The world first heard about Peter Allen, the Australian pianist/singer somewhere around the end of the 1960s when Judy Garland, having “discovered” him and his “brother” (their act was called The Allen Brothers) on a tour of the Far East, brought him back to the States as her “opening” act for her concerts and soon thereafter he married her daughter Liza Minnelli. And for the next few years, that is how he was mainly known to the public – as Liza Minnelli’s husband. And then ex-husband.

Outside the Imperial Theatre

Then in the mid-1970s, having broken up the “brother” act (they weren’t), he acquired a manager named Dee Anthony here in New York and put together a nightclub act of his own. The “new” Peter Allen opened at the Copacabana, then the remaining hot nightclub in Manhattan (it was at 14 East 60th Street where the Nicole Farhi store stands today), and knocked ‘em dead. Studio 54 does the Copa, and vice versa.

Boffo” was Variety’s review. Overnight stardom. After that came the gold record album, a sold-out Radio City Music Hall concert and a major nightclub career.

During that rush to the neon stratosphere also came a successful songwriting career (Olivia Newton-John had a huge hit with his “I Honestly Love You;” Sinatra recorded him). Allen also began an open relationship with another man (a contemporary) who was also guiding his career. The rise to fame and fortune was meteoric. The openly gay relationship was, as it remains today for many in show business (and elsewhere), no small matter, and a courageous move. It was also, it turned out, the beginning of the end. Of everything. One of those show-biz stories that drive the legends.

And twenty years after the premature death of this great rambunctious, rock-and-rolling entertainer, comes the Broadway musical of his life (and songs).

I saw Hugh Jackman play “Curly” in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma” in London about five years ago. It was the first time I saw a “real” Curly in that show. Young, handsome, full of himself, and (rambling) testosterone. With a beautiful legit baritone voice. The next thing I knew he was a movie star.

Brooke Hayward Duchin and Doug Cramer

Thursday night that same man, also a boy from “Oz” (or, Australia) was Peter Allen on the stage of the Imperial Theatre and he brought down the house with whistles and shouts and stomping and standing ovations. It’s a fabulous show with a star who is not only a great singer but a great dancer and a great actor. And the voice while still strong and full is not Curly’s legit baritone but now a belting, pop, mike-oriented voice, the voice of Peter Allen.

If you never saw the original, even never even heard of the original, Hugh Jackman will show you the way. The story includes, of course, his discovery by Judy Garland and subsequent meeting and marrying Miss Minnelli. The two actresses who play those roles, including the singing, narrowly and brilliantly skirt by impersonation while strongly suggesting both high profile public personas.

I was a guest Thursday night, of Doug Cramer, the hugely successful producer of TV’s “Loveboat” who was also production partners for years with Aaron Spelling out in Hollywood. Together the two men were a veritable studio of highly popular and successful TV and movie production.

Several years ago, Mr. Cramer, having taken a breather from his production activities, moved East with his vast and now famous contemporary art collection and his boundless enthusiasm for all things cultural, theatrical, and social.

Now New York’s his home and he’s here to stay. He’s also one of the star’s of Manhattan’s social terra firma. His invitations are a well-known treat, for he always brings together an interesting and eclectic group of people and always shows them a good time. And a good meal – after the show we were all transported up to Swifty’s for a dinner hosted by Doug and writer Hugh Bush.

Because he’s been a strong booster of the show and highly regarded for his canniness and acumen when it comes to material, some people think Doug is the show’s producer. He is not. They are Robert Fox and Ben Gannon. Then someone told me Cramer is a backer. Then someone told me he’s not a big backer, or at least not as big as he’d like to be, because there were so many ahead of him who were wild about the show.

After the show the guests were transported up to Swifty's for a dinner hosted by Doug and writer Hugh Bush.

Up at Swifty’s everyone was just coming down, revved up from the celebration that is Jackman’s tour de force performance (he’s the hottest thing on Broadway). Someone said Hugh Jackman would be joining us. Later Doug told me that Jackman never goes out on any nights he’s performing, saving his voice and energy for the show (which demands all of it).

Someone else told me that Liza will not go to see the show (this is a rumor) and no one can figure out why. I can think of one reason: the story is powerful stuff. And it’s very personal about Peter Allen’s life and therefore very personal about Liza’s. And like her mother’s life, there was no rainbow at the end of this one.

I had the original Peter Allen album – I think it was a double album – which I lost somewhere along the way (and would have traded in for a CD by now). I loved his songs. The upbeat where rockin’ and the ballads were heart rending in their own straight-narrative way. And the writer came through: you knew that this was a guy who had a major party-side but also a deep sense of the irony and even tragedy of life, our life. Hugh Jackman brings all that back, and puts it all right before us, up there on the spectacular stage of the Imperial Theatre in “The Boy From Oz.”

Guests of Doug Cramer for the performance of "The Boy From Oz" included: Anne Bass and Julian Lethbridge, Deeda Blair, Cecily Brown and Adam McKewn, Hugh Bush, Sean Driscoll, Ahn Duong, Simon de Pury, Cathy (Mrs. Stephen) Graham, Louise and Henry Grunwald, Bobby Harling, Reinaldo Hererera, Alex Hitz, Linda and Mort Janklow, Nan Kempner, Kenny Jay Lane, Glenn and Susan Lowry, Carol and Earle Mack, Aileen Mehle, Dr. Wayne and Joanne Meyers, Georgette Mosbacher, Billy Norwich, Hannah Pakula, Judy and Sam Peabody, producer Daryl Roth who has two shows opening in the next few weeks, Bobby Short, Francesca Stanfill and Richard Nye, Dr. and Mrs. Charles Steinberg, Bill and Bette Weed, and Cecile and Ezra Zilkha. Joining after the show at Swifty's were Brian Abel, the producers Robert Fox and Brian Gannon, and Brooke and Peter Duchin who'd been over at the Met hearing Renee Fleming in "La Traviata."

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