RACHMANINOFF AND THE TSAR

with


Hershey Felder as

SERGEI V. RACHMANINOFF


and


Jonathan Silvestri as

TSAR NICHOLAS ROMANOV II


In 1942, world famous pianist-composer Sergei Rachmaninoff moved to Beverly Hills. At that time he applied to become an American citizen and was granted citizenship eight weeks before his 70th birthday, April 1, 1943. Unfortunately, a severe illness would claim him before he would be able to celebrate. In those last years of his life, Rachmaninoff secretly helped many in the Russian immigrant community begin a new life in America. One such person captured the imagination of the world leading to much speculation that would last the better part of a century. This is that story.

THE MUSIC OF SERGEI V. RACHMANINOFF

BOOK by HERSHEY FELDER

DRAMATURGY by JERRY PATCH


PRODUCTION DESIGN by HERSHEY FELDER

LIGHTING DESIGN by ERIK S. BARRY

COSTUME DESIGN by MARYSOL M. GABRIEL

VIDEO DESIGN by STEFANO DECARLI

SOUND DESIGN by ERIK CARSTENSEN

SOUND SHOW RUNNER JEREMY KALKE

WIG AND MAKEUP DESIGN by JUDI LEWIN

PRODUCTION MANAGER ERIK CARSTENSEN


DIRECTED by TREVOR HAY


ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS

Tammy Globerman

Samantha F. Voxakis


BOX OFFICE MANAGEMENT

Tammy Globerman

Avery Globerman, Kiley Globerman


MARKETING

Joseph Yoshitomi


PUBLIC RELATIONS

Davidson Choy Publicity


FOR SMC

Robert Rudolph - Director of Facilities Programming

Siamanto Ismaily - Theatre Technical Director

Joy Bice - Lead Theatrical Technician

Carlos Lucio - Lead Theatrical Technician


Provisional crew:

Adam Sperry - Theater Technical Specialist - Audio

Shannon Barondeau - Theater Technical Specialist - Lighting

Nicole Jaja - Theater Technical Specialist - Lighting

JohnnyAngel Pineda - House Manager

Drew Petriello, Sonia Alvarez, Chris Dionne -

Assistant House Managers


WITH THANKS

Joel Zwick, Writers Theatre and Braden Abraham, Erika Bendersky, Ekaterina Siurina, Moses and Susan Libitzky, Josef and Margot Lakonishok, Stephen and Jacqueline Swire, Daniel and Phyllis Epstein, Tom Wirtshafter; John and Evonne Yonover, Irwin and Helgard Field, The Wallis Annenberg Centre for the Performing Arts, Deborah Hartwell, Amy Carstensen, Robert Rudolph, Siamanto Ismaily, Hilary Helstein Dr. Benjamin Salisbury, Natalie Nilesand Steinway & Sons, Jana Oechsner and Anabella and Evelina Silvestri, Annette Nixon, Kim Campbell (XO) Leo and Dagwood Dog.

MUSICAL SELECTIONS PERFORMED


Prelude in C#-, op. 3/2

Star Spangled Banner (arranged Rachmaninoff)

Bozhe Tsariya Khrani (arranged Felder)

Nocturne in F#-

March Slave (Tchaikovsky, selection)

Prelude in G#- op. 32/12

Concerto no. 1 in F#- op. 1

Concerto no. 2, op. 18, Adagio, Selection

Concerto no. 2, op. 18, Maestoso, Alla Marcia

Prelude in G-, op. 29/5

Concerto no. 2, op. 18, Adagio, Selection

Sonata no. 2, first version, Selection

Concerto no. 2, op. 18, Finale

Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini, op. 43, Variation 18

Vocalise op. 34/14


HERSHEY FELDER

Sergei Rachmaninoff/Book

Hershey Felder has recently been named Artistic Director of Florence’s historic Teatro della Signoria as well as Florence’s Teatro Niccolini. Creator and President of FirenzeOnStage, an international theatrical and presentation house in Florence Italy, American Theatre Magazine has said, “Hershey Felder, actor, Steinway Concert Artist and theatrical creator is in a category all his own.” Following 28 years of continuous stage productions and over 6,000 live performances throughout the U.S. and abroad, Hershey Felder created Live from Florence, An Arts Broadcasting Company, based in Florence, Italy, which has produced more than eighteen theatrical films to date. They include the recently-released Noble Genius – Chopin & Liszt; The Assembly; Violetta, the story of Verdi’s Traviata; Dante and Beatrice; Mozart and Figaro in Vienna; the world premiere musicals Nicholas, Anna & Sergei; the story of Sergei Rachmaninoff; Puccini, the story of famed opera composer Giacomo Puccini; Before Fiddler, a musical story about writer Sholem Aleichem; Great American Songs and the Stories Behind Them, Leonard Bernstein and the Israel Philharmonic, a documentary, and the popular Musical Tales in the Venetian Jewish Ghetto. Two seasons of programming are currently available at www.hersheyfelder.net  with season 3 being launched in spring of 2024. 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, and A Paris Love Story and Monsieur Chopin. 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 opera IL QUARTO UOMO that premiered in Fiesole, Italy in the summer of 2023 with the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. Hershey is the adaptor, director, and designer for the internationally performed play-with-music The Pianist of Willesden Lane with Steinway artist Mona Golabek; 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. Hn. Kim Campbell.


