A Figure Skating Musical Play and Comedy :
"Tonya and Nancy: The Rock Opera," produced in February of 2008, is an expanded version of "Tonya and Nancy: The Opera" which was an original one-act chamber opera. Both productions are based on the Tonya Harding-Nancy Kerrigan 1994 figure skating scandal.
Produced by Triangle Productions, the Tonya-Nancy rock opera was scheduled to run for three weeks. It opened on February 21, 2008 at the World Trade Center Auditorium in Portland, Oregon.
About the Tonya and Nancy Figure Skating Scandal:
Just before the 1994 Olympics, right after a practice session at the United States National Figure Skating Championships in Detroit, Michigan, Nancy Kerrigan was attacked and hit hard with a hard object on her knee. The accident made it impossible for her to compete and Tonya Harding won the Championship Ladies event.
Shortly after that, it was alleged that Tonya Harding might have been part of the conspiracy to hurt Nancy. Tonya was banned from U.S. Figure Skating for life.
"Tonya and Nancy" and the Media:
The "Kerrigan Attack" increased the popularity of figure skating. A novel was written, followed by a musical play, and a few television movies were made about the incident.
About the Original "Tonya and Nancy: The Opera" :
The original one-act chamber opera was written by Elizabeth Searle. That production premiered in May of 2006. That production received much attention from the media and was chosen as one of the top three new operas of 2007. The composer of the original production was Abigail Al-Doory Cross.
The Rock Opera - A "Juiced Up" Version:
Tonya and Nancy: The Rock Opera's script goes beyond the story of the attack on Nancy Kerrigan. It explores the skaters' childhoods, their dreams, their goals, and personal relationships. The "juiced up" version shows what was unique about each skater. The original script has been reworked.
The Director :
Don Horn, the founder of Portland's Triangle Productions, came up with the idea for the "Tonya and Nancy: The Rock Opera." He directed the production.
Songs and Quotes:
The original libretto has many additions. Twenty new songs were written by Elizabeth Searle and Michael Teoli. The libretto uses some of the quotes that were published during the height of the Harding-Kerrigan scandal.
Tonya Harding Attended Opening Night:
On the first night the rock opera opened, the real Tonya Harding came to watch. Tickets were more expensive that evening due to her presence. She did make herself available to sign autographs.
