Composer and co-lyricist Neil Berg traces his interest in musicals to an unlikely origin: seeing Annie on Broadway as a boy. “While everyone else loved ‘Tomorrow,’ ” he remembers, “I loved ‘Maybe,’ her ‘I Want’ song.” In an “I Want” song, the protagonist expresses her dreams (e.g. “Annie wants parents”). It’s telling that the budding composer was interested in the song that sets the entire play in motion. Prologue spoke with Neil during rehearsals for THE 12, the rock musical he created with book writer/co-lyricist Robert Schenkkan.
“From the time I could play the piano, around 9 or 10 [I was writing musicals]. I was the youngest of three and rock ‘n roll was what I grew up listening to. From my brother I got The Beatles and Led Zeppelin and classic rock. My sister was into folk — Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Peter, Paul and Mary. And my mother and father were into classical, jazz and opera. Being the youngest, it all trickled down. When I came into my own, I was into the classic rock movement. My favorite albums were all those rock operas — The Who’s ‘Quadrophenia’ and Genesis’ ‘The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway,’ but my very favorite was probably Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall.'”- Neil Berg
To read the full interview by Douglas Langworthy and to see clips of the Denver production of THE 12, click here.