‘Gifts,’ ‘Chopin’ and ‘Rock’ on Peninsula stages

Lots of exciting productions are in store for Peninsula theater lovers in August, starting with Hillbarn Theatre’s “The Four Gifts,” opening on Aug. 12 for a two-week run.

Written by Father Joe Bradley and adapted for the stage by former Hillbarn artistic director Dan Demers and Cara Phipps, “Gifts” tells Bradley’s story starting when he was in his late teens and his father abruptly passed away. Joe went into an emotional tailspin and sought comfort in alcohol and drugs.

It was while he was in his worst mental and physical state that Bradley had a revelation. “The Four Gifts” tells his emotional story.

Tickets are $32-$60 at www.hillbarntheatre.org or 650-349-6411, ext. 2. Performances are Thursdays through Sundays.

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley is staging “Hershey Felder: Chopin in Paris” Aug. 19-Sept. 11 at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. Pianist/performer Felder’s show is set in Paris in the days after the 1848 revolution and gives audiences a glimpse into the life of the “Poet of the Piano,” complete with performances of some Chopin compositions.

Felder has brought several shows in his composers series to TheatreWorks, beginning in 2015 when he impersonated Irving Berlin.

“I discovered that TheatreWorks audiences love music, enjoy being entertained, and often sing along and get really involved,” Felder says. “It’s here that I find a sense of community and artistic interaction.

“Obviously, any actor or performer will gravitate to audiences like the ones who attend TheatreWorks productions,” he adds. “During these past years, I’ve certainly missed this and look forward to engaging again in the coming weeks.”

Shows run Tuesdays through Sundays, with two performances on Wednesdays and Sundays. Tickets are $30-$90 at www.theatreworks.org or 877-662-8978.

On Aug. 27, Palo Alto Players opens its 92nd season with the Peninsula premiere of “School of Rock,” the hit Broadway musical based on the film of the same name. The stage version has a score by Andrew Lloyd Webber and features a cast of 31 Bay Area actors—15 young people and 16 adults.

PAP artistic director Patrick Klein says the cast is the largest one in the company’s recent history. “I can’t think of a better way to kick off our season than a musical the whole family can enjoy,” he adds. The musical ran for four years on Broadway and was nominated for four 2016 Tony Awards.

“Rock” runs Fridays through Sundays through Sept. 11 at the Lucie Stern Theatre in Palo Alto. Tickets are $10-$60 at www.paplayers.org or 650-329-0891.