Oradell Performer Makes Off-Broadway Debut This Week

For the next three days Oradell's Pierce Gidez will make his off-Broadway debut in acclaimed composer and author, Jay Alan Zimmerman's stage production the "Incredibly Deaf Musical" at the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater in New York City. He will perform Thursday through Saturday.

The 13-year-old River Dell student made his New York Stage debut in the October 2010 New York Musical Festival run of  Zimmerman's “Incredibly Deaf Musical” before joining the Broadway version. He portrays the youngest version of Zimmerman in the show.

The seventh grader has appeared as “Jeepers” in Sleeping Beauty, “Winthrop” in Music Man, and “JoJo” in Seussical at The GarageTheatre in Teaneck, Peter Pan (“Michael”) at Random Farms Kids Theatre in Tarrytown; and a Broadway Reading of Anna the Storyteller (“Ramiro”).

He also has several television credits to his name including Saturday Night Live, Wonder Showzen, Sesame Street and the Today Show. Gidez studies voice with Vicky Casella, Bob Marks, and Stephanie Tennill and piano with Dr. Angela Robinson at the Bergen Academy of Music. He made his Carnegie Hall piano and voice debut in 2008.

Stemming from his own personal experiences, Jay Alan Zimmerman’s theatrical production tells the story of Jay – a composer who is dealing with the noisy buzz of progressive deafness stealing away his songs.  As Jay struggles to hold onto the disappearing notes, his wife and son help him strive for something other than fame or death. 

“I learned a lot from the 2010 New York Musical Theater Festival production of this play,” explained Mr. Zimmerman.  “While the reviews were very positive, I discovered I needed to restructure the drama, cut a few songs, and make both deafness and music -- two things that are ‘invisible’ --  more visible on stage.   So even though we're far from having a Broadway budget, we're using costuming, movement, and visual music projections like I've done for art exhibits in order to enhance the production while deepening the story.  It's exciting to be improving the show and raising money for Hearing Health Foundation at the same time."

A vibrant pop-classical-experimental-caption integrated mash-up, Jay Alan Zimmerman’s Incredibly Deaf Musical is the heartwarming, booty-shaking autobiography of a man trying everything he can to keep the music flying.  Jay himself – a man of many talents – not only wrote the show but also steps into the starring role for this special limited run production to benefit Hearing Health Foundation, the leading private funder of scientific research for the regeneration of hearing.  Show proceeds will go to the Hearing Health Foundation. 

Tickets are $30 and can be purchased online. The limited run production will benefit the Hearing Health Foundation. The Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater is located on 10 West 64th Street, New York, NY 10023.

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