Download 2 Pianos 4 Hands - The Grand Theatre

A Marquis Entertainment Production
By Ted Dykstra & Richard Greenblatt
Study Guide prepared by K. Pinkerton, The Grand Theatre 2015
Contents
Introduction
About the Creators
About the Performers
Production History
Themes explored in 2 Pianos 4 Hands
Synopsis
The Music
Interesting Facts
Classroom Activities
Resources
Theatre Etiquette
Introduction
2 Pianos 4 Hands is not a play in the traditional sense of the word. One British reviewer described it
as a “musical conversation” (Fred Norris, Evening Mail). Another reviewer referred to it as “a
cabaret about piano-playing” (Daily Mail). However 2 Pianos 4 Hands is described as a unique
piece of Canadian theatre which tries, according to co-creator and director of this 2015 production
at The Grand Theatre, “to marry two art forms – theatre and music”.
The idea for 2 Pianos 4 Hands was conceived in 1993, when Greenblatt was working on a
production with fellow Canadian actor, Ted Dykstra. They discovered that they had both once
dreamed of becoming concert pianists, and when they compared notes about their experiences,
they found they had a lot more in common. Both had studied under prominent local music
teachers, both had shown considerable promise, winning several competitions, and both had quit at
age seventeen after facing a difficult truth: that neither one was good enough to achieve his
childhood dream.
While their experiences as a pair of youthful “pianomaniacs” may at first appear to be an unlikely
source for entertaining drama, Dykstra and Greenblatt reminisced, not with anger or bitterness, but
with affection and humour. They shared memories of “crazed instructors, obsessed parents,
tortuous, recitals and other high points of musical training” (William Triplett, Washington Post).
Convinced of the theatrical potential of their experiences, Andy McKim, associate artistic director of
the Tarragon Theatre, encouraged Dykstra and Greenblatt to put their reminiscences into dramatic
form. So the two actors went to work and a show was born.
About the Creators
Ted Dykstra
Ted Dykstra, originally hailing from Chatham, Ontario, is an award winning actor, director, writer,
producer and composer. He is a founding member of Toronto’s Soulpepper Theatre. In addition to
being a co-writer, Dykstra has performed Two Pianos Four Hands in 11 Canadian cities (including 4
Toronto runs) as well as in New York, Washington DC, London’s West End and Tokyo, Japan. He
has also directed productions of 2 Pianos 4 Hands across the US, as well as in Australia and Hong
Kong. He has played leading roles on every major stage in Canada, including 3 years of leading
roles at the Shaw Festival and 3 years of leading roles at the Stratford Festival. He has acted in
dozens of movies and television shows, and received a Gemini Award for his performance in
Shattered City: the Halifax Explosion. Dykstra was awarded Dora Awards for Fire (acting) and 2
Pianos 4Hands (producing) as well as a Chamlers Award for writing (2Pianos 4 Hands). He has
directed numerous productions and also composed music for theatres across the country. He
wrote and directed Mordecai Richler: A Celebration for the CBC. He is the proud husband of Juno
Award winning singer Melanie Doane, and ecstatic father of their two children, Theo and Rosie.
Richard Greenblatt
Richard Greenblatt was born in Montreal and started taking piano lessons with Dorothy Morton at
the age of seven. He studied acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England. Since
his return to Canada in 1975, he has been acting, directing, writing and composing music for
theatre, radio, television and film across the country and abroad. He has played leading roles in
regional theatres and in Toronto, has appeared in feature films and has played numerous roles on
television. He has performed 2 Pianos 4 Hands with Ted Dykstra over 750 times, including 6
months at The Promenade in New York City, ten weeks on the West End in London, and three
weeks in Tokyo. He has directed over 80 productions for the stage, the vast majority being original
works, and has been a cowriter on some of the most successful plays in recent Canadian theatre
history including The Theory of Relatives; i.d.; and Sibs, which was also made into a CBC movie; and
most recent one man play Letter from Lehrer, feature the work of song satirist Tom Lehrer. He has
won four Dora Awards and two Chalmer Awards as well as receiving numerous other nominations.
He has taught both acting and directing and more of the theatre training institutions in Canada.
About the Performers
Richard Todd Adams
Richard Todd Adams has spent much of the last decade performing across the country in some of
the most sought-after roles in musical theatre. He won the 2008 Joseph Jefferson Award for his
portrayal of Javert in the Chicago production of Les Misérables at the Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre.
He then returned to the national tour of The Phantom of the Opera, this time to play the Phantom.
