Mona Golabek, the sole performer of a?oeThe Pianist of Willesden Lanea?? at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, has truly followed a singular path, both in her career and in her life. She first came to prominence as a virtuoso concert pianist appearing with major orchestras around the world. In 1998, she began hosting her own successful syndicated radio show, a?oeThe Romantic Hour,a?? which combined romantic poetry and classical music. Her life took another unexpected turn in 2002 when she co-wrote the best-seller a?oeThe Children of Willesden Lanea?? which tells the story of her mother, Lisa Jura, whose life was saved as a young girl by the Kindertransport which took her away from her family in Nazi-occupied Austria to safety in London. In 2012, Ms. Golabek collaborated with Hershey Felder to create the stage adaptation a?oeThe Pianist of Willesden Lane.a?? She has since taken the show across the country and toured internationally, and now makes it her mission to use her mother's story as a catalyst to bring reconciliation in our divisive world. BroadwayWorld recently spoke with Ms. Golabek from her home in Los Angeles. In conversation, she exhibits the natural warmth and ease of an accomplished radio host and has just the barest hint of a sort of pan-European accent, perhaps another sign of the enduring influence of her mother.
The San Diego Theatre Critics Circle is pleased to announce the nominations for its 2019 Craig Noel Awards. Now in its 18th year, the Craig Noel Awards honor the achievements at professional theaters in San Diego County.
Due to popular demand, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley will extend its upcoming run of internationally-acclaimed The Pianist of Willesden Lane through February 16, adding five performances. Starring celebrated pianist Mona Golabek, this triumphant tour de force recounts the inspiring true story of Golabek's mother, Lisa Jura, a young Jewish musician.
TheatreWorks Silicon Valley presents the internationally-acclaimed The Pianist of Willesden Lane. Starring celebrated pianist Mona Golabek, this triumphant tour de force recounts the inspiring true story of Golabek's mother, Lisa Jura, a young Jewish musician. Created and directed by TheatreWorks favorite Hershey Felder, this musical journey follows Jura's escape from Nazi-occupied Austria via the Kindertransport, and her life at a children's home on Willesden Lane in London, where she later survived the London Blitz. Combining vivid storytelling and masterful performances of classics by Bach, Beethoven, and Rachmaninoff, The Pianist of Willesden Lane is a one-woman show that illustrates how music can bring light and hope to even the darkest of times.
Stars of stage and screen, playwrights, composers, and supporters of TheatreWorks Silicon Valley came together Saturday, November 2, 2019 to celebrate the acclaimed regional theatre at And the Tony Award Goes To…Celebrating TheatreWorks at 50, a once-in-a-lifetime event honoring the company's half-century and its 2019 Regional Theatre Tony® Award. Some 480 guests attended this extraordinary event which raised nearly $800,000 for TheatreWorks marking it the most attended and most successful fundraiser in the company's history. Guests appropriately gathered in the heart of Silicon Valley at Mountain View's Computer History Museum for cocktails, dinner, and a lively auction, then proceeded to the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, where a stellar array of TheatreWorks alumni returned to pay tribute to its history through words and music.
Stars of stage and screen, playwrights, composers, and supporters of TheatreWorks Silicon Valley came together Saturday, November 2, 2019 to celebrate the acclaimed regional theatre at And the Tony Award Goes To...Celebrating TheatreWorks at 50, a once-in-a-lifetime event honoring the company's half-century and its 2019 Regional Theatre Tony® Award.
Hershey Felder as MONSIEUR CHOPIN now playing at the San Diego Repertory theatre through October 6th is an intimate and emotional piece, looking at the life, mind, and music of this Polish piano prodigy.
Theatre Bay Area, one of the largest regional performing arts service organizations in North America, has announced the finalists of the 2019 TBA Awards. The sixth-annual TBA Awards Celebration will take place on Monday, Nov. 4 at the Herbst Theatre (401 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco).
San Diego Repertory Theatre (San Diego REP) announced today that Hershey Felder as Monsieur Chopin, currently held over until October 6th, set a new revenue record for The Lyceum Space Theatre. The production beats out The REP's Lyceum Space's two previous revenue record holders, Outside Mullingar (2016) and Three Penney Opera (2009). Hershey Felder also holds the house record with his production of Beethoven (2019), which beat out the previous record holder, his production of Our Great Tchaikovsky (2017).
This November, stars of stage and screen, playwrights, composers, and supporters of TheatreWorks Silicon Valley will gather for And the Tony Award Goes Toa??Celebrating TheatreWorks at 50, a once-in-a-lifetime event honoring the acclaimed theatre company's 50th anniversary and its 2019 Regional Theatre Tony Award. Established in Palo Alto in 1970, TheatreWorks has grown into one of the largest theatre companies in California, and one of the nation's leading presenters of new works. And the Tony Award Goes Toa??Celebrating TheatreWorks at 50 will take place Saturday, November 2 at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro Street, Mountain View (preceded by a gala dinner at Mountain View's The Computer History Museum).
Felder's performance is sublime. Watching his hands manipulate the keys of the Steinway Concert Grand Piano is a thing of beauty almost like watching the seemingly effortless movements of Gene Kelly and Syd Charise in American In Paris. So much so, it felt as if I were floating, gliding, and soaring above my seat throughout the production. Felder's performance is so genuine and strong, tears were brought to many an eye when he setup his performance of the duet from Porgy and Bess. He explains the evolution of this and other pieces providing fascinating insight and showing what an absolute genius Gershwin was. Felder's performance of the entire Rhapsody in Blue itself is well worth the price of admission. Happily, the show provides much more including both Q&A and sing-along segments.
Come On Along & Listen To MY LIFE IN THEATRE, a new memoir by legendary theatre owner and independent theatrical producer Martin Markinson, is now available from Archway Publishing
Berkshire Theatre Group (BTG) presents George Gershwin Alone, featuring acclaimed actor, playwright and accomplished pianist Hershey Felder (Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin, Maestro: Leonard Bernstein) in a limited run at The Colonial Theatre (111 South St), beginning August 24 and running through August 31. The show is directed by Tony Award-nominee Joel Zwick.
The Segal Centre is proud to present the stirring and inspiring Hershey Felder Presents production of The Pianist of Willesden Lane in the Sylvan Adams Theatre from September 8 to 29, 2019. The show stars internationally-acclaimed storyteller and concert pianist Mona Gol
Westport Country Playhouse, in association with Hershey Felder Presents, stages a musical tribute to Irving Berlin, one of the most successful songwriters of the 20th Century, with “Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin,” from July 16 – August 3.
Berkshire Theatre Group (BTG) is proud to announce a Backstage Event: Dinner With Hershey Felder and Kate Maguire (Artistic Director, CEO) on Friday, August 30 at The Colonial Theatre, beginning at 5pm.
