Murder Lake: a new bluegrass musical

update! The Jalopy presentation was awesome!! We’ve raised the goal to help continue developing Murder Lake. The next steps will be a Manhattan presentation and recording an album. Your generous donations will help us do that!!

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Hello! My name’s Melody and I’m an actor/musician based in NYC. I’ve been writing a brand new bluegrass musical called Murder Lake and we’re getting together a fantastic concert presentation for it at Jalopy Theater in Brooklyn. We’ve already had a generous donation for a good chunk of the costs, to make sure all 8 of the company members are compensated, pay for filming, sound person, etc. Another thousand would really put us in a good place for making this concert presentation a success, and for aiding in future development.

Here’s the synopsis of the show:

Everyone in the folk music world knows: don't go for a walk by the river if you’re in a bluegrass song. All manner of murder and mayhem is sure to ensue. In the fictional town of 'A Bluegrass Song' local law enforcement have been overwhelmed by the murderous river walks of one ‘Willie,’ a character who pops up in murder ballads throughout the ages. What starts off as a formulaic detective story becomes a magical ride with mythological elements and a revenge fantasy realized, as several of Willie's murder ballad victims get to enact their ultimate vengeance. Part murder mystery, part mythological hoedown, Murder Lake will theoretically involve an all women/non-binary cast of actor-musicians from various backgrounds spinning the tale in a folksy world filled with camp one minute and bluesy moodiness the next. With a mixture of original folk tunes and snippets of public domain murder ballads, the score promises to enchant your heart and get your toe tapping.

Award-winning fiddler Melody Allegra Berger has been raising a ruckus in NYC for nearly two decades and has toured nationally and abroad. You can see her on SNL(S44E19), and hear her on House of Cards (S2E05), Trixie Mattel’s Two Birds, and Gangstagrass: American Music. Favorite Theatre gigs include- Off Broadway: Elizabeth A. Davis’ My Name’s Not Indian Joe, Prospect Theater Company’s Golden Boy of the Blue Ridge and covering Fiddle/Mandolin for Desperate Measures. She is also a feminist author and editor, with a book and a couple of magazines under her belt. Melody loves helping develop new works and is excited to bring Murder Lake to audiences everywhere. Maestra Profile

no raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or promotions are offered in exchange for any donations