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Monsieur Chopin
Friday, 29 July 2005
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WORLD PREVIEW PREMIERE
SECOND IN “COMPOSER TRILOGY” AFTER
GEORGE GERSHWIN ALONE
“4 March, 1848
Your Piano Lesson Begins On Time
9 Square d’Orléans, Paris”
Monsieur Chopin, a new play featuring the romantic story and music of the Polish pianist-composer Frédéric Chopin, will have its world preview premiere at Chicago’s Royal George Theatre, 1641 North Halsted Street on Tuesday, August 30, 2005. George Gershwin Alone, the first of Hershey Felder’s “Composer Trilogy,” will have its final performance on Sunday, July 31, 2005, following a year-long residency at the same theatre.
Created by the same team that brought George Gershwin Alone to life, Monsieur Chopin begins at Frédéric Chopin’s salon at 9 Square d’Orléans in Paris. Monsieur Chopin will teach a piano lesson that actually took place on 4 March, 1848, just days after the February 1848 revolution. As Monsieur Chopin’s piano lesson unfolds, he reveals secrets about the art of the piano and composition, as well as secrets about himself. Considered by his contemporaries, and now by history, as the true “Poet of the Piano,” Monsieur Chopin features some of the pianist-composer’s most beautiful and enduring music.
Hershey Felder began the creation of Monsieur Chopin, prior to that of George Gershwin Alone. An actor and Steinway Concert Artist and former Scholar in Residence at Harvard University’s Department of Music, as well as composer, Mr. Felder comes from a traditionally classical musical and theatrical background. His studies on Chopin have taken him across the world and include studying the composer’s history, period history, manuscripts and living in Chopin’s still existing residences. Included in the creative process, is a scholarly relationship with the United States’ foremost author and professor of Chopin Studies, Jeffrey Kallberg. Mr. Kallberg is both a Professor of Music and Chairman of the Music Department at the University of Pennsylvania.
Monsieur Chopin is written by Hershey Felder and directed by Joel Zwick, director of George Gershwin Alone. Mr. Zwick whose film, My Big Fat Greek Wedding has become a world-wide record breaking phenomenon, will be releasing the upcoming Elvis Has Left the Building starring Kim Basinger and John Corbett this year, and he is currently in pre-production on several new film projects. Zwick has directed on Broadway, Off-Broadway and for Broadway touring companies, and is recognized as one of Hollywood’s most prolific directors with more than 500 television episodes to his credit.
The production team for Monsieur Chopin includes Yael Pardess, Scenic Design; Anne Militello, Lighting Design; Benjamin Furiga, Sound Design; and Chicago’s own Boguslaw, Wardrobe Design.
Monsieur Chopin marks the second in a trilogy about composers and their music, which was preceded by George Gershwin Alone and will culminate with Beethoven. Felder has appeared in stage roles on Broadway, Off-Broadway and regionally. His credits include George Gershwin Alone, 2000 performances from Los Angeles to London’s West End including Broadway. Stempenyu, A Fiddler on the Roof, Gigi, Waiting for Godot, Macbeth, Sotoba Komache, Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night, Shlemiel I, Lies My Father Told Me, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Importance of Being Earnest and The King and I. A Visiting Scholar in Residence at Harvard University’s Department of Music, Felder’s works have been performed internationally. As a concert artist, he has appeared in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Israel and Europe. In addition he is a playwright and composer.
Monsieur Chopin begins performances at the Royal George Theatre, 1641 North Halsted Street on Tuesday, August 30, 2005. The performance schedule is as follows: Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m., Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m., Thursdays at 8:00 p.m., Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m.
Tickets for Monsieur Chopin range in price from $35.00 to $39.50 and are available at the Royal George Theatre Box Office, 1641 North Halsted Street or (312) 988-9000, by calling Ticketmaster at (312) 902-1500, at all Ticketmaster ticket centers (including all Carson Pirie Scott stores, Tower Records, HotTix, select Coconuts and fye stores) or online at ticketmaster.com. Groups of 20 or more can receive a discount by calling (312) 977-1710.
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