Chip Deffaa's musical play “IRVING BERLIN: IN PERSON”. -- The premiere recording -- starring Jed Peterson as Mr. Berlin.... Created by one of the world’s foremost experts on Berlin’s music–ASCAP award-winning writer/director Chip Deffaa—“Irving Berlin: In Person” is a one-man musical play, telling the life story of the legendary songwriter, via 35 spirited Berlin songs, with dialogue inspired by Berlin's own reminiscences. (Deffaa is the first playwright ever to create plays telling Berlin’s life story.) The score of this show includes famed Berlin numbers, such as "Say it with Music" and "I Love a Piano," as well as wondrous rarities and rediscoveries that have not been heard or recorded in nearly a hundred years. And some songs that may never have been recorded before! This album, being released exclusively in the United States via CDBaby, is the premiere recording of the score of "Irving Berlin: In Person." Award-winning actor Jed Peterson, who's starred in such New York stage productions as "Hard Times," "Nevsky Prospect,:" and :"Our God's Brother," and has appeared on television in "Madame Secretary," portrays the one-and-only Berlin. “Irving Berlin: In Person”–a one-man musical play--is published and licensed by Leicester Bay Theatricals, www.leicesterbaytheatricals.com. It is one of five shows about Berlin that Deffaa has created. All are available for licensing. * * * A BIT OF BACKGROUND ON IRVING BERLIN AND THIS SHOW.... In the first two decades of the 20th century, some remarkable songwriters emerged, who not only defined Broadway musical-theater in their day, they helped to remake the American songbook: George M. Cohan, Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Rodgers & Hart, the Gershwins, Cole Porter.... Their music still sounds fresh, and of-the-moment; while songs from just a short time before their arrival--think of the sentimental ballads of the 1890s–often sound like quaint period pieces. They ushered in modern American songwriting. Of these giants, none stood taller as a songwriter than Irving Berlin. None forged a tighter or more enduring bond with the American public. Berlin (1888-1989) wrote more hit songs and made more money than any of his colleagues. Not that money, per se, meant a great deal to him; he was never big on taking costly vacations, or throwing lavish parties, or leading any kind of ostentatious “lifestyle of the rich and famous.” Self-taught, he rose from poverty through hard-work and the cultivation of his innate talents. He was a “workaholic” long before that term was coined. He created the scores for 18 Hollywood musicals and 19 Broadway shows. He wrote some 1500 published songs. And for every one song that he released to the public, he created several other songs that he discarded because he didn’t think they were good enough. For well over 40 years, Berlin was a major contributor to American popular culture. Hollywood produced movies based on the lives of such noted songwriters as George Gershwin, Cole Porter, George M. Cohan, Jerome Kern, and Rodgers & Hart... virtually all of the top writers except Berlin. For as long as he lived, the fanatically private Berlin would not allow anyone, big or small, to dramatize his life. * * * A PERSONAL RECOLLECTION FROM PLAYWRIGHT/DIRECTOR CHIP DEFFAA... Some years ago, a prestigious New York supper club, Michael’s Pub, planned to do a tribute to Irving Berlin, telling his life story via songs and commentary. Gil Wiest, the owner of the club, asked me if I’d write a preview piece for The New York Post. (For 18 years I wrote about jazz, cabaret, and theater for The Post.) I loved Berlin’s music and was looking forward to the tribute. Berlin–who was then up in his 90s--read my article in The New York Post, and phoned Gil Wiest, angrily demanding that the club cancel the tribute. Berlin made it abundantly clear that he did not want anyone telling his life story while he was alive–not in a cabaret show, not in a musical play, not in a motion picture or television production, not anywhere; he zealously guarded his privacy. And just as zealously maintained control, as much as possible, over his music. (Berlin was the only major American songwriter who retained ownership of his catalog.) He threatened legal action if his wishes were not obeyed. A visibly shaken Gil Wiest–who was, let me tell you, one tough cookie and not easily intimidated–immediately cancelled the tribute. Berlin got the BBC to cancel a planned television dramatization of his life, too. And he repeatedly turned down requests from Hollywood to film his life story. But Berlin’s story is a fascinating one. I’ve long been intrigued by Berlin’s life, as well as his music. And after Berlin’s death--with encouragement from my friend, singer-songwriter John Wallowitch (who lived near Berlin in NYC, and admired him tremendously)--I decided to research his life as thoroughly