Single Tickets Available For GEORGE GERSHWIN ALONE at ZACH Theatre

ZACH Theatre presents pianist, actor, and playwright Hershey Felder for the Austin premiere of Hershey Felder as George Gershwin Alone playing September 14 – October 1, 2023 at The Topfer at ZACH. Single tickets on sale now at zachtheatre.org/hershey.

Gershwin, the legendary composer of hundreds of iconic American standards, comes to life onstage in a musical performance declared, “'S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous!” by The Washington Post, “Sheer joy” by the San Francisco Chronicle, and “Glorious. Poignant, moving, and fascinating” by USA TODAY.

First presented in Los Angeles on stage of the now gone Tiffany Theatre on Sunset Boulevard 25 years ago in 1998, Hershey Felder's George Gershwin Alone has played to audiences worldwide for over 3000 performances from Los Angeles to South Korea with Broadway and London's West End in between. This presentation will be Felder's farewell to a beloved character who left us tragically in 1937 at the tender age of 38.

"An appearance in Austin and at ZACH has been years in the making. I've known about the eclectic music scene, the great audiences and the food, and I've wanted to come and be a part of such an exciting city, and when finally, the dotted line was signed, the world turned upside down for three years,” said Hershey Felder. “What a thrill it finally is to be able to bring the first work I created featuring the life of a composer and his music to such a great town. Being able to perform works like “A Rhapsody in Blue,” or explain how and why America's first great opera “Porgy and Bess” was created or delving into the history and origins of Jazz and what it meant (and means) in America in the character of George Gershwin himself in a town like Austin is a thrilling prospect. I look forward to sharing with Austin audiences not to mention my other hobbies, that of…. a foodie… well…"

This exploration of Gershwin's short but extraordinary life illuminates the master tunesmith whose work shaped a distinctly American style of music. George Gershwin Alone spotlights this brilliant composer's prolific partnership with his brother, lyricist Ira Gershwin, and incorporates beloved songs ranging from the popular hits “Fascinating Rhythm,” “I Got Rhythm,” “'S Wonderful,” and “They Can't Take That Away from Me,” to excerpts from ground-breaking musicals Porgy and Bess and An American In Paris, and a complete performance of “Rhapsody In Blue.”

Hershey Felder as George Gershwin Alone features the music and lyrics of George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin, with a book by Hershey Felder. The production is directed by Joel Zwick. Associate Director is Trevor Hay. Concept design is by Hershey Felder. Lighting is by Michael Gilliam, and sound is by Erik Carstensen.

George Gershwin was born in 1898 to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents in Brooklyn and composed his first hit at age 21. All told, he wrote more than one thousand songs for the stage and screen as well as works for the opera house and the symphony orchestra. Gershwin died of an undiagnosed brain tumor in 1937 at the age of 38, leaving behind a legion of bereft fans and an astonishing legacy of enduring music that has never dimmed in popularity.

Special Events in celebration of Hershey Felder as George Gershwin Alone:

• Pride Night on Thursday, September 14, 2023
• Press Night – Thursday, September 14, 2023 at 7:30pm; Press may RSVP to nicole.shiro@motleycrewmedia.com
• Pay What You Will Week – Thursday, September 14 through Sunday, September 17, 2023.
• Champagne Opening Night – Thursday, September 21, 2023 at 7:30pm.
• ASL/Open Captioned and the Senior Matinee performance on Saturday, September 23, 2023 at 2:30pm.

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