Erik Carstensen News

This June award-winning actor and musician Hershey Felder returns to Berkeley Rep with his popular and critically acclaimed one-man show, Hershey Felder as Leonard Bernstein in Maestro. Last summer, Felder brought Bay Area audiences to their feet and even got them singing with George Gershwin Alone. Now the master entertainer and virtuoso pianist is back for a limited engagement about America's greatest musical legend. Conductor, composer, pianist, author, teacher, librettist, television star, and composer of West Side Story, Candide, On the Town, and Wonderful Town, Bernstein pushed all boundaries to become the world's first serious musical media superstar. Felder combines first-person narrative with the compositions of Bernstein and others to draw us deeply into the maestro's fascinating life, a life filled with tragedy and triumph and…music. This special presentation plays only 22 performances on the intimate Thrust Stage. It previews on June 5, opens June 6, and plays through June 22.

Continuing in a tradition of storytelling and music, Hershey Felder (George Gershwin Alone, Maestro Bernstein and last season's smash hit Mona Golabek in The Pianist of Willesden Lane) will present the World Premiere of Chris Lemmon in Jack Lemmon Returns, a new play with music. The production opens on Monday, May 12 at 7 p.m. at The Royal George Theatre, 1641 North Halsted Street. The production is written and directed by Hershey Felder and based on the true story of the legendary Jack Lemmon (Mister Roberts, Some Like it Hot, Days of Wine and Roses, The Odd Couple) and his relationship with his son, actor and musician Chris Lemmon (Duet, That's Life, Lena's Holiday, etc.). Scroll down for some photos from the production!

Continuing in a tradition of storytelling and music, Hershey Felder (George Gershwin Alone, Maestro Bernstein and last season's smash hit Mona Golabek in The Pianist of Willesden Lane) will present the World Premiere of Chris Lemmon in JACK LEMMON RETURNS, a new play with music. The production will preview tonight, May 2 and open on Monday, May 12 at 7 p.m. at The Royal George Theatre, 1641 North Halsted Street. The production is written and directed by Hershey Felder and based on the true story of the legendary Jack Lemmon (Mister Roberts, Some Like it Hot, Days of Wine and Roses, The Odd Couple) and his relationship with his son, actor and musician Chris Lemmon (Duet, That's Life, Lena's Holiday, etc.).

Continuing in a tradition of storytelling and music, Hershey Felder (George Gershwin Alone, Maestro Bernstein and last season's smash hit Mona Golabek in The Pianist of Willesden Lane) will present the World Premiere of Chris Lemmon in JACK LEMMON RETURNS, a new play with music. The production will preview May 2 and open on Monday, May 12 at 7 p.m. at The Royal George Theatre, 1641 North Halsted Street. The production is written and directed by Hershey Felder and based on the true story of the legendary Jack Lemmon (Mister Roberts, Some Like it Hot, Days of Wine and Roses, The Odd Couple) and his relationship with his son, actor and musician Chris Lemmon (Duet, That's Life, Lena's Holiday, etc.).

Continuing in a tradition of storytelling and music, Hershey Felder (George Gershwin Alone, Maestro Bernstein and last season's smash hit Mona Golabek in The Pianist of Willesden Lane) will present the World Premiere of Chris Lemmon in JACK LEMMON RETURNS, a new play with music. The production will preview May 2 and open on Monday, May 12 at 7 p.m. at The Royal George Theatre, 1641 North Halsted Street. The production is written and directed by Hershey Felder and based on the true story of the legendary Jack Lemmon (Mister Roberts, Some Like it Hot, Days of Wine and Roses, The Odd Couple) and his relationship with his son, actor and musician Chris Lemmon (Duet, That's Life, Lena's Holiday, etc.).

Berkeley Repertory Theatre has announced The Pianist of Willesden Lane, a one-woman play starring internationally acclaimed pianist and storyteller Mona Golabek. Based on the book The Children of Willesden Lane by Golabek and Lee Cohen, the play is set in Vienna in 1938 and in London during the Blitzkrieg and tells the true story of Golabek's mother, Lisa Jura, a young Jewish musician whose dreams are interrupted by the Nazi regime. In this poignant show, Golabek performs some of the world's most beautiful music live as she relates the real-life legacy of her mother's quest to survive.

Eighty-Eight Entertainment announces that the Chicago Premiere of THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE, starring internationally-acclaimed storyteller and pianist, Mona Golabek, is extending through July 7 due to popular demand at The Royal George Theatre, 1641 North Halsted Street . The production is adapted and directed by Hershey Felder and based on the book The Children of Willesden Lane by Golabek and Lee Cohen. The Chicago premiere has received rave reviews and follows successful productions in Los Angeles and Boston.

