt Columbus, artistic director of Trinity Rep, said that the awards are given not just for an artist’s creative output but for their contribution to the community.

“A big part of it is how art fits into society, not as a precious thing, but how it fits into everyday life.”
Crenca, the head of AS220, the artists’ cooperative that provides gallery space and studios, said he was accepting the award for “thousands of artists and staff” who have taken part in AS220 programs. After a brief acceptance speech, he joked that he hoped Trinity would split the proceeds of the night with his organization. That got a laugh.

The awards were scheduled from 5 to 10 p.m., with dinner and dancing after the awards ceremony.

“I’m excited to see all this excitement in Providence, said WaterFire creator Barnaby Evans.

“It’s a great evening for anyone who cares about the arts,” said Providence Mayor David Cicilline.
This is the 14th year for the awards, which have honored such luminaries as Jason Robards, Arthur Miller and Robert Redford. Last year, the event, which honored actor Kevin Spacy, raised about $300,000. Richard Jaffe, head of external affairs for Trinity, said there were many gifts last year because of Senator Pell’s passing.

Along with the speech-making, there were a couple of musical tributes. Joe Wilson Jr., a member of the Trinity acting troupe, gave a heartfelt rendition of “Looking at You,” to introduce Minnelli. And Rachael Warren, another Trinity actor, joined forces with a ninth grader from Classical High School for Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright.” Senator Reed read a message from President Obama praising the arts and wishing everyone at the affair a good time.

cgray@projo.com

Liza Minnelli at the Paramount in Asbury Park

By GRETCHEN C. VAN BENTHUYSEN • STAFF WRITER • June 19, 2010

There was no "maybe this time this time I'll win" for Liza Minnelli Friday night at the Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park.

It was a win-win performance for both singer and adoring audience during an uneven evening of 13 songs ranging from such classics as "Cabaret" and "Maybe This Time" to selections from her upcoming CD "Confessions" due in September.
"The gay community loves you, Liza" shouted a fan at one point. "So do the straights," another fan immediately added.

"I love you, too, you know I do," she said more than once.
A virtual love fest, the audience supported her with frequent applause and partial standing ovations, until she ended the evening with "New York, New York." Although she lost her way toward the end of this signature song, stumbling over the lyrics, she recovered with the help of her band and ended with a bang bringing the entire house to its feet.
There was no encore and Minnelli, who had a knew replacement in January, was helped off the stage after she brought her quintet out front to join her in a bow.
The performance, a benefit for the Boys and Girls Club of Asbury Park, began with a video about the organization and a brief welcoming speech by the non-profit's executive director Robert Taylor.
When the curtain rose again, Minnelli was onstage in her familiar black pants and sparkling off-the shoulder top looking pretty good at age 64, especially for a woman plagued for years by health problems including two hip replacements and a serious bout with viral encephalitis.
She immediately launched into "The Nearness of You," but had trouble hitting and holding some of the notes. As if to dispel the problem, she grabbed a pair of binoculars and peered through them bringing the audience even nearer to her, causing some laughter. Without stopping she slide right into "Teach me Tonight," which she handled beautifully.
By the fourth song she mentioned her knew replacement and asked the audience if it minded if she sat down. Most of the rest of the night she sang from a director's chair tackling "He's Funny That Way" "And the World Goes 'Round," plus selections from her upcoming album, "I Must Have That Man," "You Fascinate Me So," "If I Had You," "Moments Like This" and the delightful "He's a Tramp," from the Disney film "Lady and the Tramp."
She did just fine. But then she had the support of such experienced musicians as Mike Renzi on piano, Chip Jackson on standup bass, Rick Cutler on drums, Dave Trigg and Ross Konikoff both on trumpet, and Chuck Wilson on sax, clarinet and flute.
Minnelli noted many of the remaining 25 concerts on this tour which extends into December she'll be traveling with 12 musicians or have the backing of an orchestra.
"Tonight, I've pared down to these incredible musicians," she said. "You have no idea what this night means to me."
Judging the audience's reaction, there is no doubt most felt the same.

