THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE Announced At TheatreWorks

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley presents the internationally-acclaimed The Pianist of Willesden Lane. Starring celebrated pianist Mona Golabek, this triumphant tour de force recounts the inspiring true story of Golabek's mother, Lisa Jura, a young Jewish musician. Created and directed by TheatreWorks favorite Hershey Felder, this musical journey follows Jura's escape from Nazi-occupied Austria via the Kindertransport, and her life at a children's home on Willesden Lane in London, where she later survived the London Blitz. Combining vivid storytelling and masterful performances of classics by Bach, Beethoven, and Rachmaninoff, The Pianist of Willesden Lane is a one-woman show that illustrates how music can bring light and hope to even the darkest of times.

The Pianist of Willesden Lane will be presented January 15 - February 9, 2020 (press opening: January 18, 2020) at Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St. Mountain View, CA 94041. For tickets ($30-$100) and more information the public may visit TheatreWorks.org or call (650) 463-1960.

This astonishing work has captivated audiences and critics alike in sold-out runs across the country. Premiering at The Geffen Playhouse, The Los Angeles Times proclaimed, "This elegant, heartfelt solo show is an arresting, deeply affecting triumph." The New York Times awarded The Pianist of Willesden Lane a Critic's Pick, praising it as "Deeply affecting," and San Francisco Chronicle gave the musical masterpiece its highest rating, deeming it "stunningly good." The Washington Post lauded Golabek's performance, saying her "technique and musicality are tremendous. The classical music Golabek plays is such a powerful presence - and one so integral to this affecting and intimate show - that it almost deserves its own curtain call." BroadwayWorld called the show "A timeless piece of storytelling. Mona Golabek channels emotion into the keys. The Pianist of Willesden Lane is one story worth seeing and listening to."

Mona Golabek is an internationally-renowned concert pianist, actor, author, and radio host. She is the subject of several documentaries including More Than Music and A Concert for Mona. A Grammy nominee, Golabek has performed concerts across the globe, including performances at the Hollywood Bowl, the Kennedy Center, and the Royal Festival Hall. Golabek's recordings include the best-selling Carnival of the Animals, featuring the voices of Audrey Hepburn, Ted Danson, Lily Tomlin and others; Ravel's Mother Goose, featuring Meryl Streep; and the Piano Trios of Arensky and Tchaikovsky, recorded in collaboration with her sister, Renee Golabek-Kaye. Golabek is the founder and president of the nonprofit Hold On To Your Music, and the host of classical music radio show "The Romantic Hours," which blends classical music with readings of love letters and poetry.

Hershey Felder (Director and Adapter) is an actor, pianist, writer, director, composer, conductor, and producer who has conjured the spirits of George Gershwin, Frederic Chopin, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Liszt, Leonard Bernstein, Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Claude Debussy, and Irving Berlin. Felder's solo shows have been seen across America - at The Geffen Playhouse, Pasadena Playhouse, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Hartford Stage, San Diego Repertory Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Old Globe Theatre, American Repertory Theater, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and Cleveland Playhouse, as well as long runs at Chicago's Royal George Theatre and engagements at New York's Town Hall, 59E59, and the Streicker Center. Throughout the past 20 years, he has given more than 5,000 performances. Described by American Theatre Magazine as "a seductive portraitist, compelling storyteller, and superb concert pianist," Felder's work was named one of TIME Magazine's 2016 Top Plays and Musicals. While making his TheatreWorks directorial debut with The Pianist of Willesden Lane, Felder has become an enormous Bay Area favorite onstage-audiences packed last season's World Premiere of Hershey Felder: A Paris Love Story at TheatreWorks, as well as the 2019 Tony Award-winning company's regional premieres of Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin; Hershey Felder, Beethoven; and Our Great Tchaikovsky.

Celebrating its 50th Anniversary Season, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley is the recipient of the 2019 Regional Theatre Tony Award. With over 100,000 patrons per year, the Palo Alto-based theatre company has captured a national reputation for artistic innovation and integrity, often presenting Bay Area theatregoers with their first look at acclaimed musicals, comedies, and dramas, directed by award-winning local and guest directors, and performed by professional actors cast locally and from across the country.

For information or to order tickets visit theatreworks.org or call (650) 463-1960.