Phil Santora News

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley will offer viewers the World Premiere livestream of Hershey Felder as Sergei Rachmaninoff in ANNA & SERGEI, a new work by and starring virtuoso pianist/performer Hershey Felder.

Today, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s Artistic Associate and Director of New Works Giovanna Sardelli will be inducted into University of Nevada, Las Vegas’ (UNLV) Hall of Fame.

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley has been approved for a $20,000 Grants for Arts Projects award to support its New Works Festival and the upcoming World Premiere of Nan and the Lower Body. Developed in the 2019 TheatreWorks New Works Festival, Jessica Dickey's play Nan and the Lower Body is scheduled to make its World Premiere in July 2022 in the company's 51st season, directed by TheatreWorks Artistic Associate and Director of New Works Giovanna Sardelli.

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley has announced the appointment of Clayton Shelvin as the company’s new Director of Development. As Director of Development, Shelvin will play a prominent role in ensuring the Tony Award-winning company’s continued success and commitment to furthering its impact within its community as well as nationally.

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley in partnership with Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) as part of the John F. Kennedy Center Partners in Education Program unveils the next two videos of its Opening the Curtain video series, designed to inspire the next generation of budding artists.

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley in partnership with Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) as part of the John F. Kennedy Center Partners in Education Program will inspire the next generation of budding artists with Opening the Curtain, a video series introducing PAUSD elementary students to the breadth of careers available in performing arts, including acting, tech, scenery, costumes, directing, administration, and more.

A legion of fans and supporters of TheatreWorks Silicon Valley gathered online Saturday, October 17 for TheatreWorks's first-ever virtual gala, From TheatreWorks with Love: A Party with Bond… Tim Bond, a 007-themed event that celebrated new Artistic Director Tim Bond as he begins his tenure at the Tony Award-winning theatre company.

Under Artistic Director Tim Bonda??s leadership, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley has just launched an ambitious new online initiative entitled Voices of Democracy, with the intention of encouraging audiences to get out the vote and stand up for racial justice. Leading up to the 2020 election, Voices of Democracy offers digital theatrical experiences that celebrate diverse voices and build a bridge from empathy to action, including plays, poetry, and curated quotes that shine a light on pressing issues during this election year. It will also feature an interview with Tony Award winner & TheatreWorks alum James Monroe Iglehart (Broadwaya??s Aladdin and Hamilton). BroadwayWorld recently caught up with Tim Bond to learn more about Voices of Democracy and his own history before coming to TheatreWorks. Bond is a fascinating guy to talk to so our conversation took all kinds of interesting twists and turns. A true people person, he is especially committed to using theater to build community and effect change. In conversation, he often takes his time to respond to questions and is apt to speak in complex sentences that show a great deal of thought. He is not someone who needs to shout to make his voice heard and frequently leavens his responses with gentle laughter. At once brainy and comfortable expressing his emotions, Bond is clearly a person of heart and mind.

He may not drive an Aston Martin or work for British Secret Service, but Artistic Director Tim Bond knows a good adventure when he sees one. This Fall, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley has a license to thrill with its first-ever virtual celebration From TheatreWorks with Love: A Party with Bonda?? Tim Bond.

In celebration of Women's Equality Day and the Centennial of the 19th Amendment, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley and The Woman's Club of Palo Alto present a virtual performance of excerpts and songs from Perfect 36, with lyrics and book by Laura Harrington, music by Mel Marvin, and direction by Mac Pirkle.

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley's Artistic Director Tim Bond and Executive Director Phil Santora announced today that the Tony Award-winning theatre will postpone the opening of its 51st mainstage season to March 2021, with eight plays presented through May 2022.