For the last three years, he toured the country, appearing as both Jean Valjean and Javert in the
25th anniversary national tour of Les Misérables. He is one of a handful of American actors to have
portrayed the Phantom, Jean Valjean, and Javert. A graduate of The Juilliard School, he began his
career starring as Raoul with both the Los Angeles and national touring companies of The Phantom
of the Opera. He made his Broadway debut in 2005 in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Woman in White,
and shortly thereafter, appeared on Broadway again in Boublil and Schoenberg’s The Pirate Queen,
and he appeared Off-Broadway in Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill, Michael John LaChiusa’s Little
Fish at Second Stage, and David Friedman’s Listen to My Heart at Studio 54. He has starred in The
Scarlet Pimpernel, Jekyll & Hyde, 1776, Show Boat, Ragtime, Man of La Mancha and 2 Pianos, 4 Hands.
He resides in South Orange, NJ with his wife, Maria Eberline, and their 5-year-old son, Nathaniel.
Bryce Kulak
Bryce Kulak is an actor, singer, pianist, and composer , writing music for theatre and film. As a child
he played the title role in Oliver! (The Citadel). As a teen he toured as Mordred in Camelot
(Manitoba Theatre Centre, Theatre Calgary, The Citadel). More recently he was seen in the
Pianist/Narrator role in Billy Bishop Goes to War (Theatre Aquarius). He was a hobbit in the world
premiere production of The Lord of the Rings stage musical. Bryce wrote and performed songs for
the new play Bears by award-winning playwright Matthew MacKenzie. Bryce has collaborated with
playwright and filmmaker Trevor Anderson producing the award-winning children's musical Nami
Namersson and movie-musical The Man That Got Away. Bryce co-created and performs in
Bohemians in Brooklyn, The Judgment of Paris, and From Weimar to Vaudeville, theatrical chamber
music concerts hosted by CBCʼs Tom Allen. Bryce has been a guest with popular crossover group
Quartetto Gelato, and performs a cabaret of his own called The Songs of Bryce Kulak. Visit
www.brycekulak.com to hear Bryce’s music and learn more.
Production History
In 1993, both Ted and Richard were appearing in Chamber Concerts Canada's So You Think You're
Mozart and after comparing stories about their piano lesson days, the two former would-be
prodigies were encouraged by Tarragon Associate Artistic Director Andy McKim to put their early
piano experiences on paper.
In 1994 Ted and Richard formed Talking Fingers to write and workshop their new script 2 Pianos 4
Hands. The play was subsequently programmed as part of Tarragon Theatre’s 1995-96 Season in
Toronto, and premiered in April 1996 to rave reviews and sold-out houses. Talking Fingers and
Tarragon Theatre shared the 1996 Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Production, and Ted
and Richard received the prestigious Chalmers Award-Canada’s National Playwriting Award – that
same year.
Immediately following the close of the premiere run in Toronto, Ted and Richard embarked on a
national tour. They travelled from coast to coast with the show, stopping back at the Tarragon for a
second run in the fall of 1996, and concluding in Vancouver in September of 1997 at the Vancouver
Playhouse.
In October of 1997, backed by a team of producers including David and Ed Mirvish, 2 Pianos 4
Hands opened Off Broadway at The Promenade Theatre. The production was widely acclaimed, and
ran for six months before transferring to the Kennedy Centre in Washington in the spring of 1998.
Ted and Richard returned to Toronto later that summer and again played to sold-out houses, this
time at the historic Royal Alexandra Theatre, with Mirvish Productions. The show had its European
premiere at the Birmingham Rep in the spring of 1999, a production that transferred later that fall
to the Comedy Theatre in the West End of London. Since then, Ted and Richard have twice reunited
to perform in Toronto with Marquis Entertainment / Talking Fingers / Mirvish Productions, twice
toured to Japan (presented by Shochiku), where they have performed in Tokyo and on tour
throughout the country, and in 2001/12 embarked on a Farewell Tour that includes visits to
Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver and Edmonton.
There have been many other productions, with other "Teds” and “Richards" and "Theas” and
“Rachels" in Canada and across the globe. Since its premiere, 2 Pianos 4 Hands has been translated
into four languages — French, Japanese, German and Finnish and has had 4,000 performances at
200 different theatres throughout Canada, the U.S., the U.K., Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, South
Africa, Austria, Finland and beyond. Nearly 2 million people have seen the play on five continents
worldwide making it one of the most successful Canadian plays ever!
The play is based on real life events and each of the characters are inspired by someone who once
taught Dykstra and Greenblatt, rejected them or encouraged them.