2010 Pell Awards Honor Minnelli For Lifetime Achievement, 6/19

by BWW News Desk
broardway world.com
Trinity Repertory Company has announced that Liza Minnelli will receive the 2010 Pell Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts at the 14th Annual Pell Awards gala on June 19, 2010. The other honorees include George Wein (Outstanding Leadership in the Arts) and Umberto "Bert" Crenca (2010 Rhode Island Pell Award For Excellence in the Arts).
The 14th Annual Pell Awards gala will be held Saturday evening, June 19, 2010 in the historic Sharpe Building, 25 Holden St., at the Foundry Complex in Providence from 6 PM to 10 PM.
The event is co-chaired by Mary and Ellicott Wright; and Michael and Bonnye Young. For tickets or sponsorship information, please call (401) 453-9237.
Minnelli's most recent Broadway show, Liza's at the Palace, won a 2009 Tony for Best Special Theatrical Event, and Minnelli has also won Tony Awards for Best Actress in a Musical for Flora the Red Menace and The Act. She also won a special Tony Award in 1974 "for adding lustre to the Broadway season." She was Tony- nominated for The Rink and additional Broadway credits include Victor/Victoria and Chicago. She won the Academy Award for Cabaret and the Emmy Award for Liza With a "Z".
Minnelli rose to international stardom for her appearance as Sally Bowles in the 1972 film version of the Broadway musical Cabaret, a role that brought her the Academy Award for Best Actress.While film projects such as Lucky Lady, A Matter of Time and New York, New York were poorly received, Minnelli found herself as one of the most versatile, highly regarded, and best-selling entertainers in television, beginning with Liza with a Z in 1972, and on stage in the Broadway productions The Act and The Rink.
Minnelli has a total of four Tony Awards, an Oscar, an Emmy Award, two Golden Globes and a Grammy Legend Award for her contributions and influence in the recording field (making her one of only twelve people to have won an EGOT), along with many other honors and awards.
Trinity Rep reinvents the "public square" with dramatic arts that stimulates, educates and engages our community in a continuing dialogue. For more information, visit http://www.trinityrep.com/.

Minnelli to receive 2010 Pell Award in RI

 June 19, 2010

The Boston Globe
PROVIDENCE, R.I. --Tony Award-winning actress Liza Minnelli will be honored for her success on stage and screen at this year's Pell Awards Gala in Providence.

Minnelli is set to receive this year's Pell Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts at a Saturday evening ceremony at the Foundry Complex.
The award is named for former Rhode Island U.S. Sen. Claiborne Pell, who died in 2009.

The award's artistic director Curt Columbus said Minnelli had an inspiring passion for the arts, and hailed her philanthropic work to benefit education and AIDS research.

Minnelli's achievements include four Tony Awards and an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the 1972 movie, Cabaret.

Past recipients of the award include Kevin Spacey, Robert Redford and Toni Morrison.

Liza Minnelli: A star reborn in prime time

By Katie Leslie The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Hiya honey,” Liza Minnelli gushes into the phone, her syrupy voice instantly recognizable.

She has 10 minutes to talk in between rehearsals for her latest concert tour. Luckily, no need to spend the whirlwind interview catching up on her recent adventures, because Minnelli, now 64, has become more visible than ever.

In the past few years, the queen of cabaret has once again emerged in pop culture and mainstream television. It began with her stint on "Arrested Development" some seven years ago, and continued with recent appearances on shows including "Drop Dead Diva," "Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List," "Saturday Night Live" and prime-time commercials.
She's now making waves with her cameo performance of singer Beyonce's "Single Ladies" in film "Sex and the City 2," delighting die-hard fans who know Minnelli mastered Bob Fosse's style long before Beyonce was born.
Indeed, Minnelli is on fire, an A-list star once again in orbit. She stops in Atlanta on Friday, July 2 to perform songs from her latest album, "Confessions," which is expected to be released this September.

But the woman with enormous successes has few words, especially when it comes to talking about herself. When asked about her renewed popularity in prime-time TV, she cheerfully says: "I think it's fun."

She's equally humble about what she's most proud of in her varied career.

"I guess I’m most proud of the songs that have been written for me," she says warmly. "Like ‘Cabaret' and ‘The World Goes ‘Round,' and ‘Liza with a Z.' They’re quite wonderful."
The daughter of Judy Garland and Vincente Minnelli was born into the business, appearing in her first film as an infant and working steadily since. She long ago reached icon status onstage and in song, winning her first Tony at age 19 for "Flora the Red Menace" in 1965 and an Oscar for "Cabaret" in 1972.

