[NEohioPAL] Berko review: 'GEORGE GERSHWIN ALONE" (Cleveland Play House)

[Roy Berko]

Hershey Felder & George Gershwin hit the right notes
at CPH

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

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Hershey Felder has done extensive research about
George Gershwin, who many consider the greatest of
American popular music composers.  He has used that
information to create an evening of song and narration
entitled ‘GEORGE GERSHWIN ALONE,’ which is now on
stage at the Cleveland Play House. 

How biographically accurate is the script?   Who
knows.  Gershwin died at age 38 of a brain tumor
before he had reached a high enough level of fame for
historians to document every phase of his life.  So,
we have to trust Felder as he gives us a picture of a
person who felt passionately about his work.  A
character filled with pathos and humor and, as with
many artists, self-centered. 

In his brief lifetime Gershwin gave the world such
songs as “The Man I Love,” “Someone to Watch Over Me,”
"Embraceable You," "Fascinating Rhythm," "I Got
Rhythm," and "They Can’t Take That Away from Me."  
And, then there is “Summertime,” which many musical
critics consider to be the most perfect song ever
written.  He also created the musicals ‘AN AMERICAN IN
PARIS’ and ‘PORGY AND BESS.’

Though the show, which is filled with nostalgia and
humor, is billed as centering purely on the story of
George Gershwin, Felder, an accomplished classical
pianist with a decent singing voice, abandons the
Gershwin persona about two-thirds of the way through
the performance, has the lights come up in the
theatre, and proceeds to ask for Gershwin requests
from the audience.  He then plays and sings those
requests, and encourages theatre-goers to participate.
  He goes as far as selecting audience members to sing
solos.

Scenic Designer Yael Pardess has created a beautiful
and appropriate setting and Michael Gilliam’s mood
lighting creates the right atmosphere.

CAPSULE JUDGMENT:   Before he switches to the
audience-centered segment of the show, Felder
concludes the historical Gershwin exposition playing
“Rhapsody in Blue.”  It was a perfect conclusion to an
evening  of musical education, entertainment and
recognition of a great composer.  Anyone who loves
music and good theatre will thoroughly enjoy ‘GEORGE
GERSHWIN ALONE.’


Interested in hearing the second of Felder’s tributes
to world composers?  From February 7-10 CPH is
presenting ‘HERSHEY FELDER AS MONSIEUR CHOPIN.’  It is
based on the music of Fryderyk Chopin with Felder
again performing a script he wrote. For tickets to
either ‘GEORGE GERSHWIN ALONE,’ which runs through 
February 3 in the Drury Theatre, or ‘MONSIEUR CHOPIN,’
call The Cleveland Play House at 216-795-7000 or go
on-line to www.clevelandplayhouse.com.   

CPH’s next production is ‘GEE’S BEND,’ a new play that
celebrates the story of Gee’s Bend, a small rural area
of Alabama which is noted for its unique quilts.   The
story chronicles the history of the town from the
Depression through the Civil Rights movement to the
present.  Dates are February 1 through the 24th.




Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2001 through 2007, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info
      
Roy's theatre and dance reviews appear regularly on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source.   To subscribe to this free service via the World Wide Web, visit http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/neohiopal.  His reviews also appear on www.coolcleveland.com


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