| Playing Gershwin
With Hershey Felder,
Actor, Pianist, Playwright,
"George Gershwin Alone"
Friday, Jan. 31, 2003; Noon ET In "George Gershwin Alone," actor, pianist and playwright Hershey Felder plays the American composer looking back at his life and work, in a one-man show now playing at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. George and brother Ira wrote standards such as "The Man I Love," "Someone to Watch Over Me," "'S Wonderful," "I Got Rhythm," "Embraceable You," among many more, plus the groundbreaking opera, "Porgy and Bess," considered an American classic and, of course, "Rhapsody in Blue." All told, the brothers wrote more than 1,000 songs for the stage and screen as well as works for the opera house and symphony orchestra. Felder paints a portrait of the Gershwin who wrote the melodies and in the show talks about how he and brother Ira collaborated on songs America would grow to love and remember. Felder is the only individual to whom the Gershwin family has granted permission to create and perform the role of George Gershwin. He was online Friday, Jan. 31 at noon ET, to talk about all things Gershwin. Joel Zwick directs the play and is currently enjoying worldwide success with the film, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." Felder enjoyed unfettered access to the artist's manuscripts, personal and professional papers and recordings. He conducted further research with the Gershwin family, biographers, friends and associates and at the Library of Congress which houses the entire George and Ira Gershwin family archives as well as the composer's Steinway piano. Felder also studied Gershwin's radio show recordings to capture his vocal approach to speech and song. A transcript follows. Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
Washington, D.C.: What inspired you to write a play about George Gershwin? Hershey Felder: Naturally, the music. After that, I looked for a dramatic reason to have this character speaking from a stage because my primary interest in the theater at this point in my life is to combine serious music, writing and acting. We know of singing actors and dancing actors but what interested me most was "playing" actors. Once I discovered that there was a reason to have this man speaking from a stage, that being here was a man who died before he knew what would happen to his music, I understood the dramatic impetus and was then able to mesh my interests as a pianist and as an actor into a unified whole.
Harrisburg, Pa.: How long did it take you to memorize, prepare, and rehearse for this show? You have a remarkable talent. Hershey Felder: The process took three years. From inception to the point where I was most comfortable to say that this was a complete work, there were several levels of development. The first was discovery, the second, research, the crafting of the material and then the ability to leave go of the writer and become the actor. And for the first six months of performance I couldn't completely leave go of the writer because I would hear things on the stage that didn't resonate as true as I wanted, and so continued on my path of discovery with the help of other artists to bring the work to its current form. As a pianist, studying and peforming the music came first because it is very clear what George left us. However, presenting the man was an altogether complicated affair which took a great deal of time to discover the theatrical truth. And it is thanks to the public and the play's director that we were able to assemble a text that resonated with both story and form to create this piece of theater.
Silver Spring, Md.: How much did Gershwin being Jewish impact his life and career? Was his being Jewish part of what drew you to his character? Hershey Felder: To answer your last question first, no.
What drew me to his character was the enigmatic personality that wanted to be taken seriously by the serious composer world and yet had such a genius talent for the public at large and the desire to combine those two elements. As for his Jewishness influencing his work, it is quite clear that turn of the century immigrants influenced his music making. The sounds of his childhood made its way into the music as later did the sounds of American jazz born in the black South as well as European orchestral influences.
Seattle, Wash.: What is the most interesting thing that you have learned about George Gershwin? And do you "like" him as a person after having spent so much time researching and playing him on stage? Hershey Felder: I am fascinated with him as a person. I go between liking what I've learned and being confused by what I've learned. One thing I can tell you is I never cease to be amazed by his musical ingenuity. Oddly enough, the classical music snob in me (from where I was bred) has a tendency to dismiss his work as popular and I can safely say that I have learned to appreciate and be respectful of genius in all its forms because I think I understand what George may have gone through and regardless of his person in private, he had a magical gift from God that must be reverred.
Maryland: Hello,
I saw your show and you are just wonderful ...
The audience seemed to know all the tunes. How do you account for Gershwin's staying power? Hershey Felder: That's one of the miracles of his music and one of the magical things about art. If I could account for the staying power of his music I would launch into a career of composition myself! But to me the music feels fresh as if it were written yesterday. I don't think or harken back to the 1920s or '30s, I am able to associate his melodies and harmonies (and Ira's brilliant words) with things that happen to me today. And I think the secret of staying power has to do with things that relate on a simply human level.