JONATHAN SILVESTRI

Tsar Nicholas II

Jonathan Silvestri began his career at BAC Youth Theatre in London’s Clapham district later studying with Simon Furness. He is known for his roles in the international television HBO hit series “Borgia” as Cardinal Fonsalida; his recent film with Tim Rozon as a US Marine in “DAKOTA,” the television series “The Young Pope,” “ Dangerous Lies,” “Devils,” “Fangs,” and more. He is a regular on Italian TV, in particular RAI’s ‘Impazienti’ in a starring role with Max Tortora and Enrico Bertolino. Jonathan recently appeared as Eugene Delacroix in Hershey Felder’s feature film Noble Genius-Chopin & Liszt and the feature film “Hey Joe,” with James Franco. A regular on Roman stages, Jonathan’s notable theatre credits include “Closer” by Patrick Marber, “Julius Caesar,” “Our Country’s Good,” and “Chinatown” at the Teatro Manhattan as well as many other productions. He is both an actor specializing in International character accents and he is of British-Roman origin.


TREVOR HAY

Director

Trevor Hay directed the world premieres of An American Story for Actor and Orchestra, Abe Lincoln’s Piano, Hershey Felder as Franz Liszt in Musik, Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin, Our Great Tchaikovsky, and A Paris Love Story. He is associate director for Mona Golabek’s The Pianist of Willesden Lane, George Gershwin Alone, and Maestro. Former member of the historic Old Globe Theatre in San Diego where, at the age of nine, his first position was selling Old Globe memorabilia. Over the next 32 years, Mr. Hay went on to various aspects of production on more than 80 presentations.


JERRY PATCH

Dramaturg

Jerry Patch served as dramaturg on over 150 new plays, including the world premieres of Abundance, Freedomland, Golden Child, Intimate Apparel, Search and Destroy, Three Days of Rain, Ruined and Wit. He was the founding project director for South Coast Repertory’s Pacific Playwrights Festival and artistic director of the theatre program of Sundance Institute. A professor of theatre and film, he was consulting dramaturg for Roundabout Theatre Company (New York) for nearly a decade and resident artistic director at The Old Globe in San Diego. He is now artistic consultant for Manhattan Theatre Club, where he served more than a decade as Director of Artistic Development, and is resident dramaturg at SCR.


STEFANO DECARLI

Video Design

Stefano Decarli, born in Florence in 1983, is an Italian filmmaker, editor, and producer. After graduating in 2010 in Agricultural Sciences and Sustainable Rural Development from the University of Florence, he worked in Iraq for two years for the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, coordinating international development and reconstruction programs in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of State. At the same time, he began his professional career in visual communication, specifically in photography and video production, which then became his main profession. Since then, he has been working across Italy and Europe on multimedia content, feature films, live theater shows, music videos, and corporate videos. Starting in 2020, he has filmed, co-directed, and edited shows, movies and documentaries in collaboration with renowned pianist, actor, director and producer Hershey Felder. In 2023 he worked together with American director Madison Kinsella on a short documentary about a group of Ukraine refugees in Italy, A Castle for Kyiv. The same year he also collaborated with Canadian director Jennifer Baichwal on the impact website insights following the 2022 documentary Into The Weeds. He’s also a professor of Multimedia Language at ISIA Firenze, the first university-level public institution for Design education in Italy.


