33 Variations is a play by Moisés Kaufman, inspired by Ludwig van Beethoven's eponymous work. It débuted on Broadway on March 9, 2009, starring Jane Fonda.www.playbill.com/news/article/123984.html Originally written in 2007, its world première was held at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.broadwayworld.com/article/33_Variations_An_Ode_to_Joy_20070907www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14265733

Plot

The play simultaneously examines the creative process behind Beethoven's Diabelli Variations and the journey of a musicologist, Katherine Brandt, to discover the meaning behind why Beethoven was compelled to write thirty-three distinct variations on a simple theme by a nobody music publisher. The action takes place both in Beethoven's time and the present, switching back and forth between the two. However, at certain key points, characters from both time periods appear on stage to deliver lines simultaneously, emphasizing the parallels between the exploits of both sets of characters.

Production history

All productions of this show have been directed by the playwright, Moisés Kaufman, with piano by Diane Walsh."Who's who", from 33 Variations official website, undated. Accessed May 19, 2009.