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Lectures

When Tom Schuch decided to produce and perform "Einstein: A Stage Portrait," he knew what most people knew about this famous man. Schuch knew Einstein was a brilliant physicist who turned the scientific world on its ear with his famous Theory of Relativity. There isn't a day that passes that most people don't hear a reference to Einstein in some form or another. How many times has someone heard, "Well, he's no Einstein!" or that one of his theories, like the existence of Black Holes, which Einstein predicted years ago, was recently proven to be true? Most are at least vaguely familiar with Einstein and his reputation -- a reputation he shied away from throughout his life.

What Schuch didn't know was the human side of Einstein. The more he researched the more fascinated he became. The three most important things in Einstein's life were his work, his violin, and his sailboat. His violin? His sailboat? He also had a tremendous sense of humor. He loved to tell jokes and perform party tricks. He was a pacifist and a Zionist. He abhorred all forms of authority, but loved ice cream and walks in the mountains. He didn't wear socks and, of course, was unconcerned about his appearance. Did you know Einstein didn't talk until he was three years old and was considered to be a slow learner in school? By the time he was in high school, he was so disruptive in class he was asked to leave. After college his reputation, which garnered him no positive recommendations from his professors, kept him from securing a job. So, he was "out of school and out of work."

All of these fascinating bits of information added up to a great acting challenge. The award-winning play, Einstein: A Stage Portrait, by Willard Simms brings this complicated man's life to the stage. It is a fascinating study of the human side of a brilliant, dedicated, and sometimes controversial man.