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{{For|the piano performance of two players (four hands) on two pianos|Piano duet}}
{{Infobox play
| name          = 2 Pianos 4 Hands
| image         =
| alt           =
| caption       =
| writer        = {{Plainlist|
* [[Ted Dykstra]]
* [[Richard Greenblatt (playwright)|Richard Greenblatt]]
}}
| based_on      =
| director      =
| music         =
| lyrics        =
| choreography  =
| chorus        =
| characters    = {{Plainlist|
* Ted
* Richard
}}
| mute          =
| setting       =
| premiere      = April 1996
| place         = [[Tarragon Theatre]], Toronto
| orig_lang     =
| series        =
| subject       =
| genre         =
| web           = https://2pianos4hands.com/
}}
'''''Two Pianos Four Hands''''', also referred to as '''''2 Pianos 4 Hands''''', is a Canadian [[musical comedy]] play, written and originally performed by [[Ted Dykstra]] and [[Richard Greenblatt (playwright)|Richard Greenblatt]]. It follows Ted and Richard, two boys who aspire to become famous classical [[pianist]]s. The play follows their journey from childhood, and as the boys grow older, their competitions and music auditions. ''Two Pianos Four Hands'' premiered at the [[Tarragon Theatre]] in Toronto in 1996, and has since been staged on five continents and has been regarded as one of the most successful Canadian plays.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Meng |first1=Connie |title=''2 Pianos, 4 Hands'' in Ottawa |url=https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/19156/20120119/review-2-pianos-4-hands-in-ottawa |website=[[North Country Public Radio]]|access-date=31 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=''2 Pianos, 4 Hands'' Will Tickle the Ivories and Funny Bone |url=https://behindthecurtaincincy.com/2019/10/09/2-pianos-4-hands-will-tickle-the-ivories-and-funny-bone/ |website=Behind the Curtain Cincinnati |date=9 October 2019 |access-date=31 May 2022}}</ref>
Based loosely on their own lives, Dykstra and Greenblatt have described ''Two Pianos Four Hands'' as a comedic play that features music and pianos.<ref name=Mirvish1>{{cite web|publisher=Mirvish Productions|title=2P4H – Who named the show ''2 Pianos 4 Hands''? |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FfaFHob_g0 |website=YouTube |access-date=31 May 2022 |date=30 May 2022}}</ref> The show is named after the [[piano duet]] term, [[piano four hands]], which involves two pianists playing the same piano simultaneously. They arrived at the play's name, ''Two Pianos, Four Hands'', since each of the two pianists play their own piano (a piano duo).<ref name=Mirvish1 />
== Premise ==
At the start, Ted and Richard are two young boys in Canada with aspirations of becoming world-famous classical pianists. They learn to play the piano and endure pushy parents, eccentric teachers, endless hours of repetitive practice, and stage fright. Gradually, Ted and Richard mature and their skills improve. As the boys befriend and compete with one another, they are also auditioning for music festivals and music conservatories. The boys begin to realize the difference between being 'good' and 'great'.
When Ted and Richard are young boys, they alternate performing as solo pianists. Meanwhile, the other plays a [[Composite character|composite]] of pushy and eccentric adults in the child's life. Later on in the show, both Ted and Richard perform together.