as I could, asking anyone I knew who’d known him, from James T. Maher to Joe Franklin, to share recollections. I read newspaper clippings, magazine articles, books. And I examined every song in the Berlin catalog. Initially, I was not sure if I might eventually write a book about Berlin, or some articles, or a play. I ultimately decided to write five different shows celebrating his legacy–the first shows telling Berlin’s life story. The five shows would be written for different-sized casts–so that any theater company, large or small, might have a show just right for them. And, of course, each of the five different shows would feature some different songs and stories, and insights. In the past decade, I’ve completed five shows dealing with Berlin; all are now available for licensing. “The Irving Berlin Story” is a full-scale musical, written for 25 or 30 (or more) players. “Irving Berlin & Co.” is a more intimate biographical musical, written for a dozen or so players. The high-spirited, song-driven “Irving Berlin Ragtime Revue” is written for 10 singing actors. “Irving Berlin’s America” is a two-man musical fantasy. And “Irving Berlin: In Person” is a solo show, the first one-man show about Berlin ever to be published. We’ve released cast albums of several of the above-named shows already: “Irving Berlin’s America,” “The Irving Berlin Ragtime Revue,” and “Irving Berlin & Co.” We’ll eventually have albums out for all of the shows. This is the premiere recording of “Irving Berlin: In Person.” In creating this show, I’ve taken--as all writers do--a few artistic liberties. But the key facts are all correct; the opinions expressed are all Berlin’s; the songs were all written or co-written by Berlin. I’ve tried to capture, as best I can, the essence of the character. Berlin has long been (along with Cohan, Porter, the Gershwins, Kern, Harold Arlen, and Johnny Mercer) one of my all-time favorite songwriters. I’m very glad to be able to set his life, in this solo show, to his wonderfully infectious music. I’m in debt to two terrific singing actors who’ve aided me in the development of this project. One is Jed Peterson, whom you’ll hear portraying Berlin on this album. The other is Jon Peterson–no relation–who came in off “the road” briefly to do the very first reading of this show at the 13th Street Repertory Theater in New York City, and who I hope will someday record his own cast album of this show as well. Jon Peterson has been starring in productions of my show “George M. Cohan Tonight!” off-and-on--at home and abroad--for more than a decade, since the original Off-Broadway production in New York. That show is still keeping him busy, as he takes it from place to place; someday I hope he’ll have time to appear in productions of “Irving Berlin: In Person” as well. Eventually, of course, I hope to see an a lot of different actors do “Irving Berlin: In Person,” just as I’ve seen a lot of different actors do other shows that I’ve written; but I feel blessed that Jon Peterson found time to do the first reading of this show, and that Jed Peterson has now made the first recording. I think the world of both of these performers and always enjoy working with them. Jed Peterson, who stars on this album, has won assorted awards for his acting. He’s serious about his craft. He’s one of only two American actors ever to have performed on the main stage of the Moscow Art Theatre with the Russian theatrical company. I always relish his work; he commits totally to a part. I particularly loved his compelling portrayal of songwriter Stephen Foster in the Off-Broadway musical “Hard Times” (produced by the New York Theatre Barn/The Cell). And lately he’s been earning acclaim for his portrayal of Rudolf Nureyev in “Nureyev’s Eyes.” I think he may have been destined for a career in the theater; his parents named him “Jed” after the famous American theatrical producer Jed Harris. And he made his New York stage debut when he was just a boy, dancing in the New York City Ballet’s celebrated production of “The Nutcracker.” My own association with Jed Peterson goes back more than 15 years, to his high-school student days. I was impressed by his work as a senior at New York’s famed LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts (always a great incubator of talent). He’s one of the three most impressive male actors I’ve seen, over the years, in LaGuardia student productions (the others being Ansel Elgort and Tommaso Di Blasi). I watched his work, too, when he was a student at Princeton University, starring in the Princeton Triangle Show production “Excess Hollywood,” directed by Mark Waldrop. He helped me as a research assistant (finding and photocopying vintage sheet music, for example) when I mounted the Chip Deffaa Invitational Theater Festival in New York. He did the very first reading of the script that evolved into “George M. Cohan