All about me
Musicals - Mainstage
“The Curse is Reversed” (8M, 1F)
In 1918 the Boston Red Sox won their fifth World Series, thanks in great part to the pitching and hitting of George Herman Ruth, a.k.a. The Babe, or The Bambino. Following the 1919 season in which Ruth hit an astounding (for that era) 29 home runs, Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold the Babe to the New York Yankees.
The Yankees went on to dominate the game of baseball, not just during the Ruth era but for decades afterwards, winning a total of 25 World Series since. The Red Sox, who had won five of the first 15 World Series ever played, embarked on the longest drought in professional sports. It was called The Curse of the Bambino, and the musical by David Kruh and Steven Bergman broke box office records when it premiered at the Lyric Stage Company of Boston in 2001.
Then came 2004, and 86 years of futility came to a wonderful conclusion as the Red Sox finally won the World Series. So Kruh and Bergman have gone back and morphed their successful musical into a celebration of the Red Sox and their fans. Visit www.bambinomusical.com for more informations on licensing.
“Jack the Ripper: The Whitechapel Musical” (10M, 7F, 6+ ensemble)
The most notorious serial killer in history comes to the stage in this haunting musical spectacle. Originally presented in 1997 in Boston, “Jack the Ripper: The Whitechapel Musical” was nominated as “Best New Play” by the Independent Reviewers of New England. The score by Steven Bergman is reminiscient of the works of Sondheim and Boublil/Schoenberg, with the lyrics by Christopher DiGrazia bringing full circle the dark atmosphere of 1888 London. Call or email me for licensing information and quotes.
Plays (full-length)
“Cutting the Leash” (3M, 3F, 4E - mystery)
A light-hearted mystery, this play can be performed as either a long one-act, or two shorter acts. Liam Chewt is a teacher who finds himself recently deceased. The first person he encounters at “the wait station” is his (also deceased) 4th grade teacher, Delilah Franberry. Mrs. Franberry tells Liam that, in order to get into heaven, he has 24 hours to solve his own murder. So Liam, with the help to two “Hell’s Angels,” Nuts and Bolts, becomes a sleuth as he tries to uncover his own murderer. The suspect list includes everyone from Sammy Maestro and Jimmy Uncolukas, the school thugs, to Liam’s own daughter, Elayne, to even Mrs. Franberry herself! A fun, yet poignant work that is perfect for teenage performers and Little Theaters, this play examines topics such as family relationships, finding the right friends, and treasuring life while we’re living it. Approx. 70 minutes. Available from JAC Publishing and Promotions.
Plays (short)
“Rosie, the Teddy Bear” (female monologue - dramatic)
We are introduced to Rosie, an abandoned teddy bear. She talks of the Little Girl who loves her, and the not-so-nice Bigger Lady, whose both verbal and physical abuse causes the Little Girl to seek companionship in her only friend, her teddy bear with the rose on her belly. So why is Rosie on the side of the road? (available from Brooklyn Publishers; pictured: Stephanie Birnbaum as Rosie.)
“History” (1F, 1M - dramatic)
Two twenty-somethings from opposite sides of the tracks meet in a graveyard to discover that they have much more in common than their age ranges. Their conversation, spoken one word at a time, gives them both a glimpse into each other’s “history.” Winner of the 2003 Sonoma County Rep’s New Drama Works Scripts Competition. (available from Brooklyn Publishers)
“Marvin and Julius” (2M or 2F - comic)
It’s graduation day, and Marvin and Julius are expressing their anxiety and excitement about going their separate ways. There is a twist, however: Marvin and Julius are guinea pigs! An “odd couple” style comedy for all ages! Available from Heuer Publishing.
“Have a Seat, Please” (4-7 females- comic)
Evelyn goes to the dentist in order to ask the dentist's son out on a date, but first she has to get past the dentist's mother in the waiting room. She finally does, and miraculously, not only does the dentist understand what Evelyn is saying while she is having a tooth filled, the dentist agrees to ask her son on Evelyn's behalf. Available from Heuer Publishing.
“Next Season” (2M, 1E - comic)
Two artistic directors negotiate over productions for their respective theaters. When they discover that they are planning the same shows, they use a variety of methods to decide who will produce each work. My most produced un-published play. (contains mature language)
“At The Buzzer” (3F, 2M - dramatic)
An homage to the families displaced by Hurricane Katrina, this play looks at the Williamson family: how they left their home, and the circumstances around their return.
“The Guy Chair” (5M [one non-speaking] - comic fantasy)
We visit the world of "the guy chairs": those areas in the shopping malls made up of chairs in various formations for men to sit in while their significant others are shopping forever and ever. In this world, the men don't just sit in the chairs, they become the chairs themselves! The only escape from their "mall incarceration" is to be sat on and subsequently replaced by another guy. This comedy is for every man who has ever had to wait for his shopper in the mall. Available from JAC Publishing and Promotions)
“The Fortune Cookie” (4M - dark comedy)
A restaurant, late at night; Tasser, a mysterious man walks in for a late night bite. While he waits, he’s given some fortune cookies that have strangely factual information on them. What kind of place is this?
Musicals (Young Audiences)
“Tom and Huck” (12+ characters - adaptation)
Music and Lyrics by Steven Bergman. Based on the tales by Mark Twain. Follow Tom, Huck, Becky, and all their friends on some of their most exciting and infamous adventures. From Tom’s getting out of painting Aunt Polly’s fence to their search for buried treasure! Songs include the boys’ anthem “Being a Kid,” the jazzy “Keeps Us On Our Toes,” and the rollicking “Meeting Place.” For all ages; 60-70 minutes.
“The Pied Piper” (20+ characters - adaptation)
Adapted by Steven Bergman, Earl Maulding and Christopher DiGrazia. The local school is performing “The Pied Piper,” and the “Mayor” isn’t ready! the play within a play teaches children about having a good attitude, and the importance of keeping promises, told through the story of Hamelin and its rat problem. The swinging title song, the toe-tapping duet, “You’ve Gotta Have Two,” and the fun-for-all, “We Are The Rats,” are all included in this entertaining adaptation. For all ages; 60 minutes.
Mythological fun!
“King Midas and His Friends” (4 characters [2M, 2F, expandable])
Music and Lyrics by Steven Bergman. Book by Peggy Traktman. An anthology of classical mythology set to a modern beat. Story and songs include King Midas (“Gold Fever”), Pandora (“Why’d Ya Do It?”), Echo and Narcissus, Pygmalion and Galatea (“Perfect Woman”), Minerva and Arachne (“Never Challenge a Goddess”), and the strongest man in the world, Hercules. For ages 8 and up; 60-70 minutes.
MEMBERSHIPS:
Press for “Cutting the Leash”:
“Cutting the Leash is a great piece for high school aged actors to perform. It provides a range of roles from cut-up comic to very dramatic. It’s message is also something we want our teenagers to hear.” (PROFESSOR ANNE LUCAS, M.F.A., SALEM STATE COLLEGE [MA.])
