Hershey Felder As Irving Berlin Opens at Westport Country Playhouse

Irving Berlin arrived in this country at the age of 5 as a penniless immigrant from Belarus. Thanks to “Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin,” which opened last night (July 16) at the Westport Country Playhouse, we see (and hear) how he became one of America’s most beloved composers, residing at Manhattan’s stylish Beekman Place.  

Felder, who wrote the book and designed the set, elegantly stages this one-man biodrama in Irving Berlin’s living room--all decorated for Christmas. The action takes place at the Steinway piano or next to an empty chair. (Felder pulls off talking to an empty chair much better than Clint Eastwood). 

The audience is treated to a trip down a musical memory lane, mercifully minimizing schmaltz and sentimentality. Felder hammers away at the Steinway and belts out tunes we all know in workman-like fashion, but the real driver here is the stories, filled with charming and sometimes poignant surprises. 

For instance, who knew Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America” was in his trunk of discarded tunes for 20 years before he unearthed it for Kate Smith to sing to honor Armistice Day? And who knew Berlin donated all the royalties and rights to the song to the Boy and Girl Scouts of America? By the end what we have is a compelling portrait of a man who completely believed in the American dream, and turned it into at tangible reality for us all to enjoy. 

On Sunday, July 21, is a free Sunday Symposium following the performance (at approximately 4:45 p.m.) with James Kaplan, author of the upcoming book, Irving Berlin: New York Genius.

The production runs until August 3. For more information: www.westportplayhouse.org