Magpie’s Song
Magpie’s Song is an operatic pop musical centered around three folk tales from Chinese mythology. Every night, the audience chooses the order in which these stories are brought to life on stage. In “Ten Suns”, an archer comes out of retirement to stop a catastrophic drought, only to find himself caught at the center of a struggle for the chance at eternal life. In “A Festival in Conflagration”, a painter conjures up memories of a deadly fire in her newest painting, calling into question who really lit the match, and what it means to be a monster. In “River of Stars”, a mortal spends a day with the daughter of the Celestial Emperor, and they have to decide what’s worth sacrificing to live out a star-crossed love. The piece as a whole explores what it means to tell a story, and the beguiling and human way a powerful story can wash over what is real.
The Writer
Zeph Siebler is a writer, composer, and music director whose work spans musical theatre, pop, and opera. He studied music at Yale University, where his musical theatre teachers included Jeanine Tesori, Scott Frankel, Michael Korie, Lisa Kron, and Joshua Rosenblum. He has also worked with Stephen Schwartz and Dave Malloy.
While at Yale, Siebler received the Joseph Lentilhon Selden Memorial Award for music and served as music director for numerous productions, including productions for which he also composed original music. His work as a songwriter was recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts, and his song Thus Spoke Zarathustra was professionally produced and recorded and subsequently published by Concord Theatricals.
Siebler’s connection to the Lincoln Community Playhouse began years before Magpie’s Song. He appeared in six productions there between 2014 and 2021 and contributed original music to one of its productions. His work as a writer and composer continues to explore the possibilities of music-driven storytelling across theatrical forms.
