Frank Blase and Marc Schneider Present
Last Call
A World Premiere Play by Peter Danish
Directed by Gil Mehmert
For half a century, Leonard Bernstein and Herbert Von Karajan were the world’s most celebrated figures in classical music and the fiercest of rivals. Their influence transcended music into popular culture, politics, and almost every facet of the modern landscape. Late in their lives, these titans of classical music unexpectedly crossed paths one last time. Inspired by true events, Last Call takes us to Vienna – in the famous Blue Bar of the Hotel Sacher – as the two men find themselves in a battle for dominance and relevance amid an ever-changing world.
“A few years ago, I was in Vienna on vacation and I stopped by the Sacher Hotel for a piece of Sacher Torte,” said playwright Peter Danish. My reading material for the trip was the recently released “Bernstein Collected Letters”. When the waiter brought me my cake and coffee, he noticed the book. He said he waited on Maestro Bernstein many times, and proceeded to tell me an incredible story about the night before Karajan’s final performances in Vienna, when Karajan and Bernstein crossed paths in the lobby of the famous hotel and sat in the famous Blaue Bar for a last drink. This story inspired me to write this play”.
This production will feature a twist on the beloved composers, with women portraying both Bernstein and Von Karajan. “When I met [director] Gil Mehmert and he suggested to me right off the bat that he wanted to use two female actors to play Bernstein and Karajan,” says Playwright Peter Danish. “He said ‘trust me, it will bring a fresh energy that you haven’t seen before.’ As soon as he did, I realized that he was right. [Audiences at our reading] didn’t talk about ‘well, it doesn’t look like Bernstein, it doesn’t sound like Bernstein.’ They were able to focus on the core contents at the heart of the play. They elevated it to heights I couldn’t have expected.”
Last Call stars Helen Schneider (In Germany: Norma Desmond in the German Sunset Boulevard, Sally Bowles in Cabaret; Eva Peron in Evita) as Bernstein, Lucca Züchner (In Germany: On the Town; Cabaret; Hair) as Von Karajan, and Victor Petersen (In Germany: Tanz der Vampire; The Addams Family; Chicago) as Michael – the waiter.
The production features an international creative team, including Chris Barreca (Scenic Design), Rene Neumann (Costume Design), Michael Grundner (Lighting Design), Lindsay Jones (Sound Design), Austin Switzer (Video/Projection Design), and Benny Pitt (Assoc. Scenic Design).
The show begins performances on Wednesday, March 12 and plays through Sunday, May 4, 2025 at New World Stages/Stage 5 located at 340 West 50th St, New York, NY. Ticket prices start from just $59. Tickets available now at LastCallThePlay.com.
