Backstage at the Palace

Pat and Ellie backstage at the Palace

My friend Ellie who is a true FOL took me as her guest to Liza's closing night at the Palace Theatre on Broadway. I had been once before to see Liza and we went backstage and met her in her dressing room. Amazing. The show was wonderful, but today was even better. She really blew everyone away and the love from the audience could have lit 42nd Street easily for a week.

It's ALL showbiz, baby.

I had to pinch myself once again and realize that I was at the ball and would return to an in between jobs pumpkin shortly after this was all over. I would also go back to being ill which I decided to mask for the afternoon so I could go.

Ellie is so sweet and we had a great day of church, lunch at the Edison Hotel and then Liza. They all know her there down the the ushers. Amazing woman in her own rite.

I sat 3rd row center between Liza's brother Joey and Marissa Berenson who co-starred with Liza in "Cabaret' - on of my all-time favorite films. Before you scoff, rent it, it is a Fosse masterpiece and one of the most perfectly crafted films ever made.

A few seats down was Yul Brynner's son.

I feel like I am doing another radio show reporting high atop the whatever tower in Manhattan with the "Broadway Minute.

The Great White Way was a buzz with closing night of Liza Minelli's triumphant show at The Palace Theatre, home of everyone from Al Jolson to her mother, Judy. She delivered and soared once again. Backstage was as packed as a sale at Gimbel's with friends, relatives and me, your humble reporter. My pal Ellie introduced me to everyone from Liza's dresser to her adored accompanist to her back-up boys. Oddly, I chatted with Marissa about Kay Thompson who the second act is dedicated. She told me she knew Kay and what a thrill it was.

We decided not to wait for Liza as she had loads of people waiting and I had met her before so we went upstairs, out the stage door and into Ellie's car. The driver dropped me off at Central Park West and 65th before dashing across the park.

I was back to a pumpkin with a sore throat, a runny nose, but excellent memories of another magical afternoon in Gotham with a good friend.