Tonight!” (which I wrote with Jon Peterson in mind). I wanted Jed to appear, along with Jon Peterson, in the first production of another of my shows, but he was not free at that time. I was lucky enough to have him help out, as a recording artist, for the premiere recording of my show “Mad About the Boy.” I’m very glad that the timing worked out for him to be able to portray Berlin on this premiere recording. As a performer, Jed Peterson is very much in-demand. I’m delighted to have him introduce this show of mine on disc. And be the first person, in many, many years, to sing such songs as “Always treat Her Like a Baby” and “Lady of the Evening,” – CHIP DEFFAA * * * A SYNOPSIS OF THE SHOW.... This album is not a recording of the complete show “Irving Berlin: In Person.” If we were to record the entire show from beginning to end, with all of the dialogue intact, it would be too long to fit on a compact disc. But we’ve recorded the songs, along with representative snippets of a dialogue. Here’s a bit more information, to help put the songs into context.... At the start of the show, as the lights come up, we see–dressed in casual rehearsal clothes--the actor who will shortly be portraying Irving Berlin; he sings Berlin’s famed “After You Get What You Want You Don’t Want It” and “Say it with Music.” He explains that he’ll be portraying Berlin. And as we watch, he gets into character--and costume--donning a conservative suit, putting on Berlin’s trademark black-rimmed glasses, applying to his face a few grease-paint “age lines”; the lights then fades to black, and when the lights come up, we are in the home of a quite elderly–and quite cantankerous--Irving Berlin.... He demands that his long-suffering secretary send a hot letter to a producer who wants to make a movie about the life of Irving Berlin. “Not while I’m alive!” he insists. Hollywood would never get the facts right, anyway, he rails; they always get the facts wrong in their film biographies. And now he has an idea. He will dictate reminiscences to his secretary. If anyone ever does try to dramatize his life, his recollections will be there to guide them. Where to begin? That’s easy–the Ragtime Era, the years just before World War One, when he was known as the “King of Ragtime” and everyone was singing his songs. (“Everything in America is Ragtime,” “Alexander’s Ragtime Band”). Those were much happier times for him than the present, he makes clear. He was lionized everywhere, newspapers often ran his picture–with photos invariably showing him, the world’s most famous composer, seated at his beloved piano, which he nicknamed “The Buick” (“Piano Man,” “I Love a Piano”). Admirers were sometimes shocked and disillusioned when they heard him try to play the piano. It turned out, he could only play piano in one key; he played strictly by ear, and not all that well. He could neither read music nor write music. How, then, people wondered, did he create his songs? He explained that he created songs in his head, and plunked out melodies as best he could on his piano, or hummed or sang the songs, and then had a “musical secretary” write the words and music on manuscript paper for him. When Berlin traveled to England, early in his career, reporters asked him to give a demonstration of his songwriting process. He told them to suggest a subject for a song, and he would create one on the spot, while they watched (“The Dying Rag”). But Berlin felt overwhelming homesickness while in England. And, shortly after his arrival there, he booked the first available ship back to New York City (“I Beg Your Pardon, Dear Old Broadway”). “Home” was always important to Berlin, and songs about homesickness were always easy for him to write. Born in Russia, his earliest memories were of soldiers burning down his family’s home, when he was a small boy, during a pogrom. The family fled to America, with just the few possessions they could carry with them. Young Israel Baline (who would later change his name to Irving Berlin) received little formal education. As a youth, he sang, wherever he could, to pick up some coins (“The Schoolhouse Blues”). He found employment as a singing waiter in Mike Salter’s Pelham Café–a rough joint. (Berlin once saw one patron murder another, while he was performing.) While working there, Berlin developes his skills as a songwriter (“Everybody’s Doin’ It Now,” “Stop Stop Stop,” “Do Your Duty, Doctor”). When Salter fires him, he scrambles to write more songs because he needs the income to live. (Berlin always considered poverty a great motivator.) He comes up with hits, and discovers he can make more money as a songwriter than he ever made as a singing waiter (“My Wife’s Gone to the Country” ). He enjoys growing success professionally. But, by his early 20s, he’s lonely. He writes songs of young men wondering if they’ll ever find that special someone, songs about imagined domestic