“enchanting and reverent” – DC Theater Arts
“Two singer-songwriters sit on the edge of a cliff…”
With these words, we are drawn into the world of Both Sides Now. This theatrical concert explores the music and lives of long-time friends and one-time lovers, Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen. Also, the show was created by, and stars, Robbie Schaefer and Danielle Wertz. Here, this cabaret-style performance traverses decades with highlights “A Case of You,” “Hallelujah,” “Big Yellow Taxi,” “Suzanne,” and many more. Both Sides Now is at once a piece of the 60’s and 70’s, and of right now. Here, they craft a story about the messiness of being human, of lives persistently lived at the edge of growth. Then, of finding the courage to turn toward one another, again and again.
Robbie Schaefer is a rabbi, singer-songwriter and theatre/film artist. The guitarist and songwriter for the indie folk band Eddie From Ohio has several solo releases.
Robbie has shared the stage with Jason Mraz, Sara Bareilles, Josh Groban, Keb‘ Mo’, and Emmylou Harris, among others. His first work for musical theater, Light Years, saw its world premiere at the Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre in 2018. Moreover, this explores his relationship with his father, a Holocaust survivor.
Danielle Wertz is a storyteller, collaborator, jazz musician, composer and arranger. Furthermore, she has rapidly gained national acclaim. Jazz Music Archives described her as “untarnished by the politics of music”. Also, New York City Jazz Record calls her “a masterful ballad interpreter”.
Wertz was named a 2015 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocal Competition semi-finalist. Then, she independently released her debut album, Intertwined. It ranked Number Four on Capital Bop‘s list of “Best DC Jazz Albums of 2017.” Additionally, she placed Second in the Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition and Third in the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Vocal Competition.
Recommended for fans of Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Carole King and James Taylor.
- Genre:
- Rock/Pop