ERIK S. BARRY

Lighting Design

Erik is a freelance lighting designer based in Chicago. He received the Non-Equity Joseph Jefferson Award for 2019 for The Displaced with Haven Theatre. His designs have been seen at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Carnegie Hall, Seattle Rep, Harris Theatre (Chicago), and the Detroit Music Hall. He has done extensive gaffer/production electrician work, including multiple 2020 Presidential Debates and on Fox Sports Pre/Post show for the MLB World Series. MFA – Lighting Design: University of Wisconsin-Madison. eriksbarry.com


MARYSOL M. GABRIEL

Costume Design

Marysol M. Gabriel, originally from Argentina and now based in Florence, Italy, is a seasoned costume and accessory designer with a rich background in theatre. She recently showcased her talents as a Costume Designer for the “Quarto Uomo” Lyric Opera at Estate Fiesolana and has contributed significantly to various productions at Fondazione Teatro Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, in addition to collaborating on projects with Sartoria Antonietta in Florence. Marysol’s expertise extends to the film industry, where she designed costumes for “Chopin” by Hershey Felder and supported numerous other Felder productions. Her creative journey is characterized by a harmonious fusion of innovation, meticulous craftsmanship, and unwavering dedication to her craft. Beyond costume design, Marysol excels in accessory design, having worked as an Accessory Designer Consultant for Flo Bags and as a Freelance Handbag Developer.Her proficiency in creating and prototyping bags and accessories has been invaluable to fashion students from prestigious institutions like Polimoda, IED, Marangoni, and Central Saint Martin, aiding them in preparing for their final fashion showcases. Notably, she spearheaded Sol Gabriel Concept Bags as the Owner and Senior Designer from 2004 to 2011, crafting distinctive, handmade bags. Furthermore, as a Senior Designer at Richmond Ltd., Marysol directed the evolution of a casual clothing line and orchestrated fashion exhibitions in Shenzen and Hong Kong.


ERIK CARSTENSEN

Sound Design/Production Management

Erik has worked for Eighty-Eight Entertainment since 2008. He has served as sound designer on Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin, Our Great Tchaikovsky, A Paris Love Story, Maestro, Louis and Keely “Live” at the Sahara, An American Story, Beethoven As I Knew Him (Ovation Award winner), The Pianist of Willesden Lane (Ovation Award nomination), and numerous other productions. Formerly, he was the master sound technician at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego and was production engineer on over 60 productions.


JUDI LEWIN

Wig and Makeup Design

Judi Lewin is a seasoned Makeup/Wig/Hair Designer in and around the Los Angeles area. Judi moved to Los Angeles in 1990 with her family from Toronto, Canada. In Toronto, Judi worked primarily in Theatre and for the Canadian Opera Company, where she worked on such operas as Tosca and La Boheme. Since moving to Los Angeles, she incorporated television and film into her repertoire. Judi has Designed 2 National Tours, Happy Days The Musical and I Love Lucy Live on Stage. She also Designed the European Tour of the Musical Sisterella. Judi has Designed for many Theatre Companies, including Pasadena Playhouse, The Rubicon Theatre Company, The Fremont Theatre, Interact, The El Portal, The Blank Theatre, The Fountain Theatre, McCoy Rigby Entertainment, Sacramento Music Circus, The Wallis, Theatre 40, Group Rep, Reprise 2.0, Unbound Productions, Sierra Madre Playhouse and The Hollywood Bowl.



TAMMY GLOBERMAN

Producer

Based in Los Angeles, Tammy joined the Hershey Felder Presents team in the summer of 2020. She worked with Hershey on his earlier projects in the late 1990’s and 2000’s before working with talent agencies specializing in below-the-line talent for film and television. After taking some time off to be with her two children, she is excited to be working again with Hershey and his team.


SAMANTHA F. VOXAKIS

Producer

Since shortly after joining the company in early 2004, Sam has been responsible for the day-to-day operations of Eighty-Eight LLC and Hershey Felder Presents. Prior to that, she spent twelve memorable years in the front office of the Baltimore Orioles. With special thanks to her family and Mr. Felder.


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HERSHEY FELDER PRESENTS

Hershey Felder is known for his theatrical portrayals of great composers (Gershwin, Beethoven, Berlin, Chopin, Bernstein, Tchaikovsky, Liszt and more) as well as multiple seasons of theatrical creations brought to you from his artistic base in Florence, Italy. HERSHEY FELDER PRESENTS - LIVE FROM FLORENCE, an arts broadcasting company, devoted both to entertaining, as well as raising funds for artists and theatrical organizations in need. HFP Presents SEASON 2 follows our first season of productions which include GREAT AMERICAN SONGS, IRVING BERLIN, BEETHOVEN, GEORGE GERSHWIN ALONE, A PARIS LOVE STORY, TCHAIKOVSKY in FLORENCE, BEFORE FIDDLER, PUCCINI and NICHOLAS, ANNA and SERGEI. Season 2 now includes DANTE & BEATRICE, MOZART & FIGARO IN VIENNA, VIOLETTA, The story behind of the story of Verdi's TRAVIATA, MUSICAL TALES IN THE VENETIAN JEWISH GHETTO, and THE ASSEMBLY, NOBLE GENIUS - Chopin & LIszt. SEASON 3 releases Fall 2024. www.HersheyFelder.net


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