Two Pianos Four Hands

Two Pianos Four Hands, also referred to as 2 Pianos 4 Hands, is a Canadian musical comedy play, written and originally performed by Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt. It follows Ted and Richard, two boys who aspire to become famous classical pianists. The play follows their journey from childhood, and as the boys grow older, their competitions and music auditions. Two Pianos Four Hands premiered at the Tarragon Theatre in Toronto in 1996, and has since been staged on five continents and has been regarded as one of the most successful Canadian plays.[1][2]

For the piano performance of two players (four hands) on two pianos, see Piano duet.
2 Pianos 4 Hands
Written by
Characters
  • Ted
  • Richard
Date premieredApril 1996
Place premieredTarragon Theatre, Toronto
Official site

Based loosely on their own lives, Dykstra and Greenblatt have described Two Pianos Four Hands as a comedic play that features music and pianos.[3] The show is named after the piano duet term, piano four hands, which involves two pianists playing the same piano simultaneously. They arrived at the play's name, Two Pianos, Four Hands, since each of the two pianists play their own piano (a piano duo).[3]

Premise

At the start, Ted and Richard are two young boys in Canada with aspirations of becoming world-famous classical pianists. They learn to play the piano and endure pushy parents, eccentric teachers, endless hours of repetitive practice, and stage fright. Gradually, Ted and Richard mature and their skills improve. As the boys befriend and compete with one another, they are also auditioning for music festivals and music conservatories. The boys begin to realize the difference between being 'good' and 'great'.

When Ted and Richard are young boys, they alternate performing as solo pianists. Meanwhile, the other plays a composite of pushy and eccentric adults in the child's life. Later on in the show, both Ted and Richard perform together.

Production history

Dykstra and Greenblatt met in 1993 while working on So You Think You're Mozart, produced by Chamber Concerts Canada. At the encouragement of the associate artistic director of Tarragon Theatre, Andy McKim, the two realized their similar stories and began conceptualizing ideas for the play.[4] In 1994, Dykstra and Greenblatt formed the production company "Talking Fingers" to further develop and workshop the play, which was originally 25 minutes long.[5] After a successful workshop presentation, an expanded 90-minute version of Two Pianos Four Hands was then added to Tarragon Theatre's 1995-96 main season.[5]

During its initial run, David Mirvish took notice and encouraged Dykstra and Greenblatt to commercially produce Two Pianos Four Hands.[5] After the play closed at the Tarragon Theatre, it was extended further to 2 hours and embarked on a commercially produced Canadian tour.[6][4]

Original cast

Two Pianos Four Hands premiered at the Tarragon Theatre, in Toronto, Ontario, with previews starting in April 1996, before officially opening on May 13, 1996.[7] It closed on August 24, 1997, before embarking on a brief Canadian tour.[7][8]

With the support of David and Ed Mirvish, Two Pianos Four Hands transferred to an off-Broadway theatre. The play opened at the Promenade Theatre on October 30, 1997. The off-Broadway engagement at the Promenade Theatre closed on May 10, 1998, after 231 performances.[9] The show was scheduled to transfer to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.; however popular demand led to the play being transferred to another off-Broadway venue. Dykstra and Greenblatt starred in the production at the Kennedy Center, and the subsequent tour stops across Western Canada.[10]

In late 1999, Dykstra and Greenblatt embarked on an international tour with Two Pianos Four Hands. This included an extended three-month production, first performed on October 5, 1999, at the Comedy Theatre in London's West End, and a multi-week engagement in Japan.[11] In 2003, Two Pianos Four Hands played a special engagement at the Elgin Theatre in Toronto.[12]

Beginning in 2011, Dykstra and Greenblatt embarked on a 'farewell tour' with the show. This tour made stops across Canada, including extended stops in Ottawa and Toronto, as well as in major American markets Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and Washington.[13] The final performance was in November 2013 at the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton.