Eighty-Eight Entertainment announces that the Chicago Premiere of THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE, starring internationally-acclaimed storyteller and pianist, Mona Golabek, is extending through August 4 due to popular demand at The Royal George Theatre, 1641 North Halsted Street. The production is adapted and directed by Hershey Felder and based on the book The Children of Willesden Lane by Golabek and Lee Cohen. The Chicago premiere has received rave reviews and follows successful productions in Los Angeles and Boston.

The Laguna Playouse will present Hershey Felder's newest production, award-winning concert pianist Mona Golabek starring in the one-woman show, based on a true story, THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE. Adapted and directed by audience favorite Hershey Felder and based on the book The Children of Willesden Lane by Golabek and Lee Cohen, this music-filled evening recounts the personal story of Ms. Golabek's mother in Nazi-occupied Europe. THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE will perform for two weeks only beginning tonight, May 29 through Sunday, June 9 at the Laguna Playhouse, Moulton Theatre, 606 Laguna Canyon Rd. in Laguna Beach.

Eighty-Eight Entertainment announces that the Chicago Premiere of THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE, starring internationally-acclaimed storyteller and pianist, Mona Golabek, is extending through July 7 due to popular demand at The Royal George Theatre, 1641 North Halsted Street . The production is adapted and directed by Hershey Felder and based on the book The Children of Willesden Lane by Golabek and Lee Cohen. The Chicago premiere has received rave reviews and follows successful productions in Los Angeles and Boston.

THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE, starring internationally-acclaimed storyteller and pianist, Mona Golabek, will feature a special talkback discussion on Sunday, May 19 with Alison Pure-Slovin, Midwest Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center following the 3 p.m. performance at The Royal George Theatre, 1641 North Halsted Street. The production is adapted and directed byHershey Felder and based on the book The Children of Willesden Lane by Golabek and Lee Cohen. The Chicago premiere has received rave reviews and follows successful productions in Los Angeles and Boston.

Eighty-Eight Entertainment has announced that the Chicago Premiere of THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE, starring internationally-acclaimed storyteller and pianist, Mona Golabek, is extending through May 25 at The Royal George Theatre, 1641 North Halsted Street. The production is adapted and directed by Hershey Felder and based on the book The Children of Willesden Lane by Golabek and Lee Cohen. The Chicago premiere follows successful productions in Los Angeles and Boston. Click below to watch interviews with the cast and creative team on opening night!

Eighty-Eight Entertainment presents the Chicago Premiere of THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE, starring internationally-acclaimed storyteller and pianist, Mona Golabek, in a limited engagement at The Royal George Theatre, 1641 North Halsted Street. The press opening was last night, April 22 at 7:30 p.m. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you photos from the opening night celebrations!

Eighty-Eight Entertainment presents the Chicago Premiere of THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE, starring internationally-acclaimed storyteller and pianist, Mona Golabek, in a limited engagement at The Royal George Theatre, 1641 North Halsted Street. The press opening is tonight, April 22 at 7:30 p.m. The production is adapted and directed by Hershey Felder and based on the book The Children of Willesden Lane by Golabek and Lee Cohen. The Chicago premiere follows successful productions in Los Angeles and Boston. BroadwayWorld has a first look at Golabek onstage below!

Eighty-Eight Entertainment follows its current presentation of Hershey Felder's AN AMERICAN STORY, now through April 14th at Chicago's Royal George Theatre, with the Chicago Premiere of THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE, starring internationally-acclaimed storyteller and pianist, Mona Golabek, in a limited engagement at The Royal George Theatre, 1641 North Halsted Street . Previews begin April 19, 2013 and the press opening is Monday, April 22 at 7:30 p.m. The production is adapted and directed by Hershey Felder and based on the book The Children of Willesden Lane by Golabek and Lee Cohen. The Chicago premiere follows successful productions in Los Angeles and Boston.

The Laguna Playouse will present Hershey Felder's newest production, award-winning concert pianist Mona Golabek starring in the one-woman show, based on a true story, THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE. Adapted and directed by audience favorite Hershey Felder and based on the book The Children of Willesden Lane by Golabek and Lee Cohen, this music-filled evening recounts the personal story of Ms. Golabek's mother in Nazi-occupied Europe. THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE will perform for two weeks only beginning Wednesday, May 29 through Sunday, June 9 at the Laguna Playhouse, Moulton Theatre, 606 Laguna Canyon Rd. in Laguna Beach.

Eighty-Eight Entertainment presents the Chicago Premiere of Hershey Felder's riveting new production, AN AMERICAN STORY for ACTOR AND ORCHESTRA, which tells the story of Abraham Lincoln's last day, in a limited engagement at The Royal George Theatre, 1641 North Halsted. The production opened on March 10, 2013. The Chicago Premiere follows successful tryout productions in Los Angeles and San Diego. Below, check out opening night interviews with Felder and more!