Last Call tickets

Get Last Call tickets on New York Theatre Guide and see a great meeting of even greater minds: Leonard Bernstein and Herbert von Karajan come together to discuss music, careers…and one last drink. A work of breathtaking historical fiction, Last Call plays in New York for a limited run only at New World Stages this spring.

Last Call follows American conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein (West Side Story) and Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan (conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic), who for half a century were the world’s most celebrated figures in classical music. They were also the fiercest of rivals. What happens — to their passion, egos, and futures — when they finally meet?

As depicted in Peter Danish’s stirring play, the pair of maestros unexpectedly crossed paths one last time late in their lives at the Sacher Hotel in Vienna. Inspired by true events, Last Call takes place during this meeting as the two men, here played by soaring actresses, struggle to find common ground through their music and their lives over one final, shared drink.

American-born Helen Schneider (Norma Desmond in the German Sunset Boulevard, Sally Bowles in the German Cabaret) portrays Bernstein, and Lucca Züchner (On the Town, Cabaret) is von Karajan in the play, which also features Victor Petersen (The Addams Family, Chicago) as Michael.

Gil Mehmert directs Last Call off Broadway, and Danish knows how to make historical fiction compelling in modern contexts. His best-selling debut novel The Tenor won best historical fiction awards (New England Festival of Books, Reader’s Choice Awards), and he is also a composer, bringing a rich knowledge of music to this play. Bernstein and von Karajan were two of the best: but what will a genius learn after being confronted with another?

Important information

• Children under 4 are not permitted in the theatre.
• No weapons permitted on the premises. No outside food or beverages, electric scooters, e-bikes, or battery-powered transportation devices, except when medically necessary.
• All items are subject to inspection. Anything brought into the theatre must fit on your lap or completely under your seat without blocking any aisles. Avoid bringing packages, luggage, and backpacks. Some items must be checked.
• The use of cameras, cell phones, and other recording devices during the show is strictly prohibited by law, except when used for accessibility services.
• E-cigarettes are used on stage