== Production history ==
Dykstra and Greenblatt met in 1993 while working on ''So You Think You're Mozart'', produced by Chamber Concerts Canada. At the encouragement of the associate artistic director of Tarragon Theatre, Andy McKim, the two realized their similar stories and began conceptualizing ideas for the play.<ref name=anniversary>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.mirvish.com/meanwhile/issue-35/happy-25th-anniversary-2p4h|title=Happy 25th anniversary 2P4H|date=April 20, 2021|magazine=Meanwhile|issue=34|publisher=mirvish.com|access-date=1 June 2022}}</ref> In 1994, Dykstra and Greenblatt formed the production company "Talking Fingers" to further develop and workshop the play, which was originally 25 minutes long.<ref name=WCT>{{cite web |last1=Dykstra |first1=Ted |last2=Greenblatt |first2=Richard |title=''2 Pianos 4 Hands''|url=https://docslib.org/doc/4611078/2p4h-study-guide-pdf |website=[[Western Canada Theatre]]|access-date=31 May 2022}}</ref> After a successful workshop presentation, an expanded 90-minute version of ''Two Pianos Four Hands'' was then added to Tarragon Theatre's 1995-96 main season.<ref name=WCT />
During its initial run, [[David Mirvish]] took notice and encouraged Dykstra and Greenblatt to commercially produce ''Two Pianos Four Hands''.<ref name=WCT /> After the play closed at the Tarragon Theatre, it was extended further to 2 hours and embarked on a commercially produced Canadian tour.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ellicock |first1=Ray |title=Mirvish Will Send 2 Pianos on Tour |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/mirvish-will-send-2-pianos-on-tour-com-68402?jwsource=cl |website=Playbill |access-date=31 May 2022 |date=23 September 1996}}</ref><ref  name=anniversary />
=== Original cast ===
''Two Pianos Four Hands'' premiered at the Tarragon Theatre, in Toronto, Ontario, with previews starting in April 1996, before officially opening on May 13, 1996.<ref name=tarragon>{{cite web|url=https://www.tarragontheatre.com/plays/2-pianos-4-hands/|title=''2 Pianos, 4 Hands''|type=production details|publisher=[[Tarragon Theatre]]|date=May–August 1997|access-date=1 June 2022}}</ref> It closed on August 24, 1997, before embarking on a brief Canadian tour.<ref name=tarragon /><ref name=Haun>{{cite web |last1=Haun |first1=Harry |last2=Lefkowitz |first2=David |last3=Friedlander |first3=Mira |title=''2 Pianos, 4 Hands'' Returns To Toronto After US Tour, July 28 |url=https://playbill.com/article/2-pianos-4-hands-returns-to-toronto-after-us-tour-july-28-com-74163 |website=[[Playbill]]|access-date=31 May 2022 |date=20 March 1998}}</ref>
With the support of [[David Mirvish|David]] and [[Ed Mirvish]], ''Two Pianos Four Hands'' transferred to an [[off-Broadway]] theatre. The play opened at the Promenade Theatre on October 30, 1997. The off-Broadway engagement at the Promenade Theatre closed on May 10, 1998, after 231 performances.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/shows/backstage.php?showid=325067|title=''Two Pianos Four Hands'' Production History|website=[[BroadwayWorld]]|date=October 1997 – May 1998|access-date=1 June 2022}}</ref> The show was scheduled to transfer to the [[John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts|Kennedy Center]] in [[Washington, D.C.]]; however popular demand led to the play being transferred to another off-Broadway venue. Dykstra and Greenblatt starred in the production at the Kennedy Center, and the subsequent tour stops across Western Canada.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hansen |first1=Lianne |title=''2 Pianos 4 Hands''|url=https://www.npr.org/1998/04/26/1001637/2-pianos-4-hands |website=[[NPR]]|access-date=31 May 2022 |date=26 April 1998}}</ref>
In late 1999, Dykstra and Greenblatt embarked on an international tour with ''Two Pianos Four Hands''. This included an extended three-month production, first performed on October 5, 1999, at the [[Harold Pinter Theatre|Comedy Theatre]] in London's [[West End theatre|West End]], and a multi-week engagement in Japan.<ref name=Jones>{{cite web |last1=Jones |first1=Kenneth |title=Canadian Favorite ''2 Pianos 4 Hands'' Gets Three North American Engagements January-April 2006 |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/canadian-favorite-2-pianos-4-hands-gets-three-north-american-engagements-january-april-2006-com-129932 |website=[[Playbill]]|access-date=31 May 2022 |date=26 December 2005}}</ref> In 2003, ''Two Pianos Four Hands'' played a special engagement at the [[Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres|Elgin Theatre]] in Toronto.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kates |first1=Jim |title=''2 Pianos 4 Hands'' — One Highly Amusing Evening |url=https://artsfuse.org/86341/fuse-theater-review-2-pianos-4-hands-one-highly-amusing-evening/ |website=ArtsFuse |access-date=31 May 2022}}</ref>
Beginning in 2011, Dykstra and Greenblatt embarked on a 'farewell tour' with the show. This tour made stops across Canada, including extended stops in Ottawa and Toronto, as well as in major American markets Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and Washington.<ref name="2 Pianos 4 Hands waves farewell">{{cite web |last1=Borowiecki |first1=Anna |title=2 Pianos 4 Hands waves farewell |url=https://www.stalberttoday.ca/entertainment-news/2-pianos-4-hands-waves-farewell-1283567 |website=St. Albert Today |date=23 October 2013}}</ref> The final performance was in November 2013 at the [[Citadel Theatre]] in [[Edmonton]].
