2 Pianos 4 Hands is the riotous tale of two boys, Ted and Richard, 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.
Two actors, two pianos and many, many characters grace the stage as fifteen years of learning the art of piano playing unfolds. From classical to pops to jazz, the play provides the chance for two performers to give their all in a 120-minute virtuoso performance. Along the journey the actors/pianists portray a dazzling range of characters embellished with a show of piano wizardry featuring the music of Bach, Beethoven and Jerry Lee Lewis.
In the beginning, 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...
And as they mature, Ted and Richard become more aware of the gap between 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.
2 Pianos 4 Hands captures the humour that comes with learning to play the piano, and the sense of loss of eventually learning to let go of the dream.
Production History Facts
• Ran for 6 months Off Broadway at The Promenade and The Variety Arts Theatre
• 4 completely sold out productions in Toronto that have played to 150,000+ people
(Tarragon – 5 weeks in ‘96, Tarragon – 5 weeks in ‘97 , Royal Alex – 6 weeks in ‘98, Elgin
Theatre – 4 weeks in ’03)
• Sold Out 12 city tour coast to coast across Canada from May 1996 - Oct 1997
• 2003 - ranked by American Theatre Magazine as one of the Top 10 Most Produced Plays
in the USA
• 2006 – Marquis Entertainment’s production won the award for Outstanding Touring
Production by the Connecticut Theatre Critics Circle (winning over Broadway touring
productions of The Lion King and Wicked)
• Featured in many Top 10 Productions of the Year lists, including The New York Post
(Clive Barnes, 1997)
• 1996 - won Toronto’s Dora Award for Outstanding Production and a Chalmers Award
(Canadian National Award) for Playwriting
• Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt have personally played 750+ performances (of the
show’s total 2,500)
• 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
• Has played in over 150 cities worldwide
• Arguably the most successful play in the history of Canadian Theatre
• Played to over 2 million people
“A shining '2 Pianos 4 Hands' is about the rigors of mastering the instrument, but it's for
anyone with a dream.”
-The Los Angeles Times (Jan 2006)
"This joyful, playful and invigorating piece is precisely what our summer audiences love --
great music, great performances. It draws in audiences from all walks of life; from people of 8 to 84. It was such a crowd-pleaser last year, that we were thrilled to welcome it back
to Hartford Stage this summer."
-Michael Wilson Artistic Director, Hartford Stage
"It's hard to believe that anyone involved in theatre hasn't already heard of 2 Pianos 4 Hands, as it's already been a hit from coast to coast. Like our peers, we had great success with this show, from the professionalism and thoroughness of Marquis Entertainment to the tour-de-force performances, enthusiastic audiences and strong box office. It's a must for any community that hasn't already experienced it."
-Richard Stein Executive Director-The Laguna Playhouse
“Vigorous and amusing, the show has been performed around the world, in dozens upon dozens of cities, but it's been surprisingly little-seen in the Los Angeles area. How
gratifying, then, to see it programmed into the Laguna Playhouse season, in a ready-made Marquis Entertainment production that gleams like the polish on a grand piano.”
-The Los Angeles Times, January 2006)
Pianos 4 Hands is funny, clever, insightful and touching, full of music, humour, story and character.”
-Globe and Mail
“Not a sour note. Not a lost chord. Not a misplaced phrase.”
-Toronto Star