bliss (“Tell Me, Little Gypsy,” “In A Cozy Kitchenette Apartment”), but he’s not dating anyone. Just working on songs, some of which don’t even satisfy him (“Smile and Show Your Dimple”). His mother says he needs to get out more; he’s never going to meet a prospective wife, just sitting in his office all day, working on songs. But a 19-year-old aspiring singer, Dorothy Goetz, walks into his office one day, looking for a song to sing. Berlin is immediately smitten. Within a few weeks, he’s asking her father for her hand in marriage. Her parents ask him to take good care of their baby (“Always Treat Her Like a Baby”). On their honeymoon trip, Dorothy contracts a serious case of typhoid, which proves to be fatal. Berlin is, at first, too devastated to function. When he eventually returns to songwriting, he crafts a ballad in her memory that becomes a huge hit; for the rest of his life, he will refer to it as the first good ballad, the first mature ballad, he ever wrote: “When I Lost You.” A dozen years will pass before he can bring himself to court another woman. In the meantime, there are songs and shows to write, for our servicemen (“We’re on Our Way to France”) and for the general public (“Bring on the Pepper,”“A Pretty Girl is Like a Melody”). One success follows another. He builds his own Broadway theater. He falls in love with Ellin McKay, whose father, Clarence McKay–one of the wealthiest men in America–is fiercely anti-Semitic, and does not want his daughter seeing Berlin. The father takes his daughter on a world trip, hoping that with Berlin gone from his daughter’s sight, the romance will be forgotten. Berlin himself wonders if their romance will survive (“Someone Else May be There While I’m Gone”). But Ellin McKay chooses Berlin, and they marry…. Berlin reminisces about working with many of the giants of show business, recalling some of his favorites with songs of his that they sang on stage or screen: Al Jolson (“This is the Life,” which Jolson introduced on stage), Eddie Cantor (“Mandy,” which Cantor sang on screen in “Kid Millions”), Fanny Brice (“Wild Cherries,” which Brice introduced on stage), Judy Garland and Fred Astaire (“When the Midnight Choo Choo Leaves for Alabam’,” which Garland and Astaire sang in the film “Easter Parade”), Marilyn Monroe (“You’d be Surprised,” which Monroe sang in the film “There’s No Business Like Show Business”), Ethel Merman (“The International Rag, ” which Merman sang in the film version of “Call Me Madam”). Berlin recalls that some of his most satisfying work was writing songs for–and performing songs for–American servicemen in both World Wars (“I’m Gonna Pin a Medal on the Girl I Left Behind,” “Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning”). When rock ‘n’ roll came up in the mid 1950s, Berlin felt alienated from contemporary music and entertainment. He could not relate to rock at all, and went into a semi-retirement that eventually turned into near-total seclusion. He spent his final years as a recluse, suffering from increasingly worse insomnia--still creating new songs, and sometimes singing to himself the old ones, feeling that the world had passed him by (“Lady of the Evening”). He clung to hopes that he might once more conquer Broadway or Hollywood, even if Broadway and Hollywood seemed to have moved on (“Montmartre,” “Everybody Step”)…. The lights on stage fade to black on the aged Berlin, still dreaming there might be one last hurrah. This album includes the curtain-call music, played by music director Richard Danley (“Say it with Music”), an optional encore (which the actor playing Berlin could sing with the music director or a special guest), Berlin’s first and greatest “double” song. “Play a Simple Melody/Musical Demon” (sung here with guest artist Hawkins Gardow); and the exit music (“Piano Man”). * * * OUR COMPANY.... JED PETERSON (“Irving Berlin”) has performed with such New York theater companies as Prospect Theater Company, Studio Six, the Abingdon Theatre, the New York Theatre Barn, and the Cell. He has starred on stage, Off-Broadway in New York, in such shows as “Hard Times,” “Our God’s Brother,” “Nevsky Prospect,” and “Flirtation.” He has starred regionally in such shows as “Nureyev’s Eyes,” “Zorro,” and “Sherlock Holmes.” He has co-starred on the CBS television program “Madame Secretary.” He’s won the NFAA youngARTS Award and the Continental Rising Star Award, and the Louis Sudler Prize for acting. His training includes the Moscow Art Theatre School, Princeton University, LaGuardia High of the Performing Arts, and the School of American Ballet. For more info, please visit: www.jedqpeterson.com. CHIP DEFFAA (writer/director/arranger) is the author of 16 published plays and eight published books, and the producer of 13 albums. For 18 years he covered entertainment, including music and theater, for The New York Post. He is a graduate of Princeton University and a trustee of the Princeton "Tiger" magazine. He wrote/directed such Off-Broadway successes as "George M. Cohan Tonight!" and "One Night with Fanny Brice." His shows have been performed everywhere from London to Seoul. