Initially developed by Moisés Kaufman and Tectonic Theater Project, 33 Variations premiered at Washington, D.C.’s Arena Stage in 2007. The journey to this premiere began four years earlier when Kaufman learned of Anton Diabelli from a clerk at the now-defunct Tower Records in New York City. The story stayed with Kaufman. 'It immediately captured my imagination,' he said. 'Why would someone of Beethoven's stature choose such a trivial melody and spend four years on it? Although this play is based on the birth of the 'Diabelli Variations', I have chosen to explore the story from a fictional perspective through a contemporary and historical lens. Thus, this play is not a reconstruction of a historical event; rather, it's a series of variations on a moment in one life, and its implications for the past and future. Kaufman continued to work on the plays structure 33 scenes that Kaufman calls “variations.” Characteristically for Kaufman and Tectonic, the play experimented with theatrical forms from scene to scene and after a successful run at Arena it was performed at La Jolla Playhouse in 2008.

The play premiered on Broadway in 2009, starring Jane Fonda in her first stage role in 46 years. The Broadway production was nominated for five Tony Awards, including Best Play, and received the award for Best Scenic Design.