Published April 14, 2019
Hershey Felder returns to TheatreWorks with his ultimate one-man show. He writes the story, scores the music, acts, designs the sets, and plays stunningly on a beautiful grand piano. The piano sits between two dimly gas lit bridges that Felder plays while telling the story of Debussy that interweaves Felder’s own story of his love of music and Paris.
From Canada, Felder has combined the music, wrote and played the roles of Gershwin, Bernstein, Chopin, Liszt, Berlin, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky with beauty and accuracy. His performances leave the audience with a desire to want more and asking what’s next? Rumor has it that he is working on the life of Rachmaninov.
Felder’s colleague for most of his productions is Trevor Hay who directed this show. The story moves with references to Debussy’s hectic love life, to Felder’s discovery and deep involvement with Paris and his mother. They both admired Debussy’s work, including his most memorable piece, “Clair de Lune.” Debussy’s dialogue is about Felder from his first time in Paris at 19. An interesting, different journey that does not appear in Felder’s other plays. Debussy’s love of nature shows up with his beautiful renditions of “Le Mer” and “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun.” Other Debussy pieces are scattered through the performance superbly played by Felder.
Projection designer Christopher Ash subtly lights up the gas-lit bridges and background set of Paris with snow, rain, drawings and fireworks that fit the moment.
Come visit Paris with Hershey Felder and Claude Debussy. You’ll be mesmerized.
Click HERE to purchase tickets for this show
DETAILS
“Hershey Felder: A Paris Love Story”
Produced by TheatreWorks
Where: Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St.- Mountain View
When: Through May 5
Time: Ninety minutes, no intermission
Tickets: $40-$120.
For tickets and information call 650/463-1960 -www.theatreworks.org.
