Review: HERSHEY FELDER AS IRVING BERLIN Is A Mesmerizing Masterpiece of Music and Memories

Hershey Felder is a virtuoso, a master musician, actor, and playwright. He may indeed rightfully be considered a legend in our time, notably for his remarkable enactments of such legends of past times as Chopin, Beethoven, and Gershwin. Lately, he has taken to the stage as the dean of American songwriters in HERSHEY FELDER AS IRVING BERLIN ~ currently, the second production of Arizona Theatre Company's 49th Season. And it is a bonanza!

Irving Berlin's life and music span the turbulent decades of the twentieth century, and Felder gifts us with a uniquely and sensitively told history lesson. Through songs, Berlin celebrated the blessings and tragedies of his life, paid tribute to the loves of his life and the land that he loved, chronicled the immigrant experience, roasted and toasted show business, and pondered the passage of America's soul.

Felder, with charm and panache, so embodies Berlin that, as he magically evolves from a young aspirational composer to a reclusive centenarian, his living room extends beyond the stage and embraces the audience as fellow travelers in his journey.

"When you sing, you remember you are alive" ~ Berlin's core principle and the saving grace of his life shine through two hours mixed with cheer and grief and romance and wit. And, Felder, in his mesmerizing masterpiece of music and memories, serves Berlin's feast on a platinum platter.

In collaboration with his director, Trevor Hay, Felder has set the stage with a replica of Berlin's living room ~ an enchanting, heartwarming, and inviting haven, replete with Grand Piano, Christmas tree, period furniture, and a wheelchair.

Andrew Wilder's backdrop projection of film clips and photographs, paralleling Berlin's accounts, is a work of technical wizardry and a perfect accompaniment to the musical feast.

One can only leave Felder's presence wanting seconds. And, so, as it turns out, he is delivering a special performance of his Great American Songbook Sing-Along on October 25th.

God bless America, Irving Berlin, and Hershey Felder!

HERSHEY FELDER AS IRVING BERLIN continues its run at the Herberger Theater Center through October 25th.

Photo credit to 88 Entertainment