History Of The Play

Einstein: A Stage Portrait was first presented at the Odyssey Theatre in Los Angeles, Ca. in 1984, directed by Willard Simms. It was voted Critics Choice, and received awards for writing, directing, and acting. It was soon moved to the larger Westwood Playhouse, and subsequently taken on a national tour. During the course of the tour it played in many cities and universities, including the Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley, Ca. There it was seen by Banesh Hoffman, one of Albert Einstein's closest colleagues at the Institute for Advance Studies at Princeton University. Dr. Hoffman remarked that the Einstein script marvelously "captured the impish curiosity" of the great scientist. It was later produced in San Francisco where Mrs. Hans Einstein (Dr. Einsteins daughter-in-law) was so moved by the portrayal that she wrote a letter to the production telling the producers that the play "presented so much of the man she knew and loved." The script has been performed all over the world, in countries as diverse as Italy, Hungary, Argentina, Zimbabwe, and Scotland. The indomitable spirit of the man who was the greatest scientist in the world, yet believed that morality was always more important than science, will always be universal.

~Willard Simms, Einstein playwright

This award-winning play (Dramalogue, Best Playwright) brings to life a brilliant, dedicated, and sometimes controversial theoretical physicist who TIME magazine called their "Man of the Century." Einstein was "a much too famous man whose reputation grew so out of proportion." He was a reluctant celebrity who single-handedly set the science world on its collective ear at the astonishing age of 26 with his Special Theory of Relativity. His passion was deciphering nature's puzzle, and spent his entire life trying to fit the pieces together. Yet, he didn't begin talking until the age of three and was considered to be a slow learner by his teachers. He abhorred all forms of authority which made his school years difficult and finding work as an adult even harder. Despite all that, a day rarely passes when we don't hear some reference to Albert Einstein.

The Setting: The year is 1946, the 'Bomb' was dropped, the world has forever changed, and Einstein has invited the audience over to his home to "set the record straight." Join him for an evening of humor, introspection, science and a little violin. Find out why his theories are being proven true to this day! You'll walk away with an understanding of the man who solved many of the world's most difficult puzzles with astounding creativity and a delicious sense of humor.

Einstein: A Stage Portrait can be presented in conjunction with SPOLI Productions' Artist-in-Residency Programs.