`Liza's at the Palace ... !'; Liza Minnelli is paying tribute to the late Kay Thompson, her beloved godmother.Byline: Richard Duckett It's more than another opening of another show. Liza Minnelli is coming back to Broadway. The legendary singer and actress' new show "Liza's at the Palace ...!'' opens Dec. 3 at Broadway's Palace Theatre (Broadway and 47th Street). As might be expected from her engagingly bubbly public persona, Minnelli sounded excited and enthused. In "Liza's at the Palace...!" she will pay tribute to her beloved godmother, the late Kay Thompson Kay Thompson (born Catherine L. Fink, November 9, 1908, St. Louis, Missouri – July 2, 1998, New York City) was an American author, composer, musician, actress, and singer. Kay Thompson was born to parents Leo George (born ca. , a singer, writer and Renaissance woman Renaissance woman n. A woman who has broad intellectual interests and is accomplished in areas of both the arts and the sciences. . Minnelli will talk about their relationship. "I've never talked about myself on stage, ever. It's even a different kind of nervous. And I feel a little sigh the minute I think about Kay," she said. But before she also sings "New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of ! New York!" in New York again (as she surely will in the performance), there is another destination and show opening. She is coming near here for a sort of "out of town" tryout of "Liza's at the Palace ...!" for four performance beginning Nov. 19 at the Stadium Theatre Performing Arts Centre An art center or arts centre is distinct from an art gallery or art museum. An arts centre is a functional community centre with a specific remit to encourage arts practice and to provide facilities such as theatre space, gallery space, venues for musical performance, in Woonsocket, R.I. Actually she was being interviewed 12 days ago by telephone from Italy, where she was performing her show on a short tour. She also took in some of the sights of Rome, Thompson's home for seven years. "It's beautiful here. It's so beautiful here, I can't tell you," she said as the clock was starting to tick into the evening in Italy. Minnelli has been developing her new show and touring with it off and on for the past two years. But it is in Woonsocket where the scenery for the Broadway appearance will be brought in for the first time and final touches made to both the decor and the score. Audiences in Woonsocket are in for some excitement, Minnelli said. "We are out of town, which is the best part. ... We will finalize fi·nal·ize tr.v. fi·nal·ized, fi·nal·iz·ing, fi·nal·iz·es To put into final form; complete or conclude: "They have jointly agreed ... everything we've been working on for two years." The first act consists of "songs that were written for me and associated with me," she said. These will include "Cabaret" and "Maybe This Time" - written for her by the legendary Broadway songwriting partnership of John Kander and Fred Ebb Fred Ebb (born April 8 1933 in Manhattan [1] — died September 11 2004 in New York City) was a musical theatre lyricist who had many successful collaborations with composer John Kander. . They will be performed with a 12-man orchestra. "The second act is really all my godmother." Thompson (1908-98) was regarded as the consummate cabaret performer ("I saw her nightclub act when I was 2," Minnelli said), wrote the "Eloise" series of children's books, and was a vocal arranger, music director and vocal coach A vocal coach is a person, who works with singers on their singing technique, care and development of the voice, performance and preparation of a work. The coach may give instruction to the singer in private lessons, on stage, or during a recording session. who worked with such stars as Judy Garland (Minnelli's mother), Frank Sinatra and Lena Horne Noun 1. Lena Horne - United States singer and actress (born in 1917) Lena Calhoun Horne, Horne . With four singer/dancers, Minnelli will perform musical hits (with the original vocal arrangements) from Thompson's act such as "I Love a Violin," "Clap Yo' Hands," "Jubilee Time" and "Hello Hello" - set to new staging and choreography. The concert performance is scripted by Minnelli and Tony Award-winner David Zippel David Zippel (born May 17, 1954 in Easton, Pennsylvania) is a Tony Award-winning American Musical theatre lyricist. Zippel is a 1976 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and attended Harvard Law School but, according to his official biography, "he is delighted not to , and will be full of personal stories, anecdotes and reminiscences embraced in a theatrical setting. "She did everything. She taught everyone at MGM MGM in full Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. U.S. corporation and film studio. It was formed when the film distributor Marcus Loew, who bought Metro Pictures in 1920, merged it with the Goldwyn production company in 1924 and with Louis B. Mayer Pictures in 1925. ," Minnelli said of Thompson. How close were they? "Very, very close. I consider her the greatest gift my parents ever gave me. She was zany, sophisticated, funny and all that good stuff." And probably resilient as well, something she may well have imparted to Minnelli. The entertainer has had well-documented health and personal problems over the years, but then comes a show like "Liza's Back" in 2002. In 2004 and `05 there were appearances on the TV sitcom "Arrested Development," and guest vocals on My Chemical Romance's 2006 concept album "The Black Parade." Now there's "Liza's at the Palace...!" where she has had a hand in scripting and putting her 62-year-old body very much through its paces. Minnelli said she's always been disciplined when it comes to performing, as well as perfectionistic. The daughter of Garland and movie director Vincente Minnelli Vincente Minnelli (February 28, 1903 – July 25, 1986) was a famous Hollywood director and accomplished stage director, often considered by critics to be the father of the modern musical. , she made her movie debut as a baby in the 1949 film "In the Good Old Summertime." Over the years there would be Tony Awards, an Academy Award (for her best-known film and role as Sally Bowles in the 1972 classic "Cabaret") an Emmy for "Liza with a `Z'" and a Grammy Legend Award The GRAMMY Legend Award is a special Grammy Award, awarded on special occasions, not necessarily every year. This is a Special Merit Award, and it is presented by the Recording Academy to individuals or groups for ongoing contributions and influence in the recording field. . Growing up on movie sets around her parents, however, "I wanted to be an ice skater ice skate n. A shoe or light boot with a metal runner or blade fitted to the sole, used for skating on ice. ice . I would have been a good one," Minnelli said. She would have been good because of the discipline she would have imparted, she said. "I didn't want to do any of this until I saw `Bye-Bye Birdie.' Then I thought, `Oh this is fun.'" Asked what her favorite role is, she replied, "My favorite role is what I'm doing at the time ... "I love rehearsing and getting it right. I'm relentless in the way I work. I'll work at anything till it's right." But she hasn't lost her sense of fun, either. The next night in Rome after the interview, Minnelli said "we're gonna kick up our heels" visiting where Thompson used to live. "She loved this city," Minnelli said. Liza Minnelli When: 8 p.m. on Nov. 19, 20, 22 and 23. Where: The Stadium Theatre Performing Arts Centre, 28 Monument Square Monument Square is a public square in London, England, next to the Monument to the Great Fire of London. It is to be created as part of Monument Street is pedestrianised. It also features a glass pavilion which was designed by bere:architects and unveiled on 31 January 2007. , Woonsocket, R.I. How much: $55-$85. Call (401) 762-4545 or go to www.stadiumtheatre.com. ART: PHOTO CUTLINE: Liza Minnelli's `Liza's at the Palace ...!' performance will get its first complete workout in Woonsocket before heading to Broadway. |
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