Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara to Present THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE Directed by Hershey Felder

Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara will present THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE, a captivating musical journey adapted and directed by Hershey Felder based on the book The Children of Willesden Lane: Beyond the Kindertransport; A Memoir of Music, Love, and Survival by Mona Golabek and Lee Cohen.  THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANEpreviews on Thursday, February 1 at 7:30pm & Friday, February 2 at 8:00pm; opens on Saturday, February 3 at 8:00pm (press opening) and runs through Sunday, February 18, 2024 at 2:00pm at The New Vic, 33 W. Victoria Street in Santa Barbara. 

 

Set in Vienna in 1938 and in London during the Blitzkrieg, THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE tells the true and inspirational story of Lisa Jura, a young Jewish musician whose dreams are interrupted by the Nazi regime. In this poignant and inspiring one-woman show, Mona Golabek -a world-renowned, Grammy-nominated pianist and the daughter of Lisa Jura - performs some of the world’s most stunning music as she shares her mother’s riveting true story of survival. THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE is infused with hope and the life-affirming power of music. Beloved selections from Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, and Rachmaninoff enhance this captivating story, exemplifying the enduring power of music and resilience of the human spirit.

 

"A decade ago, shortly after the original production at The Geffen Playhouse closed, I had the pleasure of presenting THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE and, when developing the 2023-24 ETC season, I knew this remarkable story needed to be brought to Santa Barbara," said ETC’s Executive Director, Scott DeVine. "This play is not about the Holocaust.  It’s about hope and survival and, in today’s world, remains amazingly poignant and inspiring. I cannot think of a better location for this moving and intimate performance than the stage of The New Vic Theatre."

 

Directed by Hershey Felder, the production is a mesmerizing experience for theatergoers of all ages. Golabek's virtuoso piano performance and her heartfelt storytelling transport the audience, offering a unique blend of history, music, and emotion.

ABOUT THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE – A PRODCUTION HISTORY

 

THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE opened at The Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles in 2012 to wide acclaim. The Los Angeles Times called it an “arresting, deeply affecting triumph” and Golabek was nominated for the 2012 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Theatrical Excellence. 

 

Since the world premiere, Golabek has performed the show to sold-out houses across the country. It was a New York Times Critics’ Pick, noted for being “deeply affecting.” The San Francisco Chronicle called it an “astonishing tour de force” and the Chicago Tribune called it a "stirring case of art preserving life ... Golabek sitting down at the Steinway piano is enough to make your mouth fall open with a certain wonder at the way of the world.”

 

Mona Golabek 

is the daughter of Lisa Jura, a child piano prodigy born in Vienna, Austria, who came to England as a refugee in 1938 as part of the Kindertransport rescue operation.  Mona, deeply inspired by her mother's story and the last words her mother heard at the train station - “Hold on to your music…. it will be your best friend”, became a concert pianist and has performed with major conductors and orchestras worldwide.  The Grammy nominee and prolific recording artist has been the subject of several documentaries including Concerto for Mona with conductor Zubin Mehta. Her discography includes the best-selling Carnival of the Animals and Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite, both recorded with her sister Renee. They feature the voices of Meryl Streep, Audrey Hepburn, Ted Danson, and Lily Tomlin. Her mother is the subject of Mona’s acclaimed book, The Children of Willesden Lane, co-authored by Lee Cohen. The book has been translated and published in French, Italian, German, Hebrew, Spanish, Arabic, Hungarian and Polish. In 2012, Mona made her debut in THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE, adapted from the book. The production, directed by Hershey Felder, has been celebrated by critics and audiences across the globe, with sold out theatrical runs in New York and London. Ms. Golabek has received Best Actress Nominations from the New York Drama Desk and Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle.

 

Hershey Felder 

(Director/Adaptor) American Theatre Magazine has said, “Hershey Felder - is in a category all his own.”  Hershey has given performances of his solo productions at some of the world’s most prestigious theatres and has consistently broken box office records. His shows include George Gershwin Alone (Broadway’s Helen Hayes Theatre, West End’s Duchess Theatre); Monsieur Chopin; Beethoven; Maestro (Leonard Bernstein); Franz Liszt in Musik; Lincoln: An American Story, Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin, Our Great Tchaikovsky, A Paris Love Story and Chopin in Paris. His compositions and recordings include Aliyah, Concerto for Piano and Orchestra; Fairytale, a musical; Les Anges de Paris, Suite for Violin and Piano; Song Settings; Saltimbanques for Piano and Orchestra; Etudes Thematiques for Piano; and An American Story for Actor and Orchestra, and the new opera Il Quarto Uomo which premiered in Fiesole in the summer of 2023. He is the producer and designer for the musical Louis and Keely: ‘Live’ at the Sahara, directed by Taylor Hackford; and writer and director for Flying Solo, featuring opera legend Nathan Gunn.

 

Hershey has operated a full-service production company since 2001. He has been a scholar-in-residence at Harvard University’s Department of Music and is married to Rt. Hon. Kim Campbell. It was recently announced that Mr. Felder is the first Artistic Director and Managing Director of the newly restored Teatro Della Signoria in the center of historic Florence, opening to the public on September 19, 2024. www.teatrodellasignoria.it

 

Producers for THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE are Frederic and Nancy Golden and Dana White. Associate Producers are Deborah and Peter Bertling, The John C. Mithun Foundation and RevitaLash.  Supporting Producers are Dan & Meg Burnham, Julianna & Tom Dain, Joan Rutkowski, and Helene Segal & George Konstantinow.

ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE previews on Thursday, February 1 at 7:30pm & Friday, February 2 at 8:00pm; opens on Saturday, February 3 at 8:00pm (press opening) and runs through Sunday, February 18, 2024 at 2:00pm at The New Vic, 33 W. Victoria Street in Santa Barbara. 

 

Performances are Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm, and Sundays at 2:00pm; with added performances on Sunday, February 4 at 7:00pm, Tuesday, February 6 at 7:30pm, Saturday, February 10 at 3pm, and Wednesday, February 14 at 2pm. 

 

Ticket prices range from $40 - $86. All Patrons 35 and under are always $35. Student tickets are $25. Single tickets are available through the ETC box office at (805) 965-5400, or online at etcsb.org. Prices subject to change.

 

ENSEMBLE THEATRE COMPANY 

is Santa Barbara’s sole professional Equity theater company. Producing five plays per season, it has been home to several World, American and West Coast premieres and has received recognition and accolades throughout its enduring history. In its inception in 1978, ETC was the Ensemble Theatre Project and called Trinity Episcopal Church its home. As its popularity grew, ETC moved to the historic 140-seat Alhecama Theatre, a more traditional theatrical setting that hosted its productions for a quarter of a century and still provides rehearsal space today. Set on becoming a cultural-programming cornerstone in Santa Barbara, ETC undertook the $12.6 million purchase and renovation of the Victoria Hall Theater, leading to the reimagined 300-seat New Vic Theatre that serves as its resident stage and hosts other artists representing dance, music, film, and lectures. ETC’s success has been built upon its tremendous stability with only four executive leaders: Joseph Hanreddy (1978-1985), Robert Grande Weiss (1985-2006), Jonathon Fox (2006-2023) and Scott DeVine (2023- ). In addition, the company benefited from the contributions made by Jill Seltzer (2016-2021), who served as managing director, a role DeVine assumed when joining in 2022.

Photo credit: Hershey Felder Presents

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