Liza Minnelli to Receive Pudding's Tribute Today

Liza Minnelli, star of Cabaret, will receive the Hasty Pudding Theatricals 23rd annual Woman of the Year award today at the Hasty Pudding Theatre.

The presentation of the award, a parade starting at the Business School and a preview of several scenes from the Pudding's upcoming original musical satire "Bewitched Bayou" will kick off the club's 125th anniversary celebration.

Minnelli, who will make a special trip to Cambridge to receive the award, has recently been acclaimed by many critics as one of the most talented actresses in show business.

Something Outrageous

"We hope that Liza Minnelli will say something outrageously shocking at our press conference so that we'll get a lot of publicity," Alfred Putnam '73, producer of "Bewitched Bayou" said yesterday.

He added that last year's recipient of the award, Ruby Keeler, did not attract very much attention until she announced her retirement at the press conference.

The parade, a new addition to the Woman of the Year ceremonies, will escort Minnelli into Cambridge. Antique automobiles, fire engines, bicycles, mounted police and the Harvard band will take part.

After the parade and the presentation of the award, the cast of "Bewitched Bayou" will perform scenes from the musical for Minnelli and the public at the Pudding's theatre.

Nature Unchanged

Putnam said yesterday that the club's decision last week to admit women as full members of the club will not change the nature of future Woman of the Year awards. Putnam said that both the Woman and Man of the Year awards are mainly publicity stunts. He added that the club had not given the woman's award merely as a token to women.

The Woman of the Year award has usually been given to an actress, although the Pudding did give it to Mamie Eisenhower in the 1950's. Some of the actresses who have won the award are Gertrude Lawrence, Katherine Hepburn, Ethel Merman, Rosiland Russell, Lauren Bacall and Shirley Maclaine.

Minnelli made her Broadway debut at the age of 19 in "Flora, the Red Menace." She received the Antoinette Perry Award for her performance.

Completely Rounded

After the release of Cabaret last year, Time magazine called Minnelli "a dazzlingly assured and completely rounded performer." She has been nominated for an Academy Award for Cabaret.

Several television specials and a new recording contract have followed her success in Cabaret.

The Hasty Pudding Theatricals is the oldest theatrical organization in America.