Hershey Felder to Bring RACHMANINOFF AND THE TSAR to Writers Theatre

 Having safely escaped Russia during the 1917 revolution, beloved composer and pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff performed all over the world before eventually making his home in sunny Beverly Hills. Privately longing for the Russia that he knew and loved as a young man, one memory continues to haunt him—Tsar Nicholas II. Hershey Felder's newest musical play will feature the virtuoso actor/pianist in the role of Rachmaninoff alongside British-Italian actor Jonathan Silvestri in the role of Nicholas II. Featuring the composer’s most beloved works, Hershey Felder’s Rachmaninoff and the Tsar promises to be another mystical musical journey in the inimitable Hershey Felder style that audiences have come to know and love.   
 
Known throughout the world for his solo composer plays, for the first time, Felder appears opposite another actor, British-Italian Jonathan Silvestri, in the role of Tsar Nicholas II. Hershey Felder’s Rachmaninoff and the Tsar features the music of Sergei V. Rachmaninoff with a book by Hershey Felder. The production is directed by Trevor Hay. Dramaturgy is by Jerry Patch. Concept design is by Hershey Felder, lighting is by Erik S. Barry, sound and production management is by Erik Carstensen, sound operation is by Jeremy Kalke, projections are by Stefano Decarli, costumes are by Marysol Gabriel and wigs are by Judi Lewin. 
 
“For more than two decades, Chicago audiences have been among the first in the world to experience Hershey's celebrated series of musical solo plays illuminating the lives and works of great composers,” said Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Artistic Director Braden Abraham. “Now, Hershey returns to Writers Theatre with two exciting firsts—a new work exploring Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninov’s life and music, and his first time sharing the stage with another actor, Jonathan Silvestri. This collaboration delivers a moving dialogue between two complex historical figures in a highly theatrical setting, while maintaining the intimate musical storytelling that has made Hershey's work so beloved by our audiences.”