Baltimore, Md. : Mr. Felder, is it true that a CD of "George Gershwin Alone" will be available soon? If so, was it produced during your extended run at the A.R.T. in Cambridge? Thanks ... hope it's true. Hershey Felder: It is true and it is currently in production and combines a number of performance sources. Thank you for asking.
Washington, D.C.: I saw your terrific show during its "preview" phase at Ford's Theatre and just wonder what guided you in your selection of the material you used? There are so many wonderful pieces in the Gershwin songbook, it must have been difficult! Hershey Felder: Yes, it was difficult, but ultimately, what guided selection was storytelling and the revealing of character. For example, at one point George talked about his Concerto in F of which I performed a segment, but it told us nothing about George in character other than that he was an interesting composer trying new forms that he wasn't all that familiar with. However, when that element was substituted with a segment from An American in Paris we were able to delve further into George's choices about composition and what he wanted to say to his public. Also, the choices of songs exist in this form. Take the lyric, "'S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous, that you should care for me," or "Embrace me, my sweet embraceable you. Embrace me, you irreplaceable you," and think of those lyrics in terms of a man who can't quite openly tell you about himself but somehow can communicate through a lyric that he needs his audience and that it's just magical that his audience cares for him. Those tenets eventually guided the choice of songs. In a nutshell, if we were able to reveal a character trait through a song that advanced our story and knowledge of the man, the song was in.
Washington, D.C.: I was at one of your recent performances and was amazed at your ability to pick up Sopranos and encouraging them to get up and sing! What is your gift? Hershey Felder: The singalong, I must say, is really my favorite part because it changes every night and is based on what George did when he would corral his guests and the piano at parties. It is the one segment of the show that is done out of George's character as an encore where I get to be myself, really appreciating George's achievements, i.e., as early mentioned, the staying power of the music. When you are sitting on a stage, there is nothing more beautiful than having the entire audience singing back at you. And certain voices tend to resonate (SMILE) louder because chances are, they want to be heard.
I know that you mentioned the word "gift" in your question but my favorite thing in the world is to listen to other people and once I've done my duties as a performer, the most fun I have it listening to what other people have to say.
Washington, D.C.: Do you ever get tired of performing the Rhapsody each night? Have you ever done An American in Paris or the Concerto just to mix things up? Hershey Felder: I have performed American in Paris and the Concerto in F as conductor and with orchestra and as soloist on several occasions. Unfortunately, the way Gershwin Alone is structured, the Rhapsody must end the show. There are internal devices in the writing of the show that are reflected in the Rhapsody and the need for it to be the finale.
As to whether I get tired of it? No. My body tires of the physical requirements and so I must take great care to be able to deliver what the audience is entitled to at every performance. And if there is one thing that frightens me about this work, it is the need to give the audience 1000 percent of what it deserves every night. Truth to be told, I'm looking forward to my next character which is Chopin which comes with a whole other set of requirements but with over fifteen hundred Rhapsody in Blues before the publc. All I can say is that I hope that each performance does service and honor to George's intentions.
Washington, D.C.: As curator of the George and Ira Gershwin Collection at the Library of Congress, I am always pleased to see the results of research using the scores, lyric sheets, letters, photographs, scrapbooks, and other materials in our holdings. I know from experience that studying the manuscripts produced by the hands of the giants of our culture provides an immediacy that printed books and articles do not. Hershey Felder: It appears to me that this question has come from someone who has been very supportive of both the process and the development of such a project. The Library of Congress opened its doors to me to research any part of the collection that I needed. I can safely say that one comes a great deal closer to understanding the mind of a composer by studying his manuscripts than by simply listening to a recording. Also, what the Library of Congress's collection affords is the ability not to see just the music of the man, but with its unprecedented collection of personal and professional correspondence, images, scores, historical data and press, one is able to see the man from whom the music came. And nothing could be more magical. I have great respect and only thanks for the curator at the Libary of Congress and its masterful collection.
