Hershey Felder Returns to San Diego Rep as Irving Berlin

By: Apr. 27, 2017
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San Diego Repertory Theatre (San Diego REP) has announced the return of the highly acclaimed and widely popular holiday show, "Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin." The newly announced show, a holiday offering during the downtown theatre's 42nd season, features songs by Irving Berlin and a book by Hershey Felder, with direction from longtime Felder collaborator Trevor Hay. The show's run begins on Wednesday, December 20, 2017 and plays through Sunday, January 7, 2018 with a press opening on Thursday, December 21, 2017 at 8 p.m. on the Lyceum Stage Theatre at San Diego REP in Horton Plaza.

"Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin" played its very first concert performance at San Diego REP. Since then, the show has gone on to receive 12 record-breaking productions at some of the country's premier regional theatres, including the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, Chicago's Royal George Theatre and the Majestic Theatre in Boston. San Diego audiences last saw Felder's portrayal of the great American songwriter in a highly successful run at the La Jolla Playhouse in 2015.

"Virtuosity is one of the central ongoing quests of our artistic efforts. There is no artist who more perfectly deserves to be called a virtuoso than Hershey Felder," says Sam Woodhouse, San Diego REP Artistic Director. "He is simply one of the most gifted writers/actors/musicians to ever play the Lyceum in San Diego REP's 41 year history. We are honored and thrilled to have Hershey back for the holidays."

Jerome Kern famously said "Irving Berlin has no place in American music-he is American music." George Gershwin called him "the greatest songwriter that has ever lived." "Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin" brings the man behind the iconic music to life in an evening reflecting his remarkable journey from child immigrant to America's most beloved and prolific songwriter. From Tin Pan Alley to Carnegie Hall, from The Great White Way to The Silver Screen and from the pop charts to the steps of the nation's capital, Berlin's music provided America with the soundtrack of a century. Berlin's catalogue includes over 1,500 songs, 18 Broadway shows, 16 feature films, 232 top-10 hits and 10 #1 hits. Berlin's songs have been performed by a diverse list of artists including: Fred Astaire, Aretha Franklin, Ethel Merman, Willie Nelson, Paul McCartney Elvis Presley, Luciano Pavarotti, Ella Fitzgerald Bob Dylan, Frank Sinatra, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Barbra Streisand, Billie Holiday, Marilyn Monroe and Lady Gaga. "Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin" features some of the composer's most popular and enduring songs including "Alexander's Ragtime Band," "Always," "Blue Skies," "God Bless America," "Puttin' on the Ritz," "There's No Business Like Show Business" and "White Christmas."

"Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin" features scenic design by Felder and Hay, lighting design by Richard Norwood, projection design by Christopher Ash and Lawrence Siefert and sound design/production management by Erik Carstensen. The show is produced by Eva Price, Samantha F. Voxakis and Karen Racanelli.

Hershey Felder (Irving Berlin/Playwright/Scenic Design). Writing in "American Theatre," Hedy Weiss said, "Hershey Felder is in a category all his own." Over the past 20 years he has played over 4,500 performances of his self-created solo productions at the some of the world's most prestigious theatres and has broken box office records consistently. His shows include: "George Gershwin Alone" (Broadway's Helen Hayes Theatre, West End's Duchess Theatre); "Monsieur Chopin"; "Beethoven"; "Maestro" (Leonard Bernstein); "Franz Liszt in Musik" and "Lincoln: An American Story." In addition, he performs concerts of "The Great American Songbook Sing-Along" at every theatre where his shows are presented. Future productions include the new musical "Chosen by G-d" for which he is writing music, book and lyrics. His compositions and recordings include "Aliyah, Concerto for Piano and Orchestra"; "Fairytale, a musical"; "Les Anges de Paris, Suite for Violin and Piano"; "Song Settings"; "Saltimbanques for Piano and Orchestra"; "Etudes Thematiques for Piano"; and "An American Story for Actor and Orchestra." Hershey is the adaptor, director and designer for the very successful play with music, "The Pianist of Willesden Lane" and, for the musical "Louis and Keely: 'Live' at the Sahara," directed by Taylor Hackford, he is the producer and designer. Hershey has operated a full-service Production Company since 2001. He has been a scholar-in-residence at Harvard University's Department of Music and is married to Kim Campbell, the first female Prime Minister of Canada.

Trevor Hay (Director/Scenic Co-Design) directed the world premieres of "An American Story for Actor and Orchestra," "Abe Lincoln's Piano," "Hershey Felder As Franz Liszt In Musik" and "Our Great Tchaikovsky." He is Associate Director for Mona Golabek's "The Pianist of Willesden Lane." Former member of the historic Old Globe Theatre in San Diego where, at the age of nine, his first position was selling Old Globe memorabilia. Over the next 32 years, Mr. Hay went on to various aspects of production on more than 80 presentations, including the Broadway productions of Jack O'Brien's "Damn Yankees," "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and Twyla Tharpe's "The Times They Are A-Changin'." Included in his 23 seasons at The Old Globe were eleven seasons of the Summer Shakespeare Festival Repertory, as well as work on Tracy Letts' "August: Osage County," directed by Sam Gold, and Hershey Felder's "George Gershwin Alone," "Monsieur Chopin" and "Maestro Bernstein."



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