***** Hershey Felder is back in the Chicago area, and those who know his work, know they are in for a treat at Writers Theatre in Glencoe. Felder, who is probably one of the most creative artists I have ever had the pleasure to watch on stage ( as well as do a duet with) brings more to the theater than a performance. He brings theater, history and emotion to every show he produces or creates or in which he just appears.  Many of you may have been lucky enough to see his “Gershwin”, his “Bernstein”, his “Chopin” or his “Berlin”- Felder takes on the persona of these composers in his shows and one truly feels that they are watching the actual person tell his story ( as it happened).

When Covid hit, and while theaters like The Royal George on Halsted ( his Chicago home for his prooductions) closed, we lost the local productions, from him, but in his true spirit, he fouind a way to write/produce/direct and star in filmed stories that could be done via the internet and I for one made sure that I watched each and every one of these masterpieces. Last year, when Writers Theatre brought him in to do his “Chopin” last season, I could sense the audience reaction to his work in a smaller venue with audience on three sides, and was hoping that he would be back.

The new production, the Chicago/Midwest premier of Hershey Felder’s “Rachmaninoff and the Tsar” is a brilliant storytelling production. and as he explained in the after-talk back ( a must see for every audience member), a show where he needs another character with whom to share the stage , making it unique compared to his previous shows. Tsar Nicholas II is played by Jonathan Silvestri, and of course Felder in the role of Sergei Rachmaninoff. As Felder tells us the story and history of  Rachmaninoff and his family leaving Russia and later becoming a citizen of the United States. In order to tell of his plight and the changes in his life, he needed someone to talk to and the Tzar was his perfect foil, as his story about his family involves Rachmaninoff as well.

Felder is a marvelous musician. His touch with the piano makes part of the evening like attending a concert of classical music as it was written to be heard. What you get with a Felder show is pure perfection in script, music, acting and every piece of the technical aspects as well. When you walk into  the Nichols auditorium, you will see a grand piano in the center of the stage. At the back, a country home, in front, some grass, flowers and benches. Director Trevor  Hey uses the set to perfection allowing every audience member to be able to follow the two men as they talk to each other and volley with their stories. The videos behind them that are shown on the building (Stefano DeCarli) are part of what makes the production feel complete. As they speak about “Anastasia” ( the Tsar’s daughter) you feel as if you know her and her story. The costumes (Marysol M. Gabriel), the lighting (Erik S. Barry) and sound ( Erik Carstensen) are all perfect. By the way, in every production I have seen Felder do, this has always been the case. He is a perfectionist and even with a cell phone ringing during the show, it was handeld with style and finesse- that my friends is Hershey Felder!

There are many musical selections performed: Prelude in C Sharp Minor, Nocturne in F Sharp minor, Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini , op.43, variation 18, The “Star Spangled Banner and a whole lot more. As I tell people, one can expect a concert as well as a play and a learning experience when buying a ticket to see a Hershey Felder play- whatever you do, buy a ticket. You will not regret doing so!

“Rachmaninoff and the Tsar” will continue Thru – Sep 21st with performances as follows: