One might call it spending an evening with George Gershwin. Or maybe call it a backward look at a gentler time. Whatever you want to call it, the current fare at the venerable Pasadena Playhouse is a singular experience in theatre, where you are entertained by a superbly gifted storyteller and then the audience has a chance to participate in its own merry making by joining a sing along.

Those who know music will appreciate Felder’s deconstruction of some of Gershwin’s works. He explains how Gershwin used intervals, how and why he changed from major to minor modes in the middle of a song, how he heard rhythm and time signatures in mundane things like locomotives or car horns. Then he illustrates with songs.

It is the music that makes the evening. Where Gershwin was a gifted composer, Felder is a virtuoso keyboard interpreter of his music, and along with the wonderfully performed beloved songs that advance the story (“S’Wonderful”, “The Man I Love”, “Someone to Watch Over Me”, “Summertime”) it is his rendition of Rhapsody in Blue that brings the house down.

Besides the songs and their story, Felder’s tells of Gershwin’s childhood, how he started his music career, his early musical hits and misses and he also relates how Gershwin never really fulfilled his romantic needs. The passage about his much too early death is related in a matter of fact manner, citing his headaches and brain tumors rather clinically. Even though many details are not covered and at times it seems like Felder may be using bullet points, it is a well developed and thought out story.

Just when you think the show is over, Felder invites the audience to join in singing a couple of the more popular numbers and then the fun house doors are flung open and the “E Ticket” ride really begins. Hershey Felder has ears like a fox, and he can pick out voices from the audience who seem to stand out. He invites them to the front, cajoles them into soloing on a favorite number and the results are nothing short of delightful. On opening night the singers were surprisingly great! The people he selected had great voices and rounded out an evening where the final result was a nostalgic sigh followed by a satisfied grin.

It’s a rich evening of theatre, a wonderful presentation of music and a compelling evening of story telling, which together combine to bring what has become a staple for the Pasadena Playhouse – a grand evening for all!

For tickets and information click the link http://www.pasadenaplayhouse.org/ .