In August 2021, Mirvish Productions announced a special limited engagement of 2P4H, that will star Dykstra and Greenblatt for the first time since the creators retired from the show in 2013. The show will open at the Royal Alexandra Theatre on June 4, 2022.[14]

Other productions

The 1998 off-Broadway revival was the first time a production of Two Pianos Four Hands was performed without Dykstra and Greenblatt. The cast included Andrew Lippa as Ted and Jed Rees as Richard.[15] Lippa and Rees also continued with the play for its first US national tour in 1998 and 1999.[16]

In 2006, another North American tour began, this time starring Tom Frey as Ted and Richard Carsey as Richard.[11]

Since Dykstra and Greenblatt's retirement from the show in 2013, several regional productions of Two Pianos Four Hands have been performed across North America and internationally. In 2019, an extended production of the play opened at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, which starred Jefferson McDonald and Matthew McGloin.[17] The National Arts Centre in Ottawa also opened a production of the show, which starred Reza Jacobs and Max Roll, and was directed by Greenblatt.[18]

Recordings and other media

The final performance of the 'farewell tour' starring Dykstra and Greenblatt was recorded live at the Citadel Theatre in November 2013, and released for sale in early 2014.[13]

On April 6, 2021, it was announced that the filmed recording of the 2013 performance would become available for streaming through BroadwayHD, to coincide with the show's 25th anniversary.[19]

Casting history

In the show's early years, Dykstra and Greenblatt performed it almost exclusively.[4] As the demand for productions of the show increased, it became necessary to audition other actors for the roles. However, the producers encountered challenges in the audition process because of the unique demands of the show. This is because the show requires actors to play piano at a conservatory level while having sufficient acting and comedic skills.[16]

The principal original casts of notable stage productions of Two Pianos Four Hands:[8][11][20][21]

Role Tarragon Theatre Canadian tour Off-Broadway Kennedy Center / 2nd Canadian tour Off-Broadway revival US tour West End Tokyo, Japan Toronto North American tour Farewell tour Canadian regional Cincinnati Toronto
1996 1996–1997 1997–1998 1998–1999 1998 1998–1999 1999 2003 2003 2006 2011–2013 2018–2019 2019–2020 2022
Ted Ted Dykstra Andrew Lippa Ted Dykstra Tom Frey Ted Dykstra Reza Jacobs Jefferson McDonald Ted Dykstra
Richard Richard Greenblatt Jed Rees Richard Greenblatt Richard Carsey Richard Greenblatt Max Roll Matthew McGloin Richard Greenblatt

Music

The two-hour version of Two Pianos Four Hands normally features samples of 20 to 30 musical pieces, primarily classical numbers such as pieces by Bach and Beethoven, and some other jazz standards and rock numbers.[22] Various pop songs and other famous piano songs are interspersed throughout the show and in the medley at the end of the show, including snippets of songs by Elton John, John Lennon, and Linus' song from the Peanuts cartoons.[23] All music in Two Pianos Four Hands is performed live by the actors portraying Ted and Richard, without accompaniment.

The specific chronology of the songs occasionally varies between productions, and in some other instances, additional songs are included.[24] The following song chronology is as described in the 2012 script of the play.[24]

Reception

Two Pianos Four Hands has received critical and commercial acclaim.

William Triplett of The Washington Post gave a positive review of the 1998 Kennedy Center production, praising the script and acting. Hailing the show as a "crescendo of pleasure", Triplett wrote, "The show's liveliness and strength derive from the duo's ability to look back not in anger but affection, not with nostalgia but clarity. They zero in on the weird mix of absurdity and logic that always seems to develop whenever kids are forced to assume artistic ambition. The result is a little more than two hours of big laughs -- not just at the eccentric and dysfunctional people who terrorized their youth but at themselves as well."[25]

Reviewing the 2011 tour stop in Toronto, Paula Citron wrote that 2P4H is a show you can see "over and over again and still find yourself laughing."[26] Meanwhile, Mark Andrew Lawrence of BroadwayWorld praised the show's constant humor and heart, pointing out the show is an even bigger success likely because non-classical music aficionados can easily enjoy the show. Lawrence ended the review, writing, "For the uninitiated be prepared for a show filled with humor and heartbreak and some beautiful music all done in perfect harmony."[27]

In a review of the Ottawa production, Ryan Pepper praised the show's relatability and appeal to broader audiences, with a constant stream of humour mixed with some heartfelt moments.[18]

Awards and honors

The play has received multiple awards and honors:

