I Love A Piano The Irving Berlin Musical To Open Riverside Theatre's 40th Anniversary

Riverside Theatre's 40th Anniversary celebration begins with the tuneful, nostalgic musical, I Love A Piano. This festive musical tribute showcasing songs from the legendary Irving Berlin performs on the Stark Stage from October 29 - November 17, 2013.

As a piano with one sour note passes from one owner to another, it takes the audience on a musical journey through American history. Beginning in a music store at the turn of the 20th century, surviving two World Wars, and ending in the rehearsal hall of a summer stock theatre company, the piano travels through 70 years of life, love, fear, and patriotism. Told through the music of Irving Berlin, I Love A Piano is filled with over sixty of his most beloved classics such as "Blue Skies," "There's No Business Like Show Business," "Puttin' On The Ritz," "Cheek To Cheek," "Always," "White Christmas," "God Bless America," and many more. I Love A Piano celebrates the music of a man who defined American music.

One of the most legendary songwriters in American history, Berlin, born in 1888 in current day Belarus, immigrated with his Jewish family to the United States in 1893. After his father died in 1896, Berlin began working odd jobs on the streets of New York City. Eventually, he became a singing waiter in a café in Chinatown. There, Berlin collaborated with a pianist and wrote the lyrics to his very first song.

Berlin had to teach himself to play the piano and never learned how to read music beyond the basic level. However, Berlin composed over 800 published and 400 unpublished songs. He wrote 17 film scores and 21 Broadway scores, including White Christmas and Annie Get Your Gun.

His song "Alexander's Ragtime Band," written in 1911, launched his career as a star of Tin Pan Alley - the street in New York City where music publishers and songwriters set up shop from the 1890's through the 1950's. It was considered the heart of the American songwriting industry with Berlin one of its greatest successes.

Directed by DJ Salisbury, I Love A Piano's stars Cynthia Ferrer as Sadie, Abby Church as Eileen, Anthony ChristIan Daniel as Jim, Jessica Lee Patty as Ginger, Richard Vida as Alex, and Benjie Randall as George.

The design and production crew includes: Anne Shuttlesworth (Music Director), Michael Anania (Scenic Designer), Holly Payne (Costume Designer), Rob Siler (Lighting Designer), Craig Beyrooti (Sound Designer), and Ingrid Olson (Production Stage Manager). Casting by Wojcik Seay Casting.

I Love a Piano performs October 29 - November 17, 2013 on the Stark Stage at Riverside Theatre. Tickets are $45 - $70. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Box Office at 772-231-6990 or online at www.riversidetheatre.com. Performances are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 7:30pm; Opening Night (the first Tuesday performance), Fridays, and Saturdays at 8pm; with matinees on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 2pm.

Performance Schedule:

October 29, November 1, 2, 8, 9, 15 & 16 @ 8pm

October 30, November 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13, 16 &17 @ 2pm

October 30, 31, November 6, 7, 12, 13, &14 @ 7:30pm

The Stark Stage season also includes Miss Saigon (Jan.. 14 - Feb. 2), South Pacific (Feb. 18 - Mar. 9) and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Apr. 8 - 27).

The Waxlax Second Stage season includes God of Carnage (Jan. 28 - Feb. 9) and Closer Than Ever (Mar. 11 - Apr. 6).

The 2013-2014 Stark Stage season at Riverside is sponsored by SpringHill Suites, Wells Fargo Advisors, Northern Trust, YP.com/AT&T, Merrill Lynch, and Vero Beach Magazine.

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