Themes explored in 2 Pianos 4 Hands
-Children in Competition: healthy or harmful
-Parental Pressure
-Pursuit of a Dream
-Belief and Skepticism
-Art and Beauty
-Discipline and Courage
Synopsis
2 Pianos 4 Hands is the riotous tale of two boys in Canada sharing the same goal: concert pianist
stardom. They work fervently towards their dream amidst pushy parents, eccentric teachers, hours
of repetitive practice, stage fright, the agony of competitions and the dream of greatness.
As the show begins, two actors wander onto the stage into what appears to be an unused rehearsal
area. They find two grand pianos covered with sheets. Once these sheets are removed, the
temptation to play overpowers them. They sit down and start to play the first movement of Bach’s
D Minor Concerto.
From this simple beginning, designed to create the illusion of a spontaneous, non-scripted, artistic
event, 2 Pianos 4 Hands goes on to explore, through a series of interconnected vignettes, the piano
playing experiences of the two characters from age seven to seventeen. In early scenes, the actors
take turns playing child versions of each character while the other assumes the role of the teacher,
the adjudicator, the parent. As "friendly" competitors nearing their teens they face off at various
festivals – experiencing stage fright and the dread of losing to eight year old prodigies. And as
young adults, their eyes open to new ideas and influences. Gradually their piano playing and
perspectives on the world evolves. From The Birch Canoe they move to auditioning for
Conservatories, playing the music of classical and jazz masters, facing conflicts with their parents,
and, well, at least thinking about the opposite sex...
As the boys mature, so does their piano playing. They also become more aware of the gap the very
good and the great – and come to the humbling realization that greatness may be out of reach. And
there lies the universal plight of all those with an ounce of training and talent and the will to "be" a
professional musician, or athlete, or actor or dancer. Through Ted and Richard, 2 Pianos 4 Hands
captures the humour that comes with learning to play the piano, and the sense of loss when
eventually learning to let go of the dream. Although both young men give up on their childhood
dreams, neither one gives up on music. In the final scene, the two characters, now successful actors
in their thirties, look back on their lives with few regrets, knowing that they are not two of the best
piano players in the world or in the country, but content to be “two of the best piano players in the
neighbourhood.” The show concludes as they play the first movement of the Bach D Minor
Concerto.
The Music
Act I
Concerto in D minor, 1st Movement (J.S. Bach)
Heart and Soul (Hoagy Carmichael)
The Birch Canoe (Lelia Fletcher)
By the Stream (Richard Greenblatt)
Our Band Goes to Town (arrangement J.B. Duvernoy)
Sonatina No. 6 in F Major (Beethoven)
Sonata Facile in C Major, 1st Movement (Mozart)
Sonata for One Piano, Four Hands in D Major, 1st Movement (Mozart)
In der Halle des Bergkonigs, Peer Gynt Suite 1 (Edward Grieg)
Concerto in D minor, 1st Movement (J.S. Bach)
Act II
Prelude in D flat Major (Chopin)
Leyenda (I.Albeniz)
Rondo for Two Pianos, Four Hands in C Major (Chopin)
Fantasiestucke No. 2 (Schumann)
Pathetique Sonata No. 8 in C minor, 1st and 2nd Movements (Beethoven)
Ballade No. 2 in F Major (Chopin)
Mephisto Waltz No. 1 (Franz Listz)
A Medley of Pop Tunes
Impromptu in A flat (Schubert)
My Funny Valentine (Richard Rogers/Lorenz Hart)
Piano Man (Billy Joel)
Horowitz Recording (Mephisto Waltz)
Concerto in D minor, 1st Movement (J.S. Bach)
Interesting Facts
•2 Pianos 4 Hands ran for 6 months Off Broadway at The Promenade and The Variety Arts Theatre
•2 Pianos 4 Hands was ranked as one of the Top 10 Most Produced Plays in the USA in 2003 by
American Theatre Magazine
• Marquis Entertainment’s production of 2 Pianos 4 Hands won Outstanding Touring Production
award in 2006 by the Connecticut Theatre Critics Circle (winning over Broadway touring
productions of The Lion King and Wicked)
• 2 Pianos 4 Hands won Toronto’s Dora Award for Outstanding Production and a Chalmers Award
(Canadian National Award) for Playwriting in 1996
• Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt have personally played nearly 900 performances (of the
show’s total 4,000 performances of 2 Pianos 4 Hands)
•2 Pianos 4 Hands performed 5 Weeks at the Kennedy Arts Centre in Washington in ’98, 10 Weeks
in London’s West End in ‘99, and 3 Weeks in Tokyo in ’04, 4 Week National Tour of Japan in ‘12
•2 Pianos 4 Hands Has played in over 200 cities worldwide to nearly 2 million people
•2 Pianos 4 Hands was presented at The Grand Theatre, London ON with a female cast to open the
1999-2000 Season.