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Stage Directors & Choreographers Society, and ASCAP. He’s won the ASCAP/Deems Taylor Award, the IRNE Award, and a New Jersey Press Association Award. Please visit: www.chipdeffaa.com. RICHARD DANLEY (music director/pianist) is Chip Deffaa's first choice among music directors and has worked on many shows and/or cast albums of Deffaa's, including "Irving Berlin's America," “The Irving Berlin Ragtime Revue,” "One Night with Fanny Brice," "The Seven Little Foys," "George M. Cohan Tonight!," “Mad About the Boy,” and "Theater Boys." Danley has performed everywhere from daytime dramas on television, to cruise ships, to clubs, to Carnegie Hall. He is on the faculty of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA). RAYNA HIRT (choreography and tap-dancing) is on the faculty of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA). Her association with playwright/director Chip Deffaa goes back to when she was 14 and appeared in the first New York production of Deffaa’s “The Seven Little Foys.” She’s done modeling in addition to theater; has assisted Deffaa with productions; and has toured the US and Canada in “Dragon Tales Live.” She choreographed Deffaa’s show “Mad About the Boy,” and she performed in, and also helped to choreograph, Deffaa’s “Irving Berlin Ragtime Revue” (both productions at the 13th Street Repertory Theater in New York City). She may be heard singing on the cast album of “The Irving Berlin Ragtime Revue.” HAWKINS GARDOW (guest artist), who is the second singer on “Play a Simple Melody”/“Musical Demon,” made his professional New York stage debut as “the Fed-Ex Delivery Guy” in Chip Deffaa’s musical comedy “Theater Boys” at the 13th Street Repertory Theater. He first sang Berlin’s irresistible “Play a Simple Melody”/“Musical Demon” in Deffaa’s musical comedy “The Fanny Brice Story” at the Rosen Theater in Wayne, New Jersey. And he’s sung the song at Rob Lester’s benefit shows in NYC, as well. He was most recently heard on the cast album of Deffaa’s musical comedy “Irving Berlin & Co.” Training: the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA). * * * ACKNOWLEDGMENTS... Our thanks to the one-and-only, ever-supportive Carol Channing (wonderful woman!); production associate Max Beer; historical consultant Alex Dreier; technical advisor Jessee Riehl; New England rep Jeff Sewell; assistants-to-the-director Peter Charney and Tyler DuBoys; producer Sandra Nordgren; Paul Burchett; and our invaluable general counsel, Nick “Arabian Dancer” Keeperman. A tip of the hat, for their help in various ways with the Irving Berlin Project, to Jon Peterson, Giuseppe Bausilio, Emily Bordonaro, Michael Kasper, Cody Green, Iain Armitage, Jack Sprance, Max Galassi, Michael Townsend Wright, Bailey Cummings, R. Dalalsheh, Brandon Pollinger, Missy Dreier, Casie Pepe-Winshell, Brick Greenbean and Gabe Beer, Alec Bordonaro, Josh and Ava Schaller, Deb Deffaa, Julia and Max Deffaa, Louis Deffaa Sr., and Alberta S. Deffaa. Big thanks to editors: Abraheem Abdelhaq, Adam Barki, Yunis Alibrahim. And to proofreaders Matthew Cardona, Joseph Mestanza. Thank you to our Korean producer, Hansaem Song. And to our interns, Michael Herwitz and Ian Palmer. A special shout-out of thanks to the ever-inspiring Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker. And to play publisher Michael Perry/Leicester Bay Theatricals for his unflagging support. * * * If you’ve enjoyed this album, you might also enjoy these 13 other Chip Deffaa albums (available from Amazon.com, CDBaby.com, iTunes, etc.): “The Irving Berlin Ragtime Revue,” “George M. Cohan Tonight!,” “Irving Berlin’s America,” “One Night with Fanny Brice,” “The Seven Little Foys” “Theater Boys,” “Presenting Fanny Brice,” “George M. Cohan: In his Own Words,” “Mad About the Boy,” “The George M. Cohan Revue,” “Irving Berlin & Co.,” “The Johnny Mercer Jamboree,” “George M. Cohan: Rare Original Recordings.” * * * “Irving Berlin: In Person” is one of five different shows celebrating the life and legacy of Irving Berlin that have been created by Chip Deffaa. All are available for licensing. For more information on “Irving Berlin Person,” or any of Deffaa’s other shows, please feel free to contact Chip Deffaa Productions LLC, 50 Quartz Lane, Paterson, NJ 07501-3345, telephone: 973-684-3340; Email: Footloose518@aol.com; www.chipdeffaa.com. Playwright/director/producer Chip Deffaa is represented by The Fifi Oscard Agency (attention: Peter Sawyer, President), 1440 Broadway, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10018, Email: psawyer@fifioscard.com, tel. (212) 764-1100. “IRVING BERLIN: In Person” is published and licensed by Leicester Bay Theatricals, www.leicesterbaytheatricals.com “Irving Berlin: In Person: The Premiere Recording” (p) and © 2016 by Chip Deffaa. Please visit: www.chipdeffaa.com * * * “IRVING BERLIN: In Person” Musical Numbers... (Unless otherwise indicated, numbers are sung by Jed Peterson with accompaniment by Richard Danley.) 