Musical Theater

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Maureen enjoys writing classic American musical comedies.  She writes the lyrics and the book, and she co-composes the music with Thomas C. Berg. Her most recent work A HOUSE DIVIDED, is a collaboration with Michael J. Salmanson and Thomas C. Berg.

To obtain rights to perform A HOUSE DIVIDED, contact Maureen here.

To obtain rights to perform GOT IT MADE  or (Almost) GOT IT MADE, go to Heuer Publishing 

 

A HOUSE DIVIDED

An Intimate Musical of the Lincoln Presidency

by Michael J. Salmanson, Maureen Kane Berg

and Thomas C. Berg (book, music and lyrics)Lincoln Mary pic

  • A full-length historical musical.
  • Reveals the behind-the-scenes drama between Lincoln and his family and between Lincoln and his fractious Cabinet.
  • As seen and told by Elizabeth Keckley, African-American seamstress and former slave who became Mary Lincoln’s closest friend in Washington.
  • Actual period songs and original music that evokes the era.
  • WORLD PREMIERE PRODUCTION May 2018 by Narberth Community Theater of Narberth, Pennsylvania.
  • Presented in 2017 in three Staged Readings by the Bluegrass Opera Company of Lexington, Kentucky.
  • Presented in 2015-16 in three Staged Readings by the New Musical Theatre Exchange.  http://www.nmte.org/#!schedule-and-events/c66t
  • Third Staged Reading co-sponsored by the Minnesota Historical Society at the Fort Snelling Visitor Center in St. Paul in January 2016.
  • Runs approximately 2 1/2 hours with a 15-minute intermission.
  • Cast of sixteen, (4 men, 4 women, 2 boys (named parts) plus at least 6 Chorus (3 men, 3 women), which includes several featured parts. (Two of the named parts also sing various Chorus parts.)  Add more Chorus, as desired. More Information
  • Great parts for three older women (Mary Lincoln, Elizabeth Keckley/Character and Elizabeth Keckley/ Narrator) and three older men (Abraham Lincoln, William Henry Seward and Salmon Chase).  Preferred that at least twenty-five percent of the cast, including Chorus, is African-American.

 

GOT IT MADE

by Maureen Kane Berg (book, lyrics, music) and Thomas C. Berg (music)

 

  • A full-length musical, with something for everyone.Got It Made graphic
  • A witty commentary on office politics, corporate corruption and modern romance.
  • Debuted  to critical and audience acclaim at the Pillbury House Theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
  • Boasts productions in theaters nationwide, from Georgia to Washington State.
  • Runs approximately 2 hours with a 15-minute intermission.
  • Written for a cast of twelve, it can be performed with as few as nine.
  • Can accommodate a large chorus of office workers and extras; many bits of singing and acting can be distributed to members of the chorus or consolidated among a smaller cast.
  • ONE SET with a few modular pieces can be re-arranged to create alternate settings.  Watch video for an example of an attractive set that got many positive comments.

THEATERS CAN WATCH VIDEO OF AN ENTIRE PRODUCTION OF GOT IT MADE TO EVALUATE THE SHOW FOR THEIR NEEDS.  Click on the “watch video” icon above to see a full production in short chapters.

I loved the language of it, and the songs . . . , and the characters were memorable, . . . bursting with talent . . . .

– Mark Osler — Osler’s Razor

Perform GOT IT MADE

(Almost) GOT IT MADE

by Maureen Kane Berg (book, lyrics, music) and Thomas C. Berg (music)

Almost Got It Made_artworkresized

  • A one act version of the full musical.
  • Ideal for a blackbox venue or a fringe festival.
  • Debuted to sold out audiences by the The Flowershop Project at the Bryant Lake Bowl Theater, Minneapolis, MN.
  • Also produced in Kentucky.
  • Runs in 65 minutes with no intermission.
  • Written for a compact cast of seven.
  • Can accommodate a chorus of office workers and extras.  Many bits of singing and acting can be handed out to chorus members or consolidated among the smaller cast.
  • ONE SET with a few modular pieces to create alternate settings.

ALTHOUGH THE AVAILABLE VIDEO IS FROM A PRODUCTION OF GOT IT MADE, IT WILL ALSO BE INSTRUCTIVE FOR THEATERS CONSIDERING (Almost) GOT IT MADE.   Simply click on the “watch video” icon above  and check out Chapters 1, 2, 3, 7, 9, 11 and 14 for songs that are included in the shorter version.

Perform (Almost) GOT IT MADE

 

Theaters can easily adapt GOT IT MADE and (Almost) GOT IT MADE to specific house needs. In addition to the cast-size flexibility  described above, the length of the shows is highly adaptable as well.  Want to perform the short version, but love one of the songs that is only in the longer version? Substitute the song for the short scene in (Almost) GOT IT MADE for a custom version.  Similarly, have a yen to perform a full-length musical, but need to come in under two hours?  Cut a song or two from GOT IT MADE in favor the the brief dialogue replacements in the shorter version.

Other Musicals with writing contributed by Maureen Kane Berg

Musical revues performed at Zanies Comedy Club, Chicago, IL by The Public Offenders, an all-lawyer comedy troupe:

  • We’re Keeping Our Day Jobs (We Hope)
  • Shark Bites

Full-length musical comedies performed at The International House Theater, Chicago, IL:

  • Katz
  • Oedifice Lex
  • Return of the J.D.