The irresistible music of America's favorite composer comes alive, along with insights into his brief and brilliant life, in this remarkable play-with-music by internationally acclaimed actor, playwright, and Steinway concert artist Hershey Felder.
George Gershwin Alone is a delightful, touching and captivating evening of sheer joy. Brimming with irresistible music, the award-winning show includes songs by the creator of An American in Paris including "Someone to Watch Over Me," "I Got Rhythm" and, of course, "Rhapsody in Blue." It is a tribute to the American Songbook and provides an intimate portrait of Gershwin's early years, his personal life and his artistic genius. Suitable for general audiences.
"Even though he died when just a young man of 37, now, 78 years after he is gone, we still connect to his music as if it were just composed today and composed especially for us," said
Hershey Felder. "What
George Gershwin created was more than just the foundation of a musical and cultural country. He left us with the musical reflection of who we are."
George Gershwin Alone, Music by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin with Book by Hershey Felder and directed by Joel Zwick, began performances Friday, May 29, opens officially tonight, June 3, and runs through Sunday, June 21 at the University of Houston's Wortham Theatre.
Hershey Felder created and performed
George Gershwin Alone, which played on Broadway at the
Helen Hayes Theatre, in the West End at the Duchess Theatre, and in theatres around the country. His Composers Sonata -
George Gershwin Alone; Monsieur Chopin; Beethoven, As I Knew Him; Maestro Bernstein;
Hershey Felder as
Franz Liszt in Musik,
Hershey Felder as
Irving Berlin - has been presented at dozens of theatres across the U.S. and around the world. 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. As director, he premiered Mona Golabek in The Pianist of Willesden Lane at the
Geffen Playhouse in 2012 and, earlier this year, produced and created scenic design for
Taylor Hackford's Louis and Keely 'Live' at the Sahara. Mr. Felder has been a scholar-in-residence at Harvard University's Department of Music and is married to
Kim Campbell, the first female Prime Minister of Canada.
The
Alley Theatre produces 400 performances annually, more than all other performing arts organizations in the Theater District combined. The Alley has attracted over 8 million people to Houston's Theater District since 1968 and has a $34.5 million annual economic impact on the City of Houston ("Arts & Economic Prosperity III: The Economic Impact of Nonprofit Arts & Culture Organizations and their Audiences in the City of Houston," Americans for the Arts, 2005.)
The
Alley Theatre, one of America's leading not-for-profit theatres, is a nationally recognized performing arts company focused on collaborating with resident actors, visiting artists, directors, designers, dramaturgs, and authors to cultivate the new voices, new work, and new artists of the American theatre. A staff of 177 is under the direction of Artistic Director
Gregory Boyd and Managing Director
Dean R. Gladden. The Alley has also brought its productions to 40 American cities, and to Berlin, Paris, St. Petersburg and New York's Lincoln Center, as well as to major European festivals (including two in one season at the Venice Biennale) and Broadway. A recipient of the Special Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, the Alley creates a wide-ranging repertoire and innovative productions of classics, neglected modern plays, and premieres, as well as new works developed through the Alley's new play initiative. During the 2014 - 2015 season the
Alley Theatre will be performing at the University of Houston's Wortham Theatre as the Alley's downtown home is being renovated. For more information go to
www.alleytheatre.org/uh.
Tickets to
George Gershwin Alone start at $26. All tickets are available for purchase at
alleytheatre.org, at the
Alley Theatre Box Office or by calling 713.220.5700. Groups of 10 or more can receive special concierge services and select discounts by calling 713.220.5700 and asking for the group sales department.
The Wortham Theatre is located just off Cullen Boulevard on UH's main campus inside the
Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts building (also called building 507 on a UH campus map), which also houses the UH School of Theatre & Dance. Free designated parking for Alley patrons will be actively monitored and patrolled by campus security for all performances and is located at campus entrance 16 off Cullen Boulevard, just across the street from the theatre building. The best address to use for online maps and directions to the UH theatre is 4116 Elgin, Houston TX 77004.
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