In August 2021, [[Mirvish Productions]] announced a special limited engagement of ''2P4H'', that will star Dykstra and Greenblatt for the first time since the creators retired from the show in 2013. The show will open at the [[Royal Alexandra Theatre]] on June 4, 2022.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wild |first1=Stephi |title=''2 Pianos 4 Hands'' Comes to the Royal Alexandra Theatre in June |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/toronto/article/2-PIANOS-4-HANDS-Comes-to-the-Royal-Alexandra-Theatre-in-June-20220314 |website=[[BroadwayWorld]]|access-date=29 May 2022 |date=14 Mar 2022}}</ref>
=== Other productions ===
The 1998 off-Broadway revival was the first time a production of ''Two Pianos Four Hands'' was performed without Dykstra and Greenblatt. The cast included [[Andrew Lippa]] as Ted and [[Jed Rees]] as Richard.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Haum |first1=Harry |last2=Lefkowitz |first2=David |title=''2 Pianos, 4 Hands'' – And a House Full of Piano Teachers, May 5 |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/2-pianos-4-hands-and-a-house-full-of-piano-teachers-may-5-com-75118 |website=[[Playbill]]|access-date=31 May 2022 |date=5 May 1998}}</ref> Lippa and Rees also continued with the play for its first US national tour in 1998 and 1999.<ref name="Pianos keyed to travel">{{cite web |last1=Brodesser |first1=Claude |title=''Pianos'' keyed to travel |url=https://variety.com/1998/legit/news/pianos-keyed-to-travel-1117469906/ |website=Variety |access-date=31 May 2022 |date=20 April 1998}}</ref>
In 2006, another North American tour began, this time starring Tom Frey as Ted and Richard Carsey as Richard.<ref name=Jones />
Since Dykstra and Greenblatt's retirement from the show in 2013, several regional productions of ''Two Pianos Four Hands'' have been performed across North America and internationally. In 2019, an extended production of the play opened at the [[Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park]], which starred Jefferson McDonald and Matthew McGloin.<ref>{{cite web |last1=WCPO 9 |title="2 Pianos, 4 Hands" Preview |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_a_rNyDLxk |website=YouTube |access-date=31 May 2022 |date=6 December 2019}}</ref> The [[National Arts Centre]] in [[Ottawa]] also opened a production of the show, which starred Reza Jacobs and Max Roll, and was directed by Greenblatt.<ref name="apt613.ca">{{cite web |last1=Pepper |first1=Ryan |title=Theatre Review: 2 Pianos 4 Hands at the NAC—until 08.03.19 |url=https://apt613.ca/theatre-review-2-pianos-4-hands/ |website=apt613 |access-date=31 May 2022 |date=21 July 2019}}</ref>
=== Recordings and other media ===
The final performance of the 'farewell tour' starring Dykstra and Greenblatt was recorded live at the [[Citadel Theatre]] in November 2013, and released for sale in early 2014.<ref name="2 Pianos 4 Hands waves farewell"/>
On April 6, 2021, it was announced that the filmed recording of the 2013 performance would become available for streaming through [[BroadwayHD]], to coincide with the show's 25th anniversary.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wild |first1=Stephi |title=BroadwayHD Premieres ''2 Pianos 4 Hands''|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/BroadwayHD-Premieres-2-PIANOS-4-HANDS-20210406 |website=[[BroadwayWorld]]|access-date=31 May 2022 |date=6 April 2021}}</ref>
==Casting history==
In the show's early years, Dykstra and Greenblatt performed it almost exclusively.<ref name=anniversary /> As the demand for productions of the show increased, it became necessary to audition other actors for the roles. However, the producers encountered challenges in the audition process because of the unique demands of the show. This is because the show requires actors to play piano at a conservatory level while having sufficient acting and comedic skills.<ref name="Pianos keyed to travel"/>
The principal original casts of notable stage productions of ''Two Pianos Four Hands'':<ref name=Haun /><ref name=Jones /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Simendinger |first1=Anne |title=''2 Pianos, 4 Hands'' at Cincinnati Playhouse In The Park |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/cincinnati/article/BWW-Review-2-PIANOS-4-HANDS-at-Cincinnati-Playhouse-In-The-Park-20191126 |website=BroadwayWorld |access-date=31 May 2022 |date=26 November 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Michael |first1=Akrit |title=Mirvish Productions to breathe new life into Toronto's dormant theatre scene with new 11-production season |url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/stage/2021/08/23/mirvish-productions-to-breathe-new-life-into-torontos-dormant-theatre-scene-with-new-11-production-season.html |website=Toronto Star |access-date=31 May 2022 |date=23 August 2021}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
