Hershey Felder tells his own story in TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s World Premiere of ‘Hershey Felder: The Piano and Me.’
Piano virtuoso Hershey Felder has long been a TheatreWorks Silicon Valley favorite with his one-man shows featuring beloved composers like Rachmaninoff, Gershwin, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Berlin and Beethoven.
Now he’s back playing himself in the world premiere of his “Hershey Felder: The Piano and Me.”
It’s a fascinating, entertaining autobiographical work that starts in 1974, focuses mainly on his childhood and early adulthood, and offers more music by classical masters.
He talks a lot about his Jewish roots: his parents in Montreal and his Polish and Hungarian grandparents. His grandparents and others talked about the horrors of the Holocaust. Often he speaks in their voices and with their accents.
And of course, he talks about his relationship with the piano, beginning when he was fascinated by it when he was about 3 years old. He also talks about the teachers who helped him along the way.
Besides creating and performing in this work, Felder designed its scenic and visual elements. Books and luggage are arrayed across the stage in front of a grand piano.
Videos and projections by Stefano De Carli show composers, family members and various settings.
The lighting is by Erik S. Barry with sound design by the production manager, Erik Carstensen.
The show runs just under two hours with no intermission. Afterward, Felder graciously answers audience questions.
“Hershey Felder: The Piano and Me” will continue through Feb. 8 at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St., Mountain View.
For tickets and information call (877) 662-8978 or visit www.theatreworks.org.
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