What better way to spend a summer evening than in the company of artistic genius in the form of iconic composer Ludwig van Beethoven as interpreted by renowned musical theater artist Hershey Felder? On Sunday July 12th at 5pm PDT, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley will present a livestream of the hit show Hershey Felder: Beethoven, an intimate and theatrical portrait of the legendary composer. Tickets to the livestream are available on TheatreWorks Silicon Valley's website (www.theatreworks.org) with proceeds to benefit TheatreWorks while the Tony-winning regional theatre remains dark due to the Covid pandemic. Inspired by an account of a Viennese doctor who spent his boyhood by the Beethoven's side, this enchanting musical features masterful performances of some of the composer's greatest works, from a?oeMoonlight Sonataa?? to the a?oeNinth Symphonya?? and the a?oeEmperor Concerto.a?? The enormously popular show's 2017 World Premiere still holds TheatreWorks Silicon Valley's box office record to date. BroadwayWorld recently had the pleasure of speaking with Felder from his home in Florence, Italy where he will be performing the livestream. As cicadas whirred in the background (really!), we had a wide-ranging discussion about Beethoven, Felder's relationship with TheatreWorks, the pandemic and the wonders of Florence. In conversation, Felder is an engaging amalgam of seemingly contradictory qualities, at once erudite and folksy, brainy and empathetic, quick with an arcane cultural factoid or a self-deprecating remark, equally expressive of joy and sorrow.

To mark the conclusion of its 50th Anniversary Season and celebrate the legacy of Founding Artistic Director Robert Kelley, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley is hosting TheatreWorks Treasures, a once-in-a-lifetime virtual auction allowing fans and supporters of the company the opportunity to snag rare and exclusive treasures from its 50-year history.

Due to overwhelming demand TheatreWorks Silicon Valley in partnership with Hershey Felder Presents will offer streaming access for the recorded livestream of Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin. Originally performed live from Florence, Italy by virtuoso performer/playwright/director Hershey Felder on Sunday, May 10, this celebrated solo show pays tribute to America's greatest songwriter, Irving Berlin.

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley has the perfect Mother's Day entertainment for you! On Sunday May 10th at 5pm PDT, they will band together with a number of theaters across the country to present a livestream of the hit show 'Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin,' a tribute to America's greatest songwriter. Tickets to the livestream are available on TheatreWorks Silicon Valley's website (www.theatreworks.org) with proceeds to benefit TheatreWorks while the Tony-winning regional theatre remains dark due to COVID-19. BroadwayWorld recently caught up with TheatreWorks Artistic Director Robert Kelley to chat about the company's ongoing relationship with Felder, and also to check in on how they've been managing to juggle so many unknowns in planning their 2020-21 season. Kelley remains steadfastly upbeat and enthused about future possibilities even as he winds down his astounding 50-year tenure as Artistic Director under decidedly different circumstances than he had originally envisioned.

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley's Founding Artistic Director Robert Kelley, Artistic Director Designate Tim Bond, and Executive Director Phil Santora announced changes to TheatreWorks's 2020-21 Season, which is now scheduled to begin in October 2020.

As a part of the mitigation efforts surrounding COVID-19 (Coronavirus), TheatreWorks Silicon Valley announces the cancellation of programs beginning in June 2020 including its planned production of The Book of Will, its celebration of founder Robert Kelley entitled Sunday in the Park with Kelley, and summer Playmakers Camps, as well as its 2020 Summer Internship Program.

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley announces that all upcoming performances of They Promised Her the Moon and Ragtime will be cancelled due to rising concerns about the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and in accordance to the Department of Public Health's updated policy suspending gatherings of 250 people or more.

Last night, supporters of TheatreWorks Silicon Valley gathered to hear the 2019 Regional Theatre Tony Award-winning company and its Board of Trustees announce the launch of its 50th Anniversary Campaign, a $5 million fundraising campaign to ensure the future success of the nationally-acclaimed theatre, including commissions for new plays and musicals. 

Theatre enthusiasts packed the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts tonight to hear Founding Artistic Director Robert Kelley, incoming Artistic Director Tim Bond, and Executive Director Phil Santora of TheatreWorks Silicon Valley announce the lineup for the 2019 Regional Theatre Tony Award-winning company's 2020-21 season, which launches this summer.