2013 Tony Awards Clip Countdown: #1 - Liza & The Divas

Today we are concluding BroadwayWorld's 2013 Tony Awards Clip Countdown with a special spotlight focused on Broadway's favorite leading lady, who continues to provide inspiration for divas new and old nearly fifty years after her Broadway debut - the one and only Liza Minnelli.

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Liza Minnelli. Barbra Streisand. Patti LuPone. Angela Lansbury. Bernadette Peters. Elaine Stritch. Barbara Cook. Chita Rivera. Musical theatre royalty all - as divine as divas get and the best of the best in the business to boot. Each name conjures up excitement, enthusiasm and heightened anticipation in its mere utterance among Broadway babies - and, as dynamic and incredible as all of those leading ladies are, Miss Minnelli is the Tony Awards show-stopper of them all. While Angela Lansbury offered incalculably to her ceremonies whenever she hosted the Tony Awards - and it was more than merely a few times that she did so - there is no denying that an unexplainable magic occurs when Liza Minnelli takes the stage - especially at an event as grand and glamorous as the Tony Awards. It's indescribable, really - but the spectacular collection of clips on hand today will go a long way in showcasing some of the countless reasons why Liza Minnelli is Broadway, period.

From her memorable debut under the direction of George Abbott in FLORA, THE RED MENACE in 1965, Liza Minnelli has magnificently and copiously proven the vast promise of her vaunted lineage - her mother was icon Judy Garland and her father was master director Vincente Minnelli, lest we forget - winning a Tony Award for her very first Broadway role. FLORA was also the beginning of a relationship that would flourish for many decades to come - that of Miss Minnelli with the simply awesome composing duo of John Kander & Fred Ebb. From there, Minnelli ascended to the highest ranks of Broadway - and, soon thereafter, Hollywood, as well. Of course, in 1972, Minnelli would bring home the Best Actress Academy Award for her portrayal of Sally Bowles in Bob Fosse's revolutionary stage-to-screen adaptation of Kander & Ebb's CABARET. Liza performed in two more Kander & Ebb musicals in the 1970s, spelling for an ailing Gwen Verdon for a sold-out stint in the original Fosse production of CHICAGO, and, then, followed it up with the specially-written star vehicle THE ACT.

Although Minnelli focused on her film career and concert performances throughout the next two decades, Broadway was never far from her purview. In 1984 she starred in yet another Kander & Ebb new musical - once again opposite Chita Rivera - THE RINK. Additionally, she returned to Broadway in the '90s, replacing Julie Andrews in VICTOR/VICTORIA.

Liza Minnelli's special solo shows on Broadway are also something of legend - and for very good reason. LIZA, LIZA WITH A Z, LIZA AT THE WINTER GARDEN, MINNELLI ON MINNELLI, LIZA'S BACK, and, most recently, her Tony Award-winning LIZA'S AT THE PALACE were all supreme entertainment events every bit as accomplished and amazing as the best Broadway shows and all act as even more evidence as to why Liza Minnelli is Broadway's top diva and most valuable player. Liza With A Z is Broadway's MVP.

From ANNIE to CINDERELLA to MATILDA to the sassy dames of KINKY BOOTS and the leggy Leading Player of PIPPIN and beyond, the 2013 season is all about the most spectacular show-stopping divas and no musical theatre performer on Broadway ranks higher in that regard or epitomizes everything that it means more than Miss Liza Minnelli - now or ever.

Liza With A Z? Liza with A to Z!

The 2013 Tony Awards air tonight, Sunday, June 9, at 8 PM on CBS. More information is available at the official site here.

New York, New York

So, now, let's look at the best Tony Awards moments of all time as they relate to the one and only Liza Minnelli.

First up, enjoy the 2009 Tony Awards opening number - clocking in at twelve minutes, it is one of the most epic and unforgettable Tony Awards musical numbers of all time. And, of course, only one star could bring it home like this.

See one of the many reasons Liza won Best Actress In A Musical for THE ACT back in 1978 courtesy of Kander & Ebb's "City Lights", acting as that year's effervescent opening number. And, what an ending!

Minnelli sweetly presented a special Tony Award to master director Gower Champion back in 1968, ten whole years before he would direct her himself on Broadway in THE ACT. View her dedication below.

In 1974, Liza received a special Tony Award herself for her unique contribution to the Broadway community. Watch the entire Tony Awards telecast from that year below, including her win.

Liza and Chita Rivera team up for an exquisite medley of Kander & Ebb hallmark tunes at the 1984 Tony Awards where they all also were represented with their nominations for THE RINK.

Liza joins with sister Lorna Luft for a once-in-a-lifetime duet medley on the 1993 Tony Awards.

In 1996, Liza joined with fellow Tony-winning icon Bernadette Peters to open the show in phantastic style - with a little help from some familiar faces, too (like Nathan Lane).

Liza and Bernadette present the award for Best Actress In A Musical - and, as it turns out, the prize was given to yet another theatrical grande dame, Donna Murphy!

Liza accepts her Tony Award for her most recent Broadway hit, LIZA'S AT THE PALACE, in 2009.

Finally, in celebration of the Tony Awards returning once again to Radio City Music Hall, here is Miss Minnelli in what may be the very finest "New York, New York" of them all. Wow!

So, what in particular makes Liza Minnelli the most compelling dame to grace the stages of the Great White Way? Is it her command of the crowd, performance perfection, deep dramatic understanding of the material or her peerless position acting as the inspiration for so many artists to create great work explicitly to showcase her titanic talent? Whatever the reason, when listing leading ladies from A to Z, Liza still deserves first place - alphabets be damned. Clearly, at this point, she's earned it! Indeed, Broadway is spelled L-I-Z-A!