Puttin’ on the Mitz

In the late ‘60s, when the gulf between the entertainment establishment (think Bob Hope) and the counterculture (In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, baby) was at its widest, Mitzi Gaynor was on top of the world. She’d achieved stardom as a singer and dancer in ‘50s Hollywood tuners like South Pacific, but had wisely exited the movies before musicals died a bloated death. Now she entertained, charmed, and comforted an older generation with ritzy Vegas shows and glitzy television specials. Sheathed in opulent, form-fitting gowns designed by Bob Mackie, Gaynor embodied the pinnacle of American glamour, confidence, and economic power. A Salute to Legendary Miss Mitzi Gaynor revisits her classy, campy legacy with impresario Marc Huestis’ trademark blend of sincere appreciation, tongue-in-cheek homage, and splashy gay style. Bruce Vilanch joins the star herself in an onstage conversation followed by the excavation of the 1975 network TV time capsule, Mitzi . . . and 100 Guys (which, among other things, keeps Hope alive). Get there early to ooh and aah over a delectable display of Mackie-wear from Mitzi’s heyday, poignant artifacts of a once-great republic.