In 1988, at the conclusion of his third season as a whitewater guide for Mad River Boat Trips, Stephan “Killer” Parker was one of five raft guides on a 21-day private trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Parker returned to guide for Mad River for his fourth and final(?) season in 1992, after the final performance of the Roadkill On A Stick Frozen Foods Theatre Company’s Friday the 13th Roadkill!!! Greatest Hits! show at the Pink Garter Theatre.
If you were at West Table on the Snake River in 1991, then you might well be in Patrick Mignano’s 1991 classic Ed’s Whitewater: Back in Business, a spoof of professional whitewater rafting guides in Jackson Hole. Warning: there is some foul language and the technical quality of the video is not optimal. Highlights are in the 30-minute video below.
Roadkill On A Stick Frozen Foods Theatre Company is the improv comedy troupe that was active in Jackson Hole, Wyoming from 1988-1992. Videos from that period are comedy gold!
The signature sketch “Frozen Roadkills On A Stick,” written by Ed Bachtel, turned the Roadkill On A Stick Frozen Foods Theatre Company from a concept to an established show, running for 22 performances over 8 weeks at the Wort Hotel in Jackson, Wyoming, during the Yellowstone fires of 1988.
In this excerpt from the full show, Dave Rohrer put his spin on Psycho Killer, then Ed Bachtel sells roadkill to Holly Danner and Stephan Parker. Then, as at every show, the grand finale was The Star Spangled Banner as only this troupe could present it.
“Weird Ed” Bachtel, a guide for Barker-Ewing Whitewater, and Stephan “Killer” Parker, a guide for Mad River Boat Trips, co-produced this show under a legal partnership. For the 1988 season, they were joined by Dave Rohrer of Lifelink International/Croakies, and Holly Danner from KMTN-FM. The video for “Cod Piece Dining Room” is from the 1992 show, with Louise Gignoux replacing Holly Danner.
These recording are from the final performances of the 1988 and 1992 comedy troupes. The hour leading up to their first performance (on Independence Day weekend 1988) is immortalized in the underground opera sensation A Roadkill Opera.
A Roadkill Operais based on a true story. A brief video recorded at the GRAMMYs in February 2015 gives you some background.
The song “Geo expresses the joy of performing. It also discusses the relative merits of the then-new line of cars from Chevrolet.
Never before seen video from Roadkill!!! Live! is being released in honor of the 40th anniversary of Mad River Boat Trips. Boatmen from Mad River and Barker-Ewing Whitewater put this show on 3 nights a week over 8 weeks at the Silver Dollar Bar in the Wort Hotel in Jackson, Wyoming, during the Yellowstone fires of 1988–and also hosted the areas only open mic night once a week at Spirits of the West Saloon.
The signature sketch “Frozen Roadkills On A Stick,” written by Ed Bachtel, turned the Roadkill On A Stick Frozen Foods Theatre Company from a concept to an established show.
In this excerpt from the full show, Dave Rohrer put his spin on Psycho Killer, then Ed Bachtel sells roadkill to Holly Danner and Stephan Parker. Then, as at every show, the grand finale was The Star Spangled Banner as only this troupe could present it.
“Weird Ed” Bachtel, a guide for Barker-Ewing Whitewater, and Stephan “Killer” Parker, a guide for Mad River Boat Trips, co-produced this show under a legal partnership. For the 1988 season, they were joined by Dave Rohrer of Lifelink International/Croakies, and Holly Danner from KMTN-FM. The video for “Cod Piece Dining Room” is from the 1992 show, with Louise Gignoux replacing Holly Danner.
These recordings are from the final performances of the 1988 and 1992 comedy troupes. The hour leading up to their first performance (on Independence Day weekend 1988) is immortalized in the underground opera sensation A Roadkill Opera.
Eddie
‘t’s a beauty, beauty, beauty, beauty!
Beauty! Beauty!
A big house, big house, big house, big house.
Big house! Big house!
It must sell quite well, it must sell quite well.
Holly
Hey, what is all this noise?
Eddie
We must sell out the house.
Holly
So tell me now, what is the problem,
can I help?
Eddie
A fart is a fine thing,
it makes people smile.
A fart is a fine thing,
it makes for big laughter.
Make it loud and make it
bump and squeak and make it sticky!
Like this, like this, (cups hand under arm and pumps)
qui qui, qui qui.
Holly
Seriously?
Eddie
I am as serious as a heart attack
so listen up and listen up tight.
You hear me?
“In A Clearing”
“In A Clearing” needs a punchier line …
or ending.
Holly
Hold your horses.
I think the sketch plays fine.
Eddie
Sure, it does, but…
(Marvin hammers)
Holly
Marvin! Your timing is perfect!
Eddie
Just hear me out, my thinking is …
Holly
This is no time to think. Eddie
… it’s not really funny.
Maybe if we add a monkey …
Holly
It’s funny enough, it will get laughs.
It is funny enough it will get a good laugh. Eddie
… it could be a cash cow.
Just add a monkey, it could be a cash cow!
Holly
It is funny enough it will get a good laugh! Eddie
Just add a monkey, it could be a cash cow!
Holly
This fellow is crazy! Oh, no!
This night is too important, so
don’t change the script on me now.
This night is too important, so
don’t change the script on me now,
don’t change the script right now.
Eddie
Or how ‘bout a llama? With your camera?
Holly
Be hard now to switch from
the script which we staged . . .
. . . and rehearsed and which
takes place in Yellowstone Park.
