Performing arts: Felder plays Gershwin for TheatreWorks benefit.
Perennial TheatreWorks Silicon Valley favorite Hershey Felder is offering a live-streamed performance of “Hershey Felder as George Gershwin Alone” on Sunday to benefit the Palo Alto theater company.
Although Felder has appeared at TheatreWorks as various composers over the years, he has never performed “George Gershwin Alone” for South Bay audiences. He’ll stage the benefit performance from one of Europe’s famous old opera houses, Teatro della Pergola, in Florence, Italy.
The show explores the Gershwin’s short but productive life. T he son of Russian-Jewish immigrants, Gershwin composed his first hit song at 21 and went on to write more than 1,000 songs for the stage and screen. He also wrote several operatic works and symphonies. He died at age 38 of an undiagnosed brain tumor.
Felder also covers his prolific partnership with his brother, lyricist Ira Gershwin, and includes musical theater masterpieces like “Fascinating Rhythm,” “‘S’Wonderful,” “I Got Rhythm” and “They Can’t Take That Away from Me.”
Also included will be excerpts from ground-breaking musicals like“P orgy and Bess” and “An American in Paris.” Felder’s production also includes the complete concert version of Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.”
Directed by Stefano DeCarli and Felder, “Gershwin” is adapted from a stage play. Erik Carstensen will provide live broadcast and sound design.
The versatile F elder set box office records at Theatre Works with his shows about Irving Berlin, Beethoven and Debussy. He has also created shows about Chopin, Liszt, Tchaikovsky and Leonard Bernstein. He’s scheduled to perform live as Chopin in March and April 2021 during TheatreWorks’ 51st season.
TheatreWorks subscribers can watch the Sunday livestream free of charge. It can also be viewed by making a $55-per-household donation to TheatreWorks. All ticketholders will have access to a recording of the production for an additional 72 hours following the live performance, which starts at 5 p.m.
For more information, visit www.TheatreWorks.org or call 650-463-1960.