Looking Out My Back Door

Liza: A Real Trouper

While it may not be "cool" to admit it, I've been a fan of Liza Minnelli's probably since I saw her in "Caberet," back in 1972. I was 10 years old and one of her youngest fans (and I probably still hold that distinction, confirmed time and time again by looking at others in the audience when I'm lucky enough to see her in concert).

The last couple of years, she's been in the news for allegations made by her soon-to-be-ex-husband, David Gest, and a former employee. Liza married Gest in a rather bizarre display of excess amid a host of Hollywood "legends" (more her mother's generation than her own), but the marriage to the promoter (and dear friend of Michael Jackson and his family; both Michael and Tito Jackson were in the wedding party) lasted barely a year. Now they're in the courts, sniping back and forth. The most ludicrous claim he's made, in my opinion, is that she beat him up one night while plastered on vodka. I submit to you that if you can't run away from a staggering drunk with two replaced hips (not to mention a woman who is about half his size), well, maybe there's something going on with YOU. I'd hazard a few guesses, but I'm not going to say anything about this litigious lout that could come back to bite me. (As this is a journal, though, I believe my personal thoughts are just that, personal.)

I will say that Gest was momentarily good for her career. He whipped her into shape (controlling her food choices and portions) and she played a solid two weeks at the Beacon Theater in NYC in mid-2002. I was there for closing night, and she was astounding. By 2002, I had seen her perform live five times since 1977, and she just kept getting better.

Then the marriage went sour, and Liza's career was back-burnered. However, she recently did an appearance on the "Arrested Development" sitcom, which reportedly enjoyed its highest ratings to date. She is also co-starring in a movie with Parker Posey that should be released later this year. And she's doing the occasional concert!

A few weeks ago, I had heard that Liza would be at Westbury Music Fair on Long Island (now being renamed The North Fork Theater at Westbury, another corporate naming travesty, not unlike that of Candlestick Park in San Fransisco. Both my memories, and those of the performers who appeared there, will always be of Westbury Music Fair...in fact, both Liza and her special guest, Ben Vereen, shared some of their favorite stories from years of appearing at that venue.) My aunt Judy and I went to the box office and were astounded to score fifth row tickets to the February 20th show. Amazing!

What was even more amazing was that Liza's three night stand at Westbury was not sold out. Her appearances there were barely promoted, even to the point that no artist merchandise was offered for sale. How sad. I asked an usher what was going on and she said, "no, they're not selling anything, but the show is wonderful -- you're going to have a great evening!"

And we did. Liza came down to the stage through the audience (Westbury is "in the round") and opened with "Old Friends," looking great and sounding better. She then introduced Ben Vereen, who performed some Broadway standards and a tribute to Sammy Davis, Jr. A very good performance, made better when he informed the audience that he would soon be back on Broadway as the Wizard in "Wicked."

Then Liza took over. She seemed rather at ease with the audience, and so grateful for the overwhelming reception we gave her. I do not exaggerate when I tell you that for every song, there was a standing ovation, and she deserved them. Working with a slight cold (kiss of death for most singers), she was still in magnificent voice and her stage presence thoroughly professional. At one point, she introduced John Kander from the audience. Kander, with his late collaborator, Fred Ebb, wrote most of the songs and shows associated with Minnelli, notably "New York, New York," "Caberet," and "Chicago." Now, some of you Broadway purists might object to the inclusion of "Chicago," but when its original star Gwen Verdon fell ill, Liza took over the role with about one week of rehearsal. From all accounts, she was fantastic.

She treated us to a couple of lesser-known songs from both those shows, including "So What," from the original stage version of "Caberet," performed on stage by the legendary Lotte Lenya. Another highlight was when she transformed an Old English ballad into a variety of musical forms. Naturally, she closed the show with "Caberet" and "New York, New York," to her loudest ovations of the evening. The audience could not get enough of her, and she returned to the stage, conferred with her arranger/pianist Billy Stritch (marvellously talented in his own right) and long-time conductor/drummer Bill Lavorgna, and ended up doing a lovely acapella version of "I'll Be Seeing You." (She'd told the audience that they'd run out of their music, so she chose to leave us with that song.) Again, she didn't miss a note, and my ears were listening sharply.

Liza is one of the few living entertainers who can be mentioned in the same breath as Sammy Davis, Jr., mother Judy Garland, and, yes, Frank Sinatra. Fortunately for us, she's a generation younger, so if she stays the course she's currently on, we should be able to enjoy her talent for many, many years. She's a showstopper with very few peers (Streisand is one).

Next month, I'll be reporting on a special trip I'm taking to New Orleans to see Elvis Costello at The House of Blues. Another generation, another genius. And proof that my musical taste is truly eclectic!

posted by Hopster @ 7:38 AM