George Gershwin Comes To Life When TheatreWorks Livestreams Hershey Felder

This fall, the legendary composer of "Rhapsody in Blue," An American in Paris, and many more iconic American standards will come to life in a livestreamed performance of Hershey Felder as George Gershwin Alone - Live from Florence.

Presented by TheatreWorks Silicon Valley in partnership with Hershey Felder Presents - Live from Florence this musical masterpiece will be performed live from Florence, Italy by virtuoso performer/ playwright/ producer Hershey Felder. Directed by Stefano de Carli, George Gershwin Alone will be streamed live September 13 (5pm PDT/8pm EDT).

This presentation will be offered by TheatreWorks to its subscribers as a gift. It can also be purchased ($55 per household) with proceeds benefiting TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. Information is available at TheatreWorks.org or by calling (650) 463-1960.

Following up Felder's triumphant virtual performances in Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin and Hershey Felder: Beethoven, which have dazzled audiences while sheltered-in-place around the globe, this exploration of Gershwin's short but extraordinary life illuminates the master tunesmith whose work shaped a distinctly American style of music. George Gershwin Alone shares the composer's life, including his brilliant and prolific partnership with his brother, lyricist Ira Gershwin, incorporating beloved songs from the popular hits "Fascinating Rhythm," "I Got Rhythm," "'S Wonderful" and "They Can't Take That Away from Me," to excerpts from his ground-breaking musicals Porgy and Bess and An American In Paris, and a complete performance of his opus "Rhapsody In Blue."

George Gershwin was born in 1898 to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents in Brooklyn and composed his first hit at age 21. All told, George Gershwin wrote more than 1,000 songs for the stage and screen, as well as works for the opera house and the symphony orchestra. Gershwin died of an undiagnosed brain tumor in 1937, at the age of 38, leaving behind a legion of bereft fans and an astonishing legacy of enduring music that has never dimmed in popularity.

Hershey Felder has performed George Gershwin Alone to captivated audiences around the world, including Broadway, London's West End, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Diego, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington DC, and more, garnering praise from critics and audiences alike. "The quadruple-threat performer Hershey Felder-an actor, singer, pianist and writer, and all of the first order-has brought the quintessential American composer back to life," said Chicago Sun-Times. The Mercury News called George Gershwin Alone "a heartfelt valentine to the American Songbook that goes down as smoothly as a bourbon Manhattan with a bright red cherry on top." The San Francisco Chronicle lauded the show as "simply glorious," noting Felder's "performance of the music is a delight from beginning to end - and beyond."

For this livestream presentation, Hershey Felder will perform the show on the stage of one of Europe's oldest and most famous opera houses, Teatro della Pergola in Florence, Italy, produced by Hershey Felder Presents - Live from Florence.

Hershey Felder as George Gershwin Alone features the music and lyrics of George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin, with a book by Hershey Felder. The production is directed by Stefano DeCarli and Felder, adapted from the stage play directed by Joel Zwick. The Associate Director is Trevor Hay. Scenic design is by Hershey Felder. Film production and live editing is by the DeCarli Live film company. Live broadcast and Sound design production are by Erik Carstensen. Meghan Maiya is Director of Broadcasting & Special Projects.

An actor, pianist, writer, director, composer, conductor, and producer, Hershey Felder has created lauded shows about composers Claude Debussy, George Gershwin, Fryderyk Chopin, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Liszt, Leonard Bernstein, Irving Berlin, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Felder's solo shows have been seen across America at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Geffen Playhouse, Pasadena Playhouse, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Hartford Stage, San Diego Repertory Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Old Globe Theatre, American Repertory Theater, and Cleveland Playhouse, and have received long runs at Chicago's Royal George Theatre and engagements at New York's Town Hall, 59E59, and the Streicker Center. Felder has become an enormous Bay Area favorite and has set all-time TheatreWorks box office records with his hit productions at the company, including the 2019 World Premieres of Hershey Felder: A Paris Love Story and Hershey Felder: Beethoven, as well as Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin and Our Great Tchaikovsky. The Pianist of Willesden Lane, directed by Felder and starring celebrated pianist Mona Golabek, was enthusiastically received by TheatreWorks audiences in early 2020. Hershey Felder as Monsieur Chopin is scheduled to perform at TheatreWorks in the 51st Season.

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