Eddie
Oh, don’t be like this,
oh, don’t be like this,
oh, don’t be like this, Holly
Oh me, oh me, oh me.
Eddie
it’s a piece of cake.
Holly
It’s a question of blocking,
a question of blocking,
you are freaking me out!
Eddie
Perhaps a hissing lizard, perhaps a hissing lizard!
It could pick up the pace,
think of what it could do,
it could spook out the bear,
it could bite the bison,
or goose a moose!
(Marvin hammers)
Holly
Marvin! Your timing is perfect!
Eddie
Love it, love it!
(Marvin hammers)
Holly
Marvin!
(Marvin hammers)
Eddie
Love it, love it!
(Marvin hammers)
Holly
Marvin! This is no time to think. Eddie
Love it, love it, love it, love it!
(Marvin hammers)
Eddie
Just hear out my thinking …
Holly
It is funny enough, yes,
funny enough, yes,
funny, yes, funny, yes, funny, yes, oh Eddie
please hear out my thinking.
Please hear out my thought;
just add a monkey, it will mean cash. Oh.
(Marvin hammers)
Holly
… enough, yes. Oh, yes.
It will get a good, oh,
it will get a good, oh,
it will get a good laugh. Eddie
If we add a monkey,
we’ll get a cash cow!
We’ll get a cash cow,
we’ll get a cash cow.
Holly
It’s funny enough
it will get a good laugh.
It’s funny enough
it will get a good laugh. Eddie
If we add a monkey,
we’ll get a cash cow!
If we add a monkey,
we’ll get a cash cow, yes, sir,
Holly
It will get some laughs. Ah, laughs. Eddie
get a cow, get a cow, get a cow,
get a cow, get a cow, get a cow, get a cash cow!
Tonight, my goal is to go out and
impress them all for once!
Impress them, impress them, tonight!
Impress them. Impress them
all tonight, them all tonight;
impress them!
I must get them to promote me.
I must get them to think,
to promote me to disc jockey.
I must get them to promote me
to be on air, to be a real disc jockey.
My dear, this may be my last chance
to move from news to dee-jay.
My dear, this may be
my chance to move and
I cannot mess it up, no no no no no no no
to move from news to dee-jay.
Tonight is my chance to prove
that I belong on air.
I can’t blow my big chance.
To count, I must really shine,
And show that I have star quality.
To prove I belong on air!
Tonight is my big chance to prove
that I belong on air.
I can’t blow my big chance
to prove that I should be on the air.
I can’t blow my big chance.
Tonight, I must shine like stars
to prove that I belong on air. Ah…
Tonight, I must shine like a star
to show I belong,
I must, I must, I must shine like a star
to show that I belong,
I must, I must, I must, I must, I must show
that I belong,
that I should be on, I should be on air,
I should be on air,
I belong on air!
Debby
Oh, what if they are not a hit?
What will happen to them?
I see them being torn apart,
yes, I see them being torn apart.
So, granted, I don’t know them all that well.
And they seem to want different things.
They seem to want different things.
They seem to want different things.
Ah, granted, I don’t know them well,
but I think they want diff’rent things.
Eddie will be tormented
as he pursues acting.
Eddie will, will be tormented,
I see, poor boy,
I see that he will be tormented.
Sure, my hope for him is
that he will be contented.
But I fear instead that
he will be tormented.
I hope he’ll be contented
but I fear for him, I do. Ah . . .
Acting is a tough racket.
Acting is a tough racket
and I fear, I fear for him, oh,
oh, I sure fear for him.
Yes, acting, such a racket.
Poor Eddie, I see he’ll be tormented
as he pursues his craft.
Oh, ah …
He’ll be tormented pursuing his craft.
He’ll be pursuing his craft,
so I fear for him, I fear for him,
I fear for him, I fear for him.
Just when you thought you couldn’t have more fun with karaoke, here is the fresh take on Ferdinando Paer’s music from Leonora recast into comedy gold in A Roadkill Opera, as the producers of an improv comedy troupe in 1988 Jackson Hole, Wyoming, debate the running order of their first professional gig.
Cod Piece Dining
Stephan
What ‘cha saying?
Change the set list?
What ‘cha saying?
Change the set list?
It’s too late to change the set list.
It’s too late to change the set list.
What ‘cha saying?
Change the set list?
Change the set list?
Change the set list?
Whose big idea was this?
(Holly points at Eddie)
You are getting way too cocky.
You are getting way too cocky, cocky.
And you know what that means,
and you know what that means, don’t you?
Super latte, super latte.
Lots of frothing, lots of frothing.
Just a hint of cinnamon.
Lots of frothing, lots of frothing!
Just a hint of cinnamon.
Holly
Just a thought, just a thought;
ever heard, ever heard of decaf?
Stephan(to Eddie, ignoring Holly)
We are ready!
Tell me what sketch
you like the best.
Eddie
Adrenaline, Adrenaline
Adrenaline Adventures?
Stephan
Adrenaline?
Cod Piece Dining!
Holly
Cod Piece Dining!
Eddie
Cod Piece Dining!
Holly
Cod Piece Dining!
Eddie
Cod Piece Dining!
Holly, Eddie
Cod Piece Dining, Cod Piece Dining!
Stephan
We all agree, then, that it will be
Cod Piece Dining Room
that closes out the end of the first act.
What about My Breakfast With Booboo?
My Breakfast With Booboo?
Should it stay in the show,
even if it is a funny bit?
Holly, Eddie
I assure