! width="10%" rowspan="2"| Role
! width="10%"| [[Tarragon Theatre]]
! width="10%"| Canadian tour
! width="10%"| Off-Broadway
! width="10%"| [[John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts|Kennedy Center]] / 2nd Canadian tour
! width="10%"| Off-Broadway revival
! width="10%"| US tour
! width="10%"| West End
! width="10%"| Tokyo, Japan
! width="10%"| Toronto
! width="10%"| North American tour
! width="10%"| Farewell tour
! width="10%"| Canadian regional
! width="10%"| Cincinnati
! width="10%"| Toronto
|-
! <small>1996</small>
! <small>1996–1997</small>
! <small>1997–1998</small>
! <small>1998–1999</small>
! <small>1998</small>
! <small>1998–1999</small>
! <small>1999</small>
! <small>2003</small>
! <small>2003</small>
! <small>2006</small>
! <small>2011–2013</small>
! <small>2018–2019</small>
! <small>2019–2020</small>
! <small>2022</small>
|-
! Ted
|colspan="4" align="center" | Ted Dykstra
|colspan="2" align="center" | Andrew Lippa
|colspan="3" align="center" | Ted Dykstra
| Tom Frey
| Ted Dykstra
| Reza Jacobs
| Jefferson McDonald
| Ted Dykstra
|-
! Richard
|colspan="4" align="center" | Richard Greenblatt
|colspan="2" align="center" | Jed Rees
|colspan="3" align="center" | Richard Greenblatt
| Richard Carsey
| Richard Greenblatt
| Max Roll
| Matthew McGloin
| Richard Greenblatt
|-
|}
== Music ==
The two-hour version of ''Two Pianos Four Hands'' normally features samples of 20 to 30 musical pieces, primarily classical numbers such as pieces by [[Johann Sebastian Bach|Bach]] and [[Ludwig van Beethoven|Beethoven]], and some other [[jazz standard]]s and [[Rock music|rock]] numbers.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Marks |first1=Peter |title=Concerto for Two Pianos And a Hundred Memories |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/31/movies/theater-review-concerto-for-two-pianos-and-a-hundred-memories.html |website=New York Times |date=31 October 1997}}</ref> Various pop songs and other famous piano songs are interspersed throughout the show and in the medley at the end of the show, including snippets of songs by [[Elton John]], [[John Lennon]], and [[Linus and Lucy|Linus' song]] from the ''Peanuts'' cartoons.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Alderson |first1=Mary |title=Musical Comedy to Tickle You and the Ivories |url=https://theatreinlondon.ca/2009/07/2-pianos-4-hands-review/ |website=Theatre in London |access-date=31 May 2022 |date=20 July 2009}}</ref> All music in ''Two Pianos Four Hands'' is performed live by the actors portraying Ted and Richard, without accompaniment.
The specific chronology of the songs occasionally varies between productions, and in some other instances, additional songs are included.<ref name=PCP>{{cite book |last1=Dykstra |first1=Ted |last2=Greenblatt |first2=Richard |title=2 Pianos 4 Hands |date=1 December 2012 |publisher=Playwrights Canada Press |location=Toronto}}</ref> The following song chronology is as described in the 2012 script of the play.<ref name=PCP />
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
; Act I
* "[[Harpsichord Concerto in D minor, BWV 1052|Concerto in D minor]], 1st [[movement (music)|movement]]" <small>([[J. S. Bach]])</small>
* "[[Piano Sonata No. 6 (Beethoven)|Sonatina No. 6 in F major]]" <small>([[Beethoven]])</small>
* "[[Piano Sonata No. 16 (Mozart)|Sonata Facile in C major]], 1st movement" <small>([[Mozart]])</small>
* "Sonata for One Piano, Four Hands in D major, 1st Movement" <small>(Mozart)</small>
* "[[In the Hall of the Mountain King|In der Halle des Bergkönigs]]", ''[[Peer Gynt, Suite No. 1]]'' <small>([[Edvard Grieg]])</small>
* "Concerto in D minor, 1st movement" <small>(Bach)</small>
{{col-break}}
; Act II
* "[[Prelude, Op. 28, No. 15 (Chopin)|Prelude in D-flat major]]" <small>([[Chopin]])</small>
* "[[Asturias (Leyenda)|Leyenda]]" <small>([[Isaac Albéniz]])</small>
* "[[Rondo in C major (Chopin)|Rondo for Two Pianos, Four Hands in C major]]" <small>(Chopin)</small>
* "[[Fantasiestücke, Op. 12|Fantasiestücke No. 12]]" <small>([[Schumann]])</small>
* "[[Piano Sonata No. 8 (Beethoven)|Pathétique Sonatina No. 8 in C minor]], 1st and 2nd movements <small>(Beethoven)</small>
* "[[Ballade No. 2 (Chopin)|Ballade No. 2 in F major]]" <small>(Chopin)</small>
* "[[Mephisto Waltzes|Mephisto Waltz No. 1]]" <small>([[Franz Liszt]])</small>
* "A Medley of Pop Tunes"
* "[[Impromptus (Schubert)#No. 2 in A♭ major|Impromptu in A-flat]], from D. 935" <small>([[Schubert]])</small>
* "[[Piano Man (song)|Piano Man]]" <small>([[Billy Joel]])</small>
* "Concerto in D minor, 1st movement" <small>(Bach)</small>
{{col-end}}
== Reception ==
''Two Pianos Four Hands'' has received critical and commercial acclaim.