• This current production marks the 20th Anniversary Season of 2 Pianos 4 Hands.
Classroom Activities
Music
-Ask students to select one piece of music that was performed in 2 Pianos 4 Hands. Urge students
to find out as much as you can about this piece, its composer or singer/songwriter, where they
were born, wrote or originally performed the piece.
-Assign a timeline of music history which highlights the composers and pieces of music in 2 Pianos 4
Hands.
-As a class, study the history and evolution of the piano.
-Assign a research assignment on the life of performer Vladimir Horowitz or another concert
pianist.
-Ask pairs or groups to define the following musical terms: Sonata; Concerto; Symphony;
Movement; Recapitulation; Opera; Suite; Etude; Rhythm; Harmony; Melody; Pitch; Beat; Time
Signature; Arpeggio; cadenza; common time; crescendo; key; key signature; major; minor;
metronome.
-Have students speculate why classical music written 200-300 years ago is still being played today
and why there might be a rivalry between classical and contemporary music.
-Play an audio game with your students: play the main theme of a recorded movie
score/soundtrack and have students write down the movie title and give bonus points for naming
the composer.
-Name the similarities in the language of music and the language of mathematics. Invite your
students to add their ideas to the list.
-Test the classes’ knowledge of composers or famous musicians and their home countries by asking
your students to name musical artists from Finland, Norway, Hungary, Poland, Italy, America,
Germany and Russia and Canada! Have there been any composers or famous musicians from
London and area?
-In pairs, ask students to learn about the many musical opportunities offered here in London, ON
and area, ranging from private teaching studios, choirs, bands, ensembles, classes, courses, the
Kiwanis Music Festival, etc.
-What are some of the prerequisites for post-secondary music programmes in Canada? Assign
groups a couple to study and share with the class.
-Pose the questions following questions to your class:
What does the title 2 Pianos 4 Hands mean to you?
What ideas does it suggest beyond the world of music?
What comes to mind when thinking of classical piano music?
How are the piano and those who play it perceived in our culture today?
How is the world of classical music similar or different from the world of theatre and the
other performing arts?
-In pairs or small groups, ask that students list advantages and disadvantages to learning a classical
instrument for young children.
-2 Pianos 4 Hands deals very specifically with the training and dedication of playing classical piano.
Ask students to write a response to Why 2 Pianos 4 Hands resonates with so many people who have
never played classical music?
Visual Art
-Encourage students to design a poster for the next theatrical production of 2 Pianos 4 Hands.
-Study the evolution of fashions wore by upper class society, members of the court from Bach to
present day or let groups of students become experts on a time; then present their discoveries to
the class.
-As a class, watch excerpts of Walt Disney's 1940 animated film Fantasia, as an example of setting
visual stories to classic music.
-Select a variety of composers and for each have the students create a visual piece (in any medium)
that was inspired by/reflected the music.
Dance
-Teach an example of a dance from the 17th, 18th, and 19th Centuries that would have been danced
by the upper class in Europe. Describe the rich fashions and the opulent surroundings to enhance
the dancers experience and performance.
Drama
-Journal or blog about the performance including; your expectations before you arrive as well as
your thoughts post-performance.
-Write a review of the 2 Pianos 4 Hands performance you attended. Include a synopsis, themes, and
critique of the theatrical elements of the production (direction, acting, music, performances,
lighting, set, costume,). Consider including why certain songs and scenes were highlighted.
Compare your review to other theatre reviews of and comments about 2 Pianos 4 Hands.
-Lead a class discussion around Body Language in 2 Pianos 4 Hands. Speak to the role of posture,
facial expressions and gestures in conveying personality and emotional state. Ask your students
how successful they thought the actors were in using body language to create a variety of different
characters.
-Encourage students to script an imaginary scene of a professional crushing your dreams and your
reaction.
-Discuss what makes it funny when someone else mispronounces a word but not if we do it
ourselves?
-List the different types of humour in the play.
-Write about your experience(s) when you have rehearsed, practised or trained for something.
-Who were the people that influenced decisions or played a significant role in your early years?
Explain how they affected your choices – positively or negatively.
-How important is a child’s first coach in sports, or first piano teacher or teacher in school?
-What might you do if two coaches/teachers gave contrary advice?
-Some parents push their children to achieving their own unattained hopes and dreams. Is it
possible to follow the desires of others and take one’s own direction?
-What do you think the advantages of being a professional athlete/artist would be?
-What are some of the obstacles that you would face?
-What sacrifices would you and your family be required to make?
-How does the idea of having “something to fall back on” indicate a distain for the “Arts” as a
real job”?
