Directed by Gordon Greenberg, with music direction by Eric Svejcar and choreography by Mark Dendy, the show transforms Brel's astonishing musical compositions into a theatrical experience that has enthralled audiences for nearly four decades. The original show opened in 1968 at The Village Gate in Greenwich Village and ran for more than four years.
With a cast of four actors and three musicians, the show celebrates Brel's timeless relevance and enduring passions. Translated from the French by American poet Eric Blau and lyricist Mort Shuman ("Save The Last Dance For Me"), the show is a diverse blend of ballads, tangos, boleros, rock and classics. With raw human emotion, each piece tells a story, examining themes of love, war, adventure, broken dreams, people from all classes, being young, growing old and death...but never forgetting that life, with all its tragedies and complexities, shows us much humor.