Two Pianos Four Hands premiered at the Tarragon Theatre in Toronto in 1996, and has since been staged on five continents and has been regarded as one of the most successful Canadian plays.
They learn to play the piano and endure pushy parents, eccentric teachers, endless hours of repetitive practice, and stage fright.
At the encouragement of the associate artistic director of Tarragon Theatre, Andy McKim, the two realized their similar stories and began conceptualizing ideas for the play.
[4] In 1994, Dykstra and Greenblatt formed the production company "Talking Fingers" to further develop and workshop the play, which was originally 25 minutes long.
[5] After a successful workshop presentation, an expanded 90-minute version of Two Pianos Four Hands was then added to Tarragon Theatre's 1995-96 main season.
[6][4] Two Pianos Four Hands premiered at the Tarragon Theatre, in Toronto, Ontario, with previews starting in April 1996, before officially opening on May 13, 1996.
This included an extended three-month production, first performed on October 5, 1999, at the Comedy Theatre in London's West End, and a multi-week engagement in Japan.
In August 2021, Mirvish Productions announced a special limited engagement of 2P4H, that will star Dykstra and Greenblatt for the first time since the creators retired from the show in 2013.
[17] The National Arts Centre in Ottawa also opened a production of the show, which starred Reza Jacobs and Max Roll, and was directed by Greenblatt.
[18] The final performance of the 'farewell tour' starring Dykstra and Greenblatt was recorded live at the Citadel Theatre in November 2013, and released for sale in early 2014.
William Triplett of The Washington Post gave a positive review of the 1998 Kennedy Center production, praising the script and acting.
Lawrence ended the review, writing, "For the uninitiated be prepared for a show filled with humor and heartbreak and some beautiful music all done in perfect harmony.
"[27] In a review of the Ottawa production, Ryan Pepper praised the show's relatability and appeal to broader audiences, with a constant stream of humour mixed with some heartfelt moments.