Her dreams for her career were simple, she says: "I just wanted to be on Broadway."
As the muse of songwriting duo John Kander and Fred Ebb, Minnelli made her name on The Great White Way and in Hollywood, but eventually became known for tabloid headlines as much as talent.

Like her mother, Minnelli has a well-documented battle with alcoholism and addiction. In the early 2000s, she suffered a debilitating bout of viral encephalitis. And just as it seemed she had regrouped, came that inexplicable and short-lived marriage (her fourth) to a concert promoter named David Gest.

But the singer-actor with the saucer-sized eyes never really stopped working.

Minnelli demurs when asked how she's managed a career that has spanned stage, film and television and garnered her every coveted award known to entertainment including four Tonys, an Oscar, Grammy, two Golden Globes and an Emmy.

"I just look forward to getting up in the morning and seeing what is going to happen. I stay curious," she says. "I just keep going, I guess."

Even when she can't. Minnelli explains that her latest album was recorded while she recuperated from knee surgery, bored to bits with her immobility.
“I [was] going crazy doing nothing, going bananas,” she explains. “I said to Billy Stritch, my dear friend and my piano player, do you want to do something? He said sure ... And so we sang all of the songs we really liked. I couldn’t move. I had to do it in my bedroom. And he had to do it on a piano in my bedroom. It was very intimate and all the songs that I really love.”
At exactly ten and a half minutes, Minnelli politely ends the call to rush back to rehearsals.
“I gotta go, honey," she says. "I hope I wasn’t too boring.”
IF YOU GO
Liza Minnelli with The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. 8 p.m. Friday at the Delta Classic Chastain Park Amphitheater, 4469 Stella Drive, in Atlanta. Tickets run $25-$89, available at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 404-733-5000.

Liza Minnelli to make Asbury Park debut

Thomas Lohnes/AFP/Getty Images

Bob Considine/The Star-Ledger



The cities are too numerous to recall, the stages too many to remember, when you've had the long, storied career that Liza Minnelli has had.


But there is no denying the historical and cultural significance of Minnelli's first Asbury Park show, Friday at the Paramount Theatre.

Just down the boardwalk is the Empress Hotel, where her superstar mother Judy Garland used to stay in the late 1960s. In fact, the oceanfront suite Garland once dwelled in bears her name.

Minnelli's close friend and biographer, Scott Schechter, was also a passionate champion of Asbury Park's resurgence before his sudden passing last year. On top of that, Minnelli happens to be an icon to the gay community in the city by the shore.
Liza Minnellil
Where and when:Paramount Theatre, 1300 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park, Friday at 8 p.m.

How much:$51-$251; call (800) 745-3000 or visit ticketmaster.com..

"It's nice to go where you know people are looking forward to seeing you," said Minnelli in a phone interview.

Minnelli, who has three Tony Awards, an Emmy and an Oscar, is kicking off her 2010 tour with Friday's show, a benefit for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Monmouth County. The music will largely draw from her forthcoming album "Confessions," featuring 14 American standards and due out in September.



On some shows on the tour, Minnelli will be accompanied by an orchestra. For the Paramount and a few other dates at smaller venues, she'll be backed by a quartet.



Minnelli said she is just eager for the music to be heard.
"The music is just so intimate," she said. "And because we're playing as a quartet for this show, it's going to be even more intimate."



Minnelli, 64, had knee-replacement surgery earlier this year, so she doesn't anticipate too much jumping around. But coming off a successful 2008-09 Broadway run, she seems intent on creating some new history by pulling from her past.



"These are songs that I've known and heard forever, since I was a kid. To be singing them now, with these great arrangements, it's pretty wild."

Bob Considine may be reached at bconsidine@starledger.com or (973) 392-7890.

A look at the celebration for Scott Schechter on June 16th at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts

Denise, Arvi, & Gary

Sammy, Tom, & Gary

Scott

(VIDEO ~ FROM THE EVENT ~ Jacqueline Z. Davis, Executive Director, New York PublicLibrary for the Performing Arts, Scott Gorenstein, & Russell Klein)