The first step in the plan to take Minnelli on Minnelli on tour in 2000, the recording of her Palace Theatre show, will take place Dec. 27 during the 8 PM performance, say production sources. A distributor for the disk has yet to be announced.

As reported Dec. 14, Minnelli on Minnelli co-producer Stewart F. Lane says Liza Minnelli could go on tour as early as March. Her limited engagement at the Palace closes Jan. 2.

"Our best reviews came from out of town," Lane told Playbill On-Line. "I think it's going to be a big tour." Excellent New York City reviews of Minnelli on Minnelli were considered essential to any extension of Minnelli's Broadway run in New York, but with the best reviews coming from outside the city, Lane and co producer Radio City Entertainment are focusing on a tour.

Producer Lane said that after the CD recording, Minnelli would "go back to rehearsals in February and re-tool before re-opening in March."

Lane said he was not sure where the 15 city tour would actually begin, but that it might such key cities as Chicago, San Diego, San Francisco, Boston, Miami and Detroit, Lane told Playbill On-Line. New York Post columnist Liz Smith reported on Dec. 23 that Minnelli already has bookings in San Francisco and the Kennedy Center.

Lane's office could not confirm any other details at press time and the producer was traveling and unable to return calls.

Lane has said that the members of Minnelli's all-male chorus have expressed interest in touring.