Jersey City, N.J.: Hershey Felder, I ordered your "Back From Broadway" CD and was wondering when it will be arriving? I traveled all the way to Boston to see your performance with James Barbour and am eagerly awaiting the arival of your CD. Hershey Felder: Thank you for writing in. The CD's shipment date is the middle of February as it was promised. This afternoon we'll have the exact date and we hope to see you at George Gershwin Alone.
Washington, D.C.: Mr. Felder, congratulations on landing what I would consider a dream role. As a piano player, I view Gershwin's style to be very jazz friendly, meaning that you can take off on your own interpretations of a piece. My first question is, do you find yourself putting your own style behind his music, or is your goal to play to his style as much as possible as you need to do as an actor? Also, how long will this show be in town? Hershey Felder: The show will be in town until Feb. 23.
With regard to the style, it was very important for me to imagine the kind of effect that George Gershwin's style would have had on the audience. Whereas in concert, I am likely to play Rhapsody in Blue differently than it is presented in George Gershwin Alone even though my presentation was in the context of the play is not an exact recreation of George's recordings, it was important to create a similar effect. Interestingly enough, when I am called upon to play his songs out of the context they tend to take on a much more romantic, slower and lush flavor than with which they are presented from the actor's point of view in the piece. That said, I continuously marvel at the incredible style as he himself said, the "snap and crackle that is so American" and it is a lot of fun to to try to get across that style from the stage.
West New York, N.J.: Are you on any other recordings that are currently available? Hershey Felder: Yes, on a number of them, but not playing Gershwin.
Charlotte, N.C.: I understand that it took much diligence on your part to get the permission of, and co-operation from, the Gershwin family for your show. How many years did you have to devote to this process? Hershey Felder: The Gershwins were always cooperative. What was important, though, was to carefully get their permission because they are very protective of their ancestors and the most important thing was to remain truthful in this process. The development process went from scripts to readings to performances to eventually critics and the public. The process took two years and through it all, not only were the Gershwins supportive but they became friends.
Arlington, Va.: Dear Mr Felder, If you could only play three Gershwin songs which three would you pick to play and why? Hershey Felder: If they have to be songs (as opposed to orchestral or piano works) then I would have to say My Man's Gone Now from Porgy and Bess, Embraceable You and Someone To Watch Over Me.
Minneapolis, Minn.: Aside from the intro of "Wintergreen for President" which briefly outlines a simple 5/4, I can't think of any other instances where Gershwin played around with polyrhythms. I suppose one could count "Fascinatin' Rhythm", but since he makes sure to add up the pulses so everything comes out "even" it doesn't seem like that should count. So my question is, why do you think Gershwin was so hesitant to explore polyrhythmic complexities? He clearly enjoyed pushing his compositional limits. Did it just not occur to him? Hershey Felder: Given that George died when he was 38 and that Porgy and Bess incorporated a great deal of Schillinger and he was now beginning his foray into the world of counterpoint and would probably result in the investigation of polyrhythmic compositional choices, one never knows had he lived, in which direction he would have gone. Above all, George seemingly did have a need to be beloved by his public and who knows if avant garde polyrhythmic investigation would've pushed them away of not. That said, we are aware that after George died, Ira was known to say, (and I have this in a copy of a letter that a fan gave me when I was in New York which was a response from Ira to a letter he had sent Ira in the 50s) that George, when he died, was very much interested in composing symphony quartets and music of a more serious nature. Ira said, "however the result would be I am sure it would have been purely Gershwin."
Vienna, Va.: How do you think Gershwin himself would react to your play? Hershey Felder: All I can say is that I hope I have done well in his eyes.
Towson, Md.: Mr. Felder, I'm really looking forward to seeing your show. Although your physical resemblance to Mr. Gershwin has been mentioned on occasion, I was wondering what personality traits you feel you share with him. Thanks! Hershey Felder: Funnily enough, when people meet me backstage or in the lobby or when I'm not in character, they don't see any resemblance to George Gershwin whatsoever. They usually say, "You look so much younger off stage," and I am, in fact, younger than he was when he died. And the physical resemblance is that, like George, I am dark. But other than that I don't really resemble him much. The fun part is that the illusion seems to be working from the stage because it is so often talked about in the press.
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