Hershey Felder Brings New Work OUR GREAT TCHAIKOVSKY to TheatreWorks

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley continues its 2017/2018 season with the Bay Area premiere of the stunning musical tribute, Our Great Tchaikovsky, written and performed by Hershey Felder, who shattered box office records at TheatreWorks with his acclaimed portrayals of Irving Berlin and Beethoven. Exploring both current Russian politics and historical context, piano virtuoso Felder brings to life the music and story of composer Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in a time-bending tale. From the iconic ballets Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker, to the outrageous 1812 Overture and brilliant symphonic works, this powerful music journey travels from Czarist times to today, bringing vivid life to a haunted genius. Our Great Tchaikovsky will be presented January 10 - February 11, 2018 (press opening: January 13) at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro Street, Mountain View. For tickets ($45-$105) and more information the public may visit TheatreWorks.org or call (650) 463-1960.

In Our Great Tchaikovsky, actor/writer/pianist/historian Felder recreates, through music and performance, the world of Russia's most famous composer, his life under an unforgiving regime, and explores the mystery of his death, nine days after conducting a symphonic premiere in apparently perfect health. The musical play made a remarkable debut in January 2017 at San Diego Repertory Theatre, where the San Diego Tribune hailed Felder's bold portrayal as "Stunning. Potent. His virtuoso touch brings beautiful life to Tchaikovsky." The show went on to become the highest grossing show in the Rep's 41-year history. Our Great Tchaikovsky has since played to critical acclaim in Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, Chicago, and most recently in London where it was declared "fascinating, an absorbing and poignant study" by The Stage UK, while What's On Stage London lauded Felder as "astoundingly talented," "magnetic," and "sensationally good," noting, "It is a rare privilege to see such extraordinary talent live. Hugely interesting, a very special piece of theatre. Well worth seeing."

An actor, pianist, writer, director, composer, conductor, and producer, Hershey Felder has conjured of the spirits of George Gershwin, Frederic Chopin, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Liszt, Leonard Bernstein, and Irving Berlin. Felder's solo shows have been seen across America - at The Geffen Playhouse, Pasadena Playhouse, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Hartford Stage, San Diego Repertory Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Old Globe Theatre, American Repertory Theater, and Cleveland Playhouse, as well as long runs at Chicago's Royal George Theatre and engagements at New York's Town Hall, 59E59, and the Streicker Center. Throughout the past 20 years, he has given more than 4,500 performances. Felder has become an enormous Bay Area favorite; audiences packed TheatreWorks' regional premiere of Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin setting box office records which were shattered in spring 2017 by Hershey Felder, Beethoven. The newest work marks Felder's third appearance with the Silicon Valley based regional theatre.

Director Trevor Hay helmed the world premieres of An American Story for Actor and Orchestra, Abe Lincoln's Piano, Hershey Felder as Franz Liszt in Musik, and Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin and was Associate Director for Mona Golabek's The Pianist of Willesden Lane. Hay is also a former member of the historic Old Globe Theatre in San Diego where, at the age of nine, his first position was selling Old Globe memorabilia. In a career now spanning 32 years, Mr. Hay went on to various aspects of production on more than 80 presentations, including the Broadway productions of Jack O'Brien's Damn Yankees, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, and Twyla Tharpe's The Times They Are A-Changin'. Included in his 23 seasons at The Old Globe were eleven seasons of the Summer Shakespeare Festival Repertory, as well as work on Tracy Letts' August: Osage County, directed by Sam Gold, and Hershey Felder's George Gershwin Alone, Monsieur Chopin, and Maestro Bernstein.

With some 100,000 patrons per year, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley has captured a national reputation for artistic innovation and integrity, often presenting Bay Area theatregoers with their first look at acclaimed musicals, comedies, and dramas, directed by award-winning local and guest directors, and performed by professional actors cast locally and from across the country.

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