Alma Mahler
LOCAL PLAYWRIGHT’S WORK, “ALMA MAHLER,” IN WORLD PREMIER AT WILLIAMSBURG LIBRARY THEATRE
Work to be presented free of charge as part of Williamsburg Regional Library’s Centennial Celebrations
Work to be presented free of charge as part of Williamsburg Regional Library’s Centennial Celebrations
Alma Maria Schindler Mahler Gropius Werfel (1879-1964) was the muse, the love, and the inspiration of five creative geniuses of the twentieth century in music, art, architecture and literature. Palomino Entertainment Group and the Williamsburg Regional Library are proud to present the world premier of “Alma Mahler,” an original one-woman play by local writer Sandy Lesberg, starring Abigail Schumann and directed by Victoria Racimo. The play will be presented in the Williamsburg Library Theatre, 515 Scotland St., on Sunday, May 9 at 3 p.m. It is being offered free of charge as part of the library’s Centennial Celebration Series, made possible by Lee and Betty Ann Griffin. For more information, call the library at (757) 259-4070.
A legend in her own time, “Alma Mahler” reflects the indomitable spirit of a vibrant and controversial personality who celebrated the art of living and loving. Her husbands were Gustave Mahler, Walter Gropius, and Franz Werfel and her lovers were Gustave Klimt and Oskar Kokoschka. Each of them loved her, dedicated works to her, and looked to her for their creative strength. We know their works but only Alma can tell us of the intimacies of their creative and personal journeys. You will learn where some of Mahler’s most stirring music came from. You will hear what happened when Gropius sent Alma a love letter but addressed it to her husband, Gustave Mahler.
Besides rendering a vivid portrayal of Alma, actress Abigail Schumann portrays important characters in Alma’s life in this staged reading. A local actress familiar to area theatre-goers, Ms. Schumann also plays Abigail Adams in “Jefferson and Adams” annually at the Kimball Theatre.
“Alma Mahler” is written by Williamsburg resident and radio personality, Sandy Lesberg. For over 20 years Lesberg was one of New York’s leading broadcast personalities. Beside conducting interviews and doing political and social commentaries, primarily on his own program ‘Sandy Lesberg’s World’ on Radio station WOR, he was for ten years the critic at large for the station doing reviews of theatre, films, ballet and music. Lesberg has written 20 cookbooks with recipes gathered from restaurants around the world. He has also written restaurant guides to Paris, London, Amsterdam, and the United States, several novels and many magazine and newspaper articles about food, travel and international affairs.
CLICK TO LISTEN to Director Victoria Racimo talk about the play on WBACH.
CLICK TO LISTEN to Playwright Sandy Lesberg talk about the play on his radio show WRRW 102.5.