BWW Interviews: Neil Berg and His SUPPER SERIES at Pier 701

This Fall, Pier 701 and award-winning producer Neil Berg will present the first-of-its-kind Supper Series to Piermont, New York area featuring all inclusive gourmet dinners paired with critically-acclaimed Broadway and Cabaret Performances. The series, which will kick off on October 18th with a "Night of Broadway Stars" featuring Neil Berg, Rita Harvey, and special guests, will feature stars of hit productions such as Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Les Miserables, Jekyll & Hyde, Fiddler On The Roof, as well as many Cabarat MAC award winners. The supper series will continue with additional programs so guest can return to enjoy a variety of performances.

Neil Berg, the producer of the series as well as a featured performer, is best known as the composer and lyricist for the Off Broadway hit musical The Prince and the Pauper and creating and co-producing the number one Broadway touring concert 100 Years of Broadway. Broadwayworld.com had the opportunity to interview Berg about his career and the upcoming shows at Pier 701.

Berg first realized his penchant for theater in college. He said, "I went to college, SUNY Binghamton, to play baseball. I majored in Rhetoric and Literature, to become a lawyer, so I thought. While there, I was playing talent shows, jamming in rock bands, producing "Ice Cream Parlor" concerts in my dorm, and playing piano bars, to make some extra cash, with no thought of doing music professionally. Out of nowhere, a fellow student heard I played the piano, and asked if I wanted to write a musical with him. I said "sure", and a few months later had written my first musical called GHOST STORY. We did a reading of it, and then it was fully produced by the theater department. After opening night, I went by myself into a side room, and wept for twenty minutes, as I discovered for the first time what I truly wanted to do with my life. I have dedicated my life to theater ever since."

Berg has had a number of mentors who encouraged his personal career. Growing up in Tappan, New York, his piano teacher, Robert Prinz was very influential. Later, in college at SUNY Binghamton, he appreciated the encouragement of Walter Ponce, his professor of piano and Sue Peters, his Musical Theater Professor. He also spoke about Maury Yeston and Skip Kennon at the BMI Musical Theater Workshop in New York City and the many writers, actors, directors and musicians he has worked with over the years.

Berg's own taste in theater is very eclectic. Some of his favorite shows include Sweeny Todd, Assassins, Dream Girls, Killer Joe, The Crucible, A Doll's House, Gypsy, Porgy and Bess and many more.

And, while Berg enjoys a variety of theatrical performances, he also admires a wide variety of performers and their performance styles. He named many, and we selected a few of his favorites: Rita Harvey, Mark Rylance, Audra McDonald and Angela Lansbury. He also mentioned specific performances he has enjoyed, Michael Shannon in Bug, Patrick Wilson in The Full Monty and Ellen Greene in The Little Shop of Horrors to name a few. In film, he admires the work of Ruth Gordon, Christopher Guest, Robin Williams and Jack Nicholson and many more talented actors.

Berg spoke about how his experience has inspired the Pier 701 performances. "For the past Decade, my show has played 1,500 seat Performing Art Centers around the country, over 100 times a year on tour, and we still do, but I wanted to do something totally different, and much more intimate. I wanted to bring what I do to my home county of Rockland, where I grew up, and still reside. This means a lot to me. For anyone who has ever seen Neil Berg's "100 Years of Broadway", they know what to expect, which is an incredible night of authentic Broadway entertainment, with the actual Broadway performers, up close and personal.

Berg also commented about bringing new audience to his show. "For anyone who has never seen one of my shows, it's incredible access to New York City Broadway and Cabaret performers in a beautiful, 70 - 80 seat intimate setting overlooking the Hudson River, with wonderful gourmet food and free hor d'ouevres for an incredible price, with free parking, and no hassles. After the show, the performers are accessible, with no pretense. This space was not specifically designed for performances, so we literally perform on the floor of the dining room, or on the enclosed deck outdoors, in and around the patrons. There is no fourth wall."

Berg is enthusiastic about the Pier 701 venue. "Its everything I want it to be, totally inclusive of the audience. It's like we're throwing a great dinner party at a fantastic restaurant, and it just happens that some of the greatest singers from Broadway and Cabaret are there entertaining. Also, I wanted to have something in the suburbs that was affordable, but still the same quality as New York City. And every show is totally different! It ranges from great Broadway, to real Cabaret, to Sinatra, to Elton John/Billy Joel tributes, to Patsy Cline tribute, etc. Patrons can come to every show, and it will always be something exciting and new. And, Pier 701 is just a few miles from the Tappan Zee Bridge, in the river town of Piermont, which is Rockland County, NY and is very close to Westchester County, Bergen County, New Jersey, and New York City."

Berg said, "If this takes off, we will add other nights, and expand the series. So check our schedule, and come join us. Whether you like Gershwin or Sondheim, Phantom of the Opera or Wicked, Led Zeppelin or Top 40, you will have an incredible time."

Each unique event will feature a complimentary cocktail and hor d'ouevres, a gourmet four-course meal, followed by a star-studded evening of entertainment. Seating is limited and reservations are required. Dinner will begin at 6:00 pm and the show will begin at approximately 8:30 pm. Tickets for each event are $95.00 per person and do not include tax and gratuity. Reservations can be made by emailing info@pier701ny.com or calling (845) 848-2550.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Neil Berg