  • In 1996, it won a Dora Award for Outstanding Production.[28]
  • In 1997, Dykstra and Greenblatt received a Chalmers Award, a Canadian National Award, for playwriting.[29]
  • In 1997, it was named in the "Top 10 Productions of the Year" list by Clive Barnes of the New York Post[30]
  • In 2006, Two Pianos Four Hands was named the "Outstanding Touring Production" by the Connecticut Theatre Critics Circle.[31]

References
  1. Meng, Connie. "2 Pianos, 4 Hands in Ottawa". North Country Public Radio. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  2. "2 Pianos, 4 Hands Will Tickle the Ivories and Funny Bone". Behind the Curtain Cincinnati. 9 October 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  3. "2P4H – Who named the show 2 Pianos 4 Hands?". YouTube. Mirvish Productions. 30 May 2022. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  4. "Happy 25th anniversary 2P4H". Meanwhile. No. 34. mirvish.com. April 20, 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  5. Dykstra, Ted; Greenblatt, Richard. "2 Pianos 4 Hands". Western Canada Theatre. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  6. Ellicock, Ray (23 September 1996). "Mirvish Will Send 2 Pianos on Tour". Playbill. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  7. "2 Pianos, 4 Hands" (production details). Tarragon Theatre. May–August 1997. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  8. Haun, Harry; Lefkowitz, David; Friedlander, Mira (20 March 1998). "2 Pianos, 4 Hands Returns To Toronto After US Tour, July 28". Playbill. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  9. "Two Pianos Four Hands Production History". BroadwayWorld. October 1997 – May 1998. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  10. Hansen, Lianne (26 April 1998). "2 Pianos 4 Hands". NPR. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  11. Jones, Kenneth (26 December 2005). "Canadian Favorite 2 Pianos 4 Hands Gets Three North American Engagements January-April 2006". Playbill. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  12. Kates, Jim. "2 Pianos 4 Hands — One Highly Amusing Evening". ArtsFuse. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  13. Borowiecki, Anna (23 October 2013). "2 Pianos 4 Hands waves farewell". St. Albert Today.
  14. Wild, Stephi (14 Mar 2022). "2 Pianos 4 Hands Comes to the Royal Alexandra Theatre in June". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  15. Haum, Harry; Lefkowitz, David (5 May 1998). "2 Pianos, 4 Hands – And a House Full of Piano Teachers, May 5". Playbill. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  16. Brodesser, Claude (20 April 1998). "Pianos keyed to travel". Variety. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  17. WCPO 9 (6 December 2019). ""2 Pianos, 4 Hands" Preview". YouTube. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  18. Pepper, Ryan (21 July 2019). "Theatre Review: 2 Pianos 4 Hands at the NAC—until 08.03.19". apt613. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  19. Wild, Stephi (6 April 2021). "BroadwayHD Premieres 2 Pianos 4 Hands". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  20. Simendinger, Anne (26 November 2019). "2 Pianos, 4 Hands at Cincinnati Playhouse In The Park". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  21. Michael, Akrit (23 August 2021). "Mirvish Productions to breathe new life into Toronto's dormant theatre scene with new 11-production season". Toronto Star. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  22. Marks, Peter (31 October 1997). "Concerto for Two Pianos And a Hundred Memories". New York Times.
  23. Alderson, Mary (20 July 2009). "Musical Comedy to Tickle You and the Ivories". Theatre in London. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  24. Dykstra, Ted; Greenblatt, Richard (1 December 2012). 2 Pianos 4 Hands. Toronto: Playwrights Canada Press.
  25. Triplett, William (10 April 1998). "2 Pianos, 4 Hands: A Crescendo of Pleasure". The Washington Post. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  26. Citron, Paula (31 October 2011). "2 Pianos 4 Hands is like a favourite song". The Globe & Mail. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  27. Lawrence, Mark Andrew (1 November 2011). "Two Pianos, Four Hands – Touching and Screamingly Funny". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  28. Wild, Stephi. "2 Pianos 4 Hands Comes to the Royal Alexandra Theatre in June". Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  29. New, William H. Encyclopedia of Literature in Canada. University of Toronto Press.
  30. Swarns, Rachel L. (7 December 1997). "Theater; New Play, and Old Questions, About Women". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  31. "The reviews are in!". 18 April 2017.
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