On the heels of an elegant overture, the lights come up and we're met with young Patrick Dennis, hand-in-hand with his nanny, the naive and ample Miss Agnes Gooch. Her nerves are rattled down to her very toes. Patrick, he'd be alright if it weren't for Agnes carrying on about thieves and murderers. It's New York City you know, 1928, and as far as Agnes knows, the place is full of 'em.

At last, Patrick and Agnes find the decadent apartment of his only living relative, Auntie Mame Dennis and, well, this is where it gets good. Did we say good? We meant marvelous, fabulous, breathtaking, spectacular and any number of other big words meant to convey a sense of awe and grandeur.

The apartment is chock full of friends, celebrities, politicians, religious figures and strangers. The champagne is as liberal as Mame's tongue and she's the center of the universe. Blink twice and it's time for celebration. But what to celebrate? How about that it's today? Perfect! And so Mame Dennis and her many friends and acquaintances break into a glittery song and dance ensemble in which they proclaim "It's Today!" as their raison d'être for celebrating.

So begins young Patrick's unconventional education under the glamorous wing of his eccentric Auntie Mame.

We're not theatre critics, but we we know what we like and we adored this production. The music, the dancing, the costumes, the humor -- everything about this show was first class.

So what are you waiting for? In the breezy words of Mame Dennis, "Life's a banquet and most poor sons-of-bitches are starving to death!"

Through March 2 // 5th Avenue Theatre // Tickets

Mame (Dee Hoty, center) and her party guests celebrate because "It's Today" in The 5th Avenue Theatre's production of Mame, playing February 9 - March 2, 2008.