TONYA AND NANCY: THE ROCK OPERA Comes To Oberon 1/31

From January 31 through February 2, HarborSide Films will proudly present the club/party format of TONYA AND NANCY: THE ROCK OPERA at OBERON in Cambridge, MA.

Based on the true events leading up to the 1994 Winter Olympics, this rock opera features a collision of tragedy and comedy in a tale of two girls going for the gold. Their story is in a sense beyond satire, since the level of absurdity and melodrama in the 'real' events is already so high.

The show played in Portland, OR to rave reviews in 2008: the Portland Oregonian called it "brilliant and touching" and "something marvelous." Tonya Harding, a Portland native, enthusiastically attended the opening night performance; the show received national coverage on Good Morning America, CNN, and CBS. The show's run was extended and it was nominated for two Portland Area Music awards. Since its initial run, the show has been reworked, with songs showcased at Boston Cabaret and selected for performance at the LA Playwrights' Arena, Hot Night in the City, in May, 2010.

"Our creative team was looking for the perfect theater to provide the totally immersive storytelling experience that is TONYA AND NANCY: THE ROCK OPERA," said Producer Paul T. Boghosian. "This is not your father's theater experience. This production is highly interactive. The audience is a key component of the energy of the show. The production happens not on a stage, but is all around and through the audience. We can promise a one of a kind theater experience-which includes a full bar at one side of the theater open throughout the show-for the metro Boston theater goer."

"Our show is a dark comedy, but we aim to do it with heart," said Elizabeth Searle, Librettist, who lives in Arlington, MA. "It was one of the first crazy tabloid stories that took over 24/7 news coverage. One of my inspirations for pursuing it was that at that time, the conservative commentator George Will made the comment, ‘This is a ridiculous story that has nothing whatsoever to do with life in America today.' And I thought, ridiculous story, yes, of course. But it has everything to do with life in America. Michael Teoli's dynamic score does a terrific job of bringing out the primal emotions of this tale for our tabloid times."

Composer Michael Teoli, a native New Englander, flew in from Los Angeles to act as Music Director for the Boston showcases. "As a Berklee grad, it's been wonderful being back in Boston, rehearsing right around the corner. Berklee is obviously a big part of who I am as a composer, so musically, there's certainly a lot of Berklee and Boston in ‘Tonya,'" Teoli said. "The show is a musical puzzle with many themes that all fuse together in a progressive rock context. We rock hard, but at the same time I want to put the ‘opera' back into ‘rock opera.' I'm all about creating a ‘wall of sound,' and with its screaming band fused with huge vocals, ‘Tonya' certainly achieves that goal."

Janet Roston, Director and Choreographer, also traveled from Los Angeles to work on the show at OBERON. "The real story is so outrageous that it can presented without exaggeration, with the rockers in the chorus urging Tonya and Nancy to do and say more and more extreme things as they battle each other for the gold," Roston said. "We explored bringing the show to Los Angeles, but were given this fantastic opportunity to present the show in the nightclub setting of OBERON. The transition to staging the show in OBERON was a natural shift from what I'd originally envisioned. I think the audience is going to have a great time with the pumping music, unconventional staging, dance, and the crazy exploits of Tonya and Nancy."

Darcie Champagne and Kristen Lee Sergeant will star as the battling figure skaters. Of playing Tonya, Champagne said that she has "totally fallen in love with Tonya Harding in preparing for this role. In researching Tonya's life, I have been incredibly inspired by her strong will and resilience. So while people may expect to be on ‘team Nancy' or ‘team Tonya,' seeing this production will provide a deeper insight. Audience members just may surprise themselves with whose team they are actually on."

Sergeant is revisiting the project, this time as Nancy; she played Tonya in Tonya and Nancy: The Opera, the chamber opera by Abigail Al-Doory Cross and Elizabeth Searle upon which TONYA AND NANCY: THE ROCK OPERA is based. "The difference between playing Tonya and Nancy lies in finding what lurks beneath the ready impressions both characters provide us with-for Tonya, for me it was about finding vulnerability beneath her natural toughness. Nancy, so far, is about discovering her inner snark underneath a very winning and open personality," Sergeant said. "This is why being an actor is so wonderful-how often do you get to live over a story from an entirely different perspective? It's like getting to go back and relive a breakup, but as your ex. It shows you how hard it is to find one objective version of any story involving human beings in general.

