Leonard Bernstein and Herbert von Karajan Will Cross Paths Off-Broadway in Last Call

Last Call, a new play by Peter Danish (The Tenor, The Blind Date) and directed by Gil Mehmert (Of Mice and Men), will have a limited engagement at New World Stages March 12-May 4, with an opening night set for March 16.

The play is about American conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein and Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan, who for half a century were the world’s most celebrated figures in classical music and the fiercest of rivals. They unexpectedly crossed paths one last time late in their lives at the Sacher Hotel in Vienna. Inspired by true events, Last Call takes place during this meeting as both men struggle to find common ground through their music and their lives over one last drink.

Bernstein and von Karajan will be played by two of Germany’s leading actresses, the American born Helen Schneider (Norma Desmond in the German Sunset Boulevard, Sally Bowles in the German Cabaret) as Bernstein and Lucca Züchner (On the Town, Cabaret) as von Karajan. Last Call also features Victor Petersen (The Addams Family, Chicago) as Michael.

The production features scenic design by Chris Barreca, costume design by Renè Neumann, lighting design by Michael Grundner, original music and sound design by Lindsay Jones, and video and projection design by Austin Switser.