The Rhumbelow Theatre and popular entertainer Tonya Koenderman are going all out to celebrate international star |Liza Minelli’s birthday soon…
A SPLASHY affair is set to stage at the Rhumbelow Theatre in Pietermaritzburg and Durban when popular entertainer Tonya Koenderman heads to local stages in celebration of renowned actress Liza Minelli’s birthday.
Koenderman will stage her hit show Liza with a “T” to commemorate Minelli’s birthday on March 12 when the star turns 69.
In an interview with Tonight, Koenderman explained how, as a 13-year-old, she was left in awe after watching Minelli perform live at Sun City years ago.
“I just loved her larger-than-life persona, her bigness. She just filled that room. I love her big voice which I’ve always had an affinity to impersonate. I would go so far as to say that my natural voice is very similar.”
And so it became what Koenderman described as “an obvious mission” for her to develop her talents and do this show.
“I knew I could do this. She is someone I can relate to. She also had her ups and downs, it has not always been an easy road for her and I think that is life. She battled with self- confidence, which performers the world over have. And today she’s reached icon status.”
The show is not just a straight musical tribute show to Minelli, but one that sets out to inform the audience about the star, too: “In the show I tell the audience about her life and intersperse that with her music – some of her popular songs and the lesser-known numbers as well.
“These lesser-known numbers are the real gems of her music, little stories with great meaning that will probably tug an emotional cord with the audience,” she explained.
Commenting on what she thinks is Minelli’s best attribute, Koenderman said: “I think it’s her humility. Despite being such a big performer, she comes across as very humble and vulnerable.”
And if she had to choose her favourites from Minelli’s repertoire?
“If I have to choose I would say New York, New York. There’s a version she does where she starts off like a ballad and you sit there thinking, ‘is that New York, New York?’, then the melody comes in and it strikes you that it is.
“She also does a song called My Lover Makes No Sound, which was written and performed originally by French chanson entertainer, Charles Aznavour. And it’s a song where she talks about her boyfriend who is deaf and about how powerful their relation-ship is. And in the song she surprises him with a song and sign language performance at the same time where she tells him how much she loves him.”
Directed by Neil Lessick, Liza with a “T” has been performed to soldout houses in Port Elizabeth, Grahamstown, Cape Town, Namibia, Bloemfontein and Joburg.
The show touches on all aspects of Minelli’s life from her close relationship with her father, her struggle with substance abuse, her many relationships, and the influence her mother Judy Garland had over her. Expect to hear some of Minelli’s hit songs like Cabaret; Mein Herr; Maybe this Time; Money Money; New York, New York and more.
Show: March 6 and 7 at the Rhumbelow Theatre in Umbilo, Durban; March 8 at the Rhumbelow Theatre, Pietermaritzburg; and March 13 to 15 at the Durban venue. R120 with concessions for pensioners and block bookings at Computicket or call 082 499 8636.
Interesting facts |about Liza Minelli
• Liza May Minnelli is an American actress and singer best known for her portrayal of Sally Bowles in the 1972 musical film Cabaret which won her an Academy Award for Best Actress.
• Struggling with drug abuse, Minnelli became one of the first prominent people to openly talk about rehab.
• She did highly regarded performances at Carnegie Hall in 1979 and 1987, and at Radio City Music Hall in 1991 and 1992. She toured Frank, Liza & Sammy: The Ultimate Event alongside Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis jr.
• Minnelli has won an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, one Emmy Award, two Tony Awards, in addition to one Grammy Legend Award and one Special Tony, as well as many other industry and critics awards.
• In 2000, Minnelli was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame. – Wikipedia.com