William Triplett of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' gave a positive review of the 1998 Kennedy Center production, praising the script and acting. Hailing the show as a "crescendo of pleasure", Triplett wrote, "The show's liveliness and strength derive from the duo's ability to look back not in anger but affection, not with nostalgia but clarity. They zero in on the weird mix of absurdity and logic that always seems to develop whenever kids are forced to assume artistic ambition. The result is a little more than two hours of big laughs -- not just at the eccentric and dysfunctional people who terrorized their youth but at themselves as well."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Triplett |first1=William |title=''2 Pianos, 4 Hands'': A Crescendo of Pleasure |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1998/04/10/2-pianos-4-hands-a-crescendo-of-pleasure/d6a6c6c7-5d14-4223-9743-85da85ef3651/ |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=31 May 2022 |date=10 April 1998}}</ref>
Reviewing the 2011 tour stop in Toronto, Paula Citron wrote that ''2P4H'' is a show you can see "over and over again and still find yourself laughing."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Citron |first1=Paula |title=2 Pianos 4 Hands is like a favourite song |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/theatre-and-performance/2-pianos-4-hands-is-like-a-favourite-song/article629955/ |website=The Globe & Mail |access-date=31 May 2022 |date=31 October 2011}}</ref> Meanwhile, Mark Andrew Lawrence of ''BroadwayWorld'' praised the show's constant humor and heart, pointing out the show is an even bigger success likely because non-classical music aficionados can easily enjoy the show. Lawrence ended the review, writing, "For the uninitiated be prepared for a show filled with humor and heartbreak and some beautiful music all done in perfect harmony."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lawrence |first1=Mark Andrew |title=''Two Pianos, Four Hands'' – Touching and Screamingly Funny |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/toronto/article/BWW-Reviews-TWO-PIANOS-FOUR-HANDS-Touching-and-Screamingly-Funny-20111101 |website=BroadwayWorld |access-date=31 May 2022 |date=1 November 2011}}</ref>
In a review of the Ottawa production, Ryan Pepper praised the show's relatability and appeal to broader audiences, with a constant stream of humour mixed with some heartfelt moments.<ref name="apt613.ca"/>
== Awards and honors ==
The play has received multiple awards and honors:
* In 1996, it won a [[Dora Award]] for Outstanding Production.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wild |first1=Stephi |title=''2 Pianos 4 Hands'' Comes to the Royal Alexandra Theatre in June |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/toronto/article/2-PIANOS-4-HANDS-Comes-to-the-Royal-Alexandra-Theatre-in-June-20220314 |access-date=31 May 2022}}</ref>
* In 1997, Dykstra and Greenblatt received a [[Floyd S. Chalmers Canadian Play Award|Chalmers Award]], a Canadian National Award, for playwriting.<ref>{{cite book |last1=New |first1=William H. |title=Encyclopedia of Literature in Canada |publisher=University of Toronto Press}}</ref>
* In 1997, it was named in the "Top 10 Productions of the Year" list by [[Clive Barnes]] of the ''[[New York Post]]''<ref>{{cite news|last=Swarns|first=Rachel L.|author-link=Rachel L. Swarns|title=Theater; New Play, and Old Questions, About Women|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/07/theater/theater-new-play-and-old-questions-about-women.html|website=[[The New York Times]]|date=7 December 1997 |access-date=31 May 2022}}</ref>
* In 2006, ''Two Pianos Four Hands'' was named the "Outstanding Touring Production" by the Connecticut Theatre Critics Circle.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://chemainustheatrefestival.ca/the-reviews-are-in/ | title=The reviews are in! | date=18 April 2017 }}</ref>
== References ==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* {{official|https://2pianos4hands.com/}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Two Pianos Four Hands}}
[[Category:Canadian musicals]]
[[Category:1996 musicals]]
[[Category:Comedy plays]]
[[Category:Two-handers]]
[[Category:Musicals set in Canada]]