Yay, jeffreydog!!! I'm so thrilled you loved the show. Before last Wednesday evening, I had never seen Liza Minnelli perform live, and I wouldn't have even really considered myself a "big fan" of hers. Sure, I love Flora, The Act and The Rink cast recordings, but I didn't really understand what Liza was all about. After seeing her both on Wednesday and Friday evenings, I now "get it." I am a true fan and will be one for life. The theatrical highlight of the decade.
Extend again? I guess it depends on the demand. Is every show selling out to capacity? I'm sure we'll get some sort of an idea when the grosses are released later this afternoon.
I'm just being a brat. I'm coming down January 8 for a few days and between liking her already and hearing all everyone's said here, I'd definitely like to see her.
Getting down there before the 28th is pretty much impossible.
I was there Friday as well, and while admiring Liza, never been the ravenous fan some are. But I totally Get It now. She is truly the Last Vaudevillian, and gives her audience their money's worth and more.
She looked terrific, she knew how to navigate around the pits and cracks of her voice so that she shone throughout ... and during the encore of "Merry Little Christmas -- where she looked and sounded JUST like her mother -- I sobbed.
I am sorry she left out "I'll See You Again" -- but I ain't complaining about anything!!
(and I know have a major crush on Cortes Alexander. Just in case anyone cares.)
I am still trying to "navigate" the hotel situation for my return the last weekend of Liza's gig at the Palace. Clearly, I am not as good at "navigating" this deal as she is at "navigating" that stage!
I'm still trying to "process" the whole evening. That's why I must go back. It was like a dream. I was so stunned, I can hardly believe it was real. And the CD...Thank WAT I bought it! It's sensational!
Phil, I think she usually sings "I'll Be Seeing You" but since it's the holidays, she switched to "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" for now. I could not have imagined a better Christmas gift myself.
"Be on your guard! Jerks on the loose!"
http://www.roches.com/television/ss83kod.html
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"If any relationship involves a flow chart, get out of it...FAST!"
Elphaba3, too funny...we had the same seats you did, but on the opposite side of the theatre, G118-124! Fabulous seats, weren't they?
I bought those tickets the minute the pre-sale started. I know I won't be so lucky when I return. But I don't care!
It's hard to believe that we listened to that entire 2-disc set on Friday night, WAT, and it seemed as though it went by in 15 minutes...just like show!
"Be on your guard! Jerks on the loose!"
http://www.roches.com/television/ss83kod.html
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"If any relationship involves a flow chart, get out of it...FAST!"
Same here, NB1! I didn't realize you were only "visiting." You seemed so "comfortable" at the Palace!
I was telling everyone about Liza today. Interesting how I'd start the conversation with "I saw Liza Minnelli" on Friday and everyone went, "Ohhhh. How WAS she?" As though they expected her to bomb.
I was all superlatives, of course! Take that, you non-believers!
"Be on your guard! Jerks on the loose!"
http://www.roches.com/television/ss83kod.html
**********
"If any relationship involves a flow chart, get out of it...FAST!"
nealb1, thank you so much for your kind words...and it was so fun hanging out and seeing LIZA with you on Friday.
Caught the show again tonight from my fifth row center seat...and it was absolutely increedible. From the very second that Liza came out on the stage, she had the entire audience in the palm of her hand.
There were a few funny mishaps tonight...Liza spilled her gatorade twice, once in Act 1, once in Act 2, and then she made fun of herself for doing so. She also messed up on one of the punchlines for the Kay Thompson segment (the joke when Kay sends one of her exes a box of baseballs) and then in the next song, she made reference to her mistake, saying that it's better to be truthful about these things because the audience knows you screwed up anyway! We all ate it up. She was brilliant.
Act 1 got about six mid-show standing ovations from the majority of the orchestra...her vocals tonight were spot on. Wow. "Teach Me Tonight" was a wonderful way to start the show...and of course she wowed us with "My Own Best Friend," "Maybe This Time," and "Cabaret." Her "Palace Medley" brought the audience to their feet and many were in tears...just brilliant.
The Kay Thompson segment in Act 2 is so wonderful. Kay would have been so proud. The fact that this 62-year-old woman does all that choreography and still manages to belt those songs to the rafters is astounding. That story she tells about Kay designing her room with three closets is SO WONDERFUL (i won't give it away). And "Mammy" brought the audience to tears, while "New York, New York" brought them to their feet cheering so loudly. I cried again during the encore...perfection.
During intermission, I introduced myself to the director/choreographer Ron Lewis, who was SO NICE to me. I asked him about his experiences with Liza throughout the years, and he said he is so lucky to have worked with such a wonderful person. He also signed my CD cover of THE ACT, which I had brought tonight (he choreographed it in 1977).
All in all, while I think Friday evening's audience was more crazy than tonights, the show was still fabulous. I feel honored to have been there and I can't wait to go back on Sunday afternoon.
I know I've said this so many times before, but please, if you are at all considering seeing this, but do not have tickets yet, buy them immediately. Liza is giving the performance of her career and this is the theatrical event of a lifetime. Do not miss Liza's at the Palace!
The Palace Medley starts off with a lovely introduction with Liza singing about how she saw Judy at the Palace when she was five years old from the front row and now she is here to sing for all of you. The songs in the medley are "Shine on Harvest Moon," "Some of These Days," "My Man," and "I Don't Care." Then she sings about how Liza Mae is back and here to stay. The medley got a well-deserved standing ovation.
Yes, Dame, I didn't see upstairs, but the orchestra was completely full.
Also forgot to add that I saw Tommy Tune in the audience (he was also there on opening night), Jane Krakowski (who was in tears after the encore), and Lea Delaria (wearing a black pant suit).
No, it has not been on TKTS. People are paying $125 for this show and it is worth every penny. I spoke to a woman at intermission who had Row F on the right side of the orchestra. She had gotten her ticket the day after the reviews came out and she said it was one of the best decisions she ever made. She said she had seem Minnelli on Minnelli in 1999 and thought it was ok, but she said that tonight was just perfect. Audiences are LOVING this show so much!
The new Palace medley introductory lyrics are by David Zippel. He probably also came up with the rhyme at the end--changing "Just to tell Broadway / That the two-a-day / Is back in town" to "Just to tell Broadway / That Liza Mae / Is back in town."
Roger Edens originally put that medley together with Kay Thompson for Judy's first Palace engagement in 1952. It contains one of my all-time favorite Judy notes on the word "days" in "Some of These Days," which thrillingly occurs twice.
I was afraid that Liza couldn't reach the note--and she sort of can't--but the note she hits is exciting anyway.