English
-Ask students to journal about the importance of having hopes and dreams of greatness for hisherself? Are there times where you have to let go of your dreams in order to move forward? How
do you know when the time is right? Encourage students to draw on their own experiences with
lessons or extra-curricular activities.
-Assign study and reflection projects around related literary material “I Have a Dream” (Martin
Luther King Jr.) “Dreams” (poem by Langston Hughes) or material on people like Rick Hansen,
Terry Fox, or Londoners John and Jesse Davidson.
-As a class discuss if classical music fits into today’s celebrity culture and how the role of music and
musicians in our everyday lives has changed over time.
-Debate whether competition among children a positive or negative element of their education.
-Glenn Gould competed in 1944, at the age of 12, in the annual Kiwanis Music Festival and
won the piano trophy. It was to be the only competition Gould would enter, for he later
came to be strongly opposed to the idea of young musicians competing with each other and
indeed to competition of any sort.
-at what age do you believe competitive sports/arts programmes should be introduced to
young children?
-debate the pros and cons of competition in sports and the arts, at any age.
-can you have sports without competition?
-share any experiences you have had with competitions in the arts.
-Lead a class discussion or friendly debate on the topic of Parental Pressure on Children to Succeed.
-Ted and Richard dreamed of becoming famous pianists. If you were to become famous, what
would it be for? What would it take for you to fulfill this dream?
-Ask students to write a short essay about a teacher/guide/mentor who has played or continues to
play a significant part in his/her life, Describe that person and how he/she has influenced you in a
positive or negative way.
-Just before its official premiere in the early spring of 1996, 2 Pianos 4 Hands creator/performer
Ted Dykstra reported “Our greatest fear is that musicians will say, ‘Well, for actors, they’re pretty
good piano players.’ And that actors will say, “For piano players, they’re pretty fair actors.” Do you
think that this was a joke or a legitimate fear and why?
-Request your students review the 2 Pianos 4 Hands performance that you all attended at The Grand
Theatre, including a short synopsis, themes, and a critique of the theatrical elements of the
production (musical selections and execution, acting, direction, lighting, set, etc).
-Compare your review with one shared on the 2 Pianos 4 Hands website critiquing the writers and
original stars (Dykstra and Greenblatt): http://www.2pianos4hands.com/pages/reviews.html or
http://www.lfpress.com/2015/10/09/canadian-classic-2-pianos-4-hands-in-the-key-of-life-andlaughs
Resources
Online. 2 Pianos 4 Hands. http://www.2pianos4hands.com/. June 2, 2015
Online. 2 Pianos history. http://www.2pianos4hands.com/pages/reviews.html. June 8, 2015
Online. 2 Pianos. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/2-pianos-4-hands-emc/.
June 8, 2015
Sudbury Theatre Centre study guide, compiled by Val MacMenemey, 2007.
Playnotes Portland Stage.
Etiquette
1. Are food and drinks allowed in the theatre?
No, only bottled water will be allowed in the house. The reason we do not allow food
or drinks inside the theatre is because spillage can harm the seats and noise can
distract the actors and audience during the performance. For most shows there is
usually a 15 to 20-minute intermission. Students are able to buy a snack or drink at
that time and consume them in the lobby.
2. Can I bring my camera and take pictures?
Picture taking and/or recording are not allowed inside the theatre. In addition, it’s
important all screens, beepers, cell phones and assorted noise makers are turned off
during the performance. The noise and light from screens can be very distracting
for the actors and other audience members.
3. Is there a dress code for theatres?
There is no dress code for either our MainStage or McManus productions. Patrons
can wear whatever is comfortable. On special occasions, like Opening Night, some
audience members like to dress up.
4. Why aren’t audience members allowed to talk to each other while watching a
play?
Talking can be distracting to other audience members and also distracting to the
actors who want to give the best possible performance.
5. What happens if I arrive late?
Late arrivals will be required to wait in the lobby until an appropriate break in the
show so as not to disturb the actors or the rest of the audience.
6. What if I have to leave my seat in the middle of a performance?
Of course there will be times when you must leave your seat, but we hope you’ll
make every effort to stay seated until the intermission. Movement in the audience
disturbs the actors and other audience members. If you must leave, please wait for
an appropriate break in the show (i.e. scene changes) before returning to your seat.
7. What happens if a person is misbehaving during a performance?
If a person is disruptive to other audience members around them during a
performance they may be asked to leave by an usher or our front of house manager.
8. When should I be back in my seat after intermission?
Please return to your seat at the end of the 15 to 20-minute intermission so that we
don't continue the show without you. The lobby lights will flash to let you know
when the intermission is coming to an end.