Liz Hayes will also appear as both Tonya and Nancy's mothers. Zachary Gregus will play Jeff Gillooly, Tonya's ex-husband who conducted the attacks on Nancy. The roles of reporters and various supporting characters will be portrayed by Boston area actors including Cameron Benda, John Coons, Stephanie Friedman, Lenni Kmiec, Tim Lawton, Sarah Mullis, Christian Bufford, Michele Drexler, Carly Kastel, and Bart Mather.

The production/design team includes Janie Howland (scenic), Tyler D. Kinney (costumes), and Joe LaRue (video & projection design). Phill Madore is the Production Stage Manager. Rebecca Griffith is the Assistant Stage Manager.

TONYA AND NANCY: THE ROCK OPERA will play for three nights only, January 31 and February 1-2, at OBERON at 2 Arrow Street, Cambridge, at 8 PM. Ticket prices range from $25 for "Performers' Rink" standing tickets to $35 for seated tickets. Discounts are available for students. Purchase tickets at HYPERLINK "http://www.cluboberon.com" "_blank" www.cluboberon.com.

The initial three performances of TONYA AND NANCY: THE ROCK OPERA are not open to reviewers. An extended run of this production is planned for later in 2011, which reviewers will be encouraged to attend.

ABOUT THE SHOW:

TONYA & NANCY: THE ROCK OPERA premiered in 2008, produced by Triangle Productions in Portland, OR, drawing national media coverage on GOOD MORNING AMERICA, CNN, CBS and more, as well as strong reviews ("Brilliant and touching"). The show's run was extended and it was nominated for two audience-based Portland Music Awards. Since then, the show has been reworked and has been featured in song showcases by Boston Cabaret and this past spring at the LA Playwright's Arena, ‘Hot Night in the City.'

The show is based on TONYA & NANCY: THE OPERA, a chamber opera with libretto by Elizabeth Searle and music by Abigail Al-Doory Cross, which premiered at the ART's Zero Arrow Theater to media coverage from the AP, NPR, ESPN Hollywood, MSNBC, the New York Times, London Times and more, as well as mention by Jon Stewart on The Daily Show. The opera was selected by Opera Vista as one of the top three new chamber operas of 2007 and was performed in excerpt at Opera Vista in Houston. It was most recently performed in full productions in 2010 in Minneapolis and St. Paul, with previews ‘on ice.'

TONYA AND NANCY: THE ROCK OPERA

Libretto by Elizabeth Searle, Music by Michael Teoli

Based on the 1994 Olympic scandal and using real news stories, this new showcase is a collision of tragedy and comedy in this tale of two girls going for the gold! The rock opera is a dark comedy, it's done with heart. The story is in a sense beyond satire, since the level of absurdity and melodrama in the real events is already so high. Expect hilarity, poignant moments, a radical score and non-stop energy in this unique theatrical experience.

Presented by: Paul T. Boghosian, Producer

Cast: Kristen Lee Sergeant, Darcie Champagne, Liz Hayes, Zachary Gregus, Cameron Benda, John Coons, Stephanie Friedman, Lenni Kmiec, Tim Lawton, Sarah Mullis, Christian Bufford, Michele Drexler, Carly Kastel, Bart Mather
Director/Choreographer: Janet Roston
Musical Director/Composer: Michael Teoli
Assistant Music Director: Tim Butterworth
Production Stage Manager: Phill Madore
Design Team: Janie Howland (Scenic Design)

Tyler D. Kinney (Costume Design)
Joe LaRue (Video Design)
Performing at: OBERON, 2 Arrow Street, Cambridge, MA
Performance Schedule: January 31, February 1, February 2, 8:00 PM
Run Time: One hour: no intermission
Ticket Prices: $35 seated, $25 "Performers' Rink" (standing), $15 students (standing)
Box Office: HYPERLINK "C:Local Workspacewww.cluboberon.com"www.cluboberon.com