The showbiz icon celebrated her 80th birthday (and a new autobiography) with stories and a song

You can’t get much more grand and baroque than the old downtown movie palaces and you can’t get more grand and baroque in show business than Liza Minnelli. The EGOT winner was feted for her 80th birthday on Tuesday at the Million Dollar Theater on Broadway celebrating her return to the L.A. stage for the first time in 15 years for How To Academy and the release of her new autobiography Kids, Wait Till You Hear This! already number one on the Sunday Times Bestsellers List.

Liza Minnelli at the Million Dollar TheaterCredit: Photo by Chris Nichols

The cavernous room seats more than 2,000 people and nearly every single one of them was in glitter, sparkles or sequins. “It’s like New Year’s Eve on Fire Island!” Comedian Bruce Vilanch barked to us across the packed lobby. “But crazier!” In addition to Vilanch, we spotted comedians Kathy Griffin, Murray Hill and Charles Phoenix making their way into the auditorium.  

Liza at the Million Dollar theaterCredit: Photo by Chris Nichols

Liza was joined by singer Michael Feinstein and her millennial niece Vanessa O’Neil, daughter of Lorna Luft and manager of the Judy Garland estate. The stage was dressed with palm trees and vintage spotlights, conjuring up glamour in the old hall.

Liza at the Million Dollar TheaterCredit: Photo by Chris Nichols

Tony winner Feinstein, artistic director for the Standard Time series at Carnegie Hall, has spent much of his career as the “Ambassador of the Great American Songbook.” He served as the official archivist for Ira Gershwin and knows how to draw stories out of his musical heroes, but Liza occasionally seemed to struggle to keep up.  

Scroll to continue reading

Liza made her grand entrance when a high kicking showgirl traded places with her through misdirection, magic and a flying flame, and the audience roared when she first appeared on stage perched high atop a tall director’s chair.

Liza at the Million Dollar TheaterCredit: Photo by Chris Nichols

Feinstein and Minnelli are clearly as close as family and he did his best to coax stories out of her, but his long windups were often met with one word responses. In addition to a nonsense song that was a favorite of her mother, Liza performed Gershwin’s Love is Here to Stay in a duet with Feinstein.

An intro video narrated by RuPaul was the first of many retrospective clips from her long movie and TV career, along with snippets from a recording of the new audiobook. “What’s your favorite performance?” Feinstein asked. “Would it be Cabaret? Would it be a film? Would it be stage?” Liza paused for a moment and answered. “No, the first time that I went onstage as a performer… with you.”

Fans Linda Noel, Farrah Lynch and Chanell O’Farrill resplendent in sequinsCredit: Photo by Chris Nichols

It melted the thousands of hearts who showed up to honor the icon who left the stage trying her best to join the chorus kickline as New York New York played overhead.