Last Thursday evening comedian and actor Larry Miller took the Columbia Theatre’s stage in his one-man show “Cocktails with Larry Miller,” as part of Fanfare 2011.

The “Cocktails with Larry Miller” tour runs through mid-May in states across the country. Miller’s act focuses on topics such as drinking, children and marriage. Miller dabbled on the piano during the show, which mostly accompanied parodies of popular songs. During the show, Miller parodied “My Favorite Things” from “The Sound of Music.” Instead, Miller called it “My Favorite Drinks.” One line sang, “sliced and sangria and jello shot shooters, sharing a pint with the waitress from Hooters.”

“I enjoyed the show and found it to be very funny,” said President John L. Crain “It was good to have some laughs, which makes for a nice stress reliever. Fanfare and the Columbia Theatre are tremendous assets to our university, and part of the strength in programming is the quality and diversity. A performance by a nationally known comedian like Larry Miller is a great example of that.”

The stage was set up to resemble a living room of the late 1950’s, complete with a wet bar, grand piano and an old television set. Miller also made a few costume changes over the course of his act. He came out first in a navy blue double-breasted pinstripe suit, but later donned a silk oriental print robe over his shirt and tie. In the second act, he came out as Moses, complete with a beard and staff. By the middle of the second act, he was back in his suit.

At the end of his routine, Miller thanked the crowd for their attention and the Columbia for asking him to perform.

“The Columbia is a great theatre and I’m glad they asked me to be here,” said Miller. “They really did put a great show together. I hope this theatre keeps growing, and I’ll see you next time.”

While the show wasn’t sold out, the theatre was nonetheless packed.

“The turnout was more than we expected,” said Roy Blackwood, Interim Director of the Columbia Theater. “We would love to have sold out the house, but that doesn’t happen very often these days.”

Cocktails with Larry Miller is set to continue in Lincoln, Nebraska at the Lied Center for Performing Arts on February 11, 2012.