10-MINUTE MUSICAL COLLECTION
Book & Lyrics by
Joan Saltzman
Book & Music by
Andrew Underberg
Comedy
Pigeons Mate For Life
In a whimsical tale, Jane, unlucky in love, finds solace in her charming pigeon, Santino. When she meets Max at the Philly Pigeon Phanciers Club, their shared passion for pigeons leads to a budding romance, challenging them to learn from their feathered friends and give love another chance despite their differences.
Overview
Cast Size
4 (2m, 2f)*
Duration
10 Min.
Setting
Various locations in and around Philadelphia. The present.
Subgenre
Romantic Comedy
Themes
Relationships, Love, Cooperation, Commitment, Animals, Companionship
Target Audience
Appropriate for all audiences
Style
Musical Theater, Pop and a hint of Irish Folk
Instrumentation
Piano/Vocal
Additional Resources
N/A
Cautions
N/A
Casting Information
MAX: Male-identifying. He has trouble with relationships, has a female pigeon, Bernadette, and attempts a relationship with Jane.
JANE: Female-identifying. She’s unlucky in love, has a male pigeon companion, Santino, meets an eligible guy, Max, and embarks on a relationship with him.
SANTINO: Male-identifying. He’s Jane’s charming pigeon who falls in love with Bernadette, Max’s pigeon, and mates with her for life.
BERNADETTE: Female-identifying. She’s Max’s pigeon who has been in mourning for her pigeon-companion, Mandy, falls in love with Santino and mates with him for life.
*The Jane and Max characters can be of any age over the mid-20’s; the pigeons can be any age over 13.
Songs
Media
Production History
Pigeons Mate for Life premiered at Merkin Hall, NYC, on May 23, 2022 as part of Sound Bites 7.0, one of nine ten-minute musicals, and was voted Audience Favorite.
CREATIVE TEAM
Book: Joan Saltzman and Andrew Underberg
Lyrics: Joan Saltzman
Music: Andrew Underberg
Director and Choreographer: Brendan Stackhouse
Music Director: Jeremy Jacobs
Design: Brendan McCann
CAST:
Jane: Mason Van Gieson
Santino: Nicholas Kraft
Max: Patrick Howard
Bernadette: Grace E. McLaughlin
Author Bios
JOAN SALTZMAN’s hero is Oscar Hammerstein, II, the lyricist and librettist. Joan is the lyricist and co-book writer of “Pigeons Mate for Life” which was presented in May 2022 at Merkin Hall along with eight other 10-minute musicals as part of Sound Bites 7.0, and was voted Audience Favorite. Her plays include Carefully Taught, Mothers and Cohn- Trump. She is the staff dramaturg at the Mauckingbird Theatre Company. Joan is grateful to Adam Gwon, her phenomenal lyrics teacher, to Andrew Underberg, her very generous and supremely talented collaborator, who makes her words sing, to everyone at Theatre Now New York, to pigeons, and to her wonderful friends, all of whom, except maybe the pigeons, have been spectacularly supportive of her second act. Andrew and Joan are working with Phillip Christian Smith on a full-length musical comedy about age discrimination.
ANDREW UNDERBERG is an Emmy-nominated songwriter, composer, and producer. He has written and produced songs for television, film, theme parks, and K-pop artists. Recent projects include Hailey's On It (Disney Channel), Baby Shark’s Big Movie (Nickelodeon), and Hazbin Hotel (A24). www.andrewunderberg.com