1. “AFTER YOU GET WHAT YOU WANT YOU DON’T WANT IT” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 2. “SAY IT WITH MUSIC” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 3. “EVERYTHING IN AMERICA IS RAGTIME” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 4. “ALEXANDER’S RAGTIME BAND” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 5. “PIANO MAN” (words by Irving Berlin, music by Ted Snyder) 6. “I LOVE A PIANO” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 7. “THE DYING RAG” (words by Irving Berlin, music by Bernie Adler) 8. “I BEG YOUR PARDON, DEAR OLD BROADWAY” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 9. “THE SCHOOLHOUSE BLUES” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 10 “EVERYBODY’S DOIN’ IT NOW” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 11 “STOP STOP STOP” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 12 “DO YOUR DUTY, DOCTOR” (words by Irving Berlin, music by Ted Snyder) 13 “MY WIFE’S GONE TO THE COUNTRY” (words by George Whiting and Irving Berlin, music by Ted Snyder) 14. “TELL ME, LITTLE GYPSY” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 15. “IN A COZY KITCHENETTE APARTMENT” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 16 “SMILE AND SHOW YOUR DIMPLE” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 17. “ALWAYS TREAT HER LIKE A BABY” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 18. “WHEN I LOST YOU” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 19 “WE’RE ON OUR WAY TO FRANCE” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 20 “BRING ON THE PEPPER” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 21 “SMILE AND SHOW YOUR DIMPLE”-reprise (words and music by Irving Berlin) 22. “A PRETTY GIRL IS LIKE A MELODY” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 23 “SOMEONE ELSE MAY BE THERE WHILE I’M GONE” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 24 “THIS IS THE LIFE” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 25 “MANDY” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 26 “WILD CHERRIES” (also known as “Wild Cherry Rag”) (words by Irving Berlin, music by Ted Snyder, 1909) 27 “WHEN THE MIDNIGHT CHOO CHOO LEAVES FOR ALABAM’” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 28. “YOU’D BE SURPRISED” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 29. “THE INTERNATIONAL RAG” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 30. “I’M GONNA PIN A MEDAL ON THE GIRL I LEFT BEHIND” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 31. “OH, HOW I HATE TO GET UP IN THE MORNING” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 32. “LADY OF THE EVENING” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 33. “MONTMARTRE” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 34. “EVERYBODY STEP” (words and music by Irving Berlin) 35. Bows music: “SAY IT WITH MUSIC” (instrumental) (music by Irving Berlin)... Richard Danley, piano 36. Encore: “PLAY A SIMPLE MELODY”/“MUSICAL DEMON” (words and music by Irving Berlin)... sung by Jed Peterson and Hawkins Gardow 37. Exit Music: “PIANO MAN” (instrumental) (music by Ted Snyder)... Richard Danley, piano ** * This cast album is dedicated by the producer--with warm appreciation--to the good people of the Charles J. Reilly School Nine. * * * The premiere recording.. . "IRVING BERLIN: In Person" A one-man musical play, written, arranged, and directed by CHIP DEFFAA Inspired by the life of–and featuring the songs of– IRVING BERLIN Starring JED PETERSON as Mr. Berlin Music direction by RICHARD DANLEY Choreography and tap-dancing by Rayna Hirt; guest vocalist: Hawkins Gardow Assistants to the director: Peter Charney, Tyler DuBoys, Alec Deland Music preparation by Donald Brown and Richard Danley; production associates: Max Galassi and Ryan Muska; aides-de-camp: Alexsander “Cavalier” Keeperman and Matthew Nardozzi; stage management by Kate Solomon Tilley and Megan Ulan Album produced by Chip Deffaa Recording Engineer: Slau Halatyn; recorded at Be-Sharp Studios, NYC Art design/layout by Frank Avellino Chip Deffaa’s musical play “Irving Berlin: In Person” was developed at The 13th Street Repertory Theater (Edith O’Hara, Founder/Artistic Director; Sandra Nordgren, Producing Artistic Director), 50 W. 13th Street, New York City. The play “Irving Berlin: In Person” is published and licensed by Leicester Bay Theatricals www.leicesterbaytheatricals.com. Chip Deffaa Productions Garret Mountain Records GMRD CDP 0113 “Irving Berlin: In Person: The Premiere Recording” (p) and © 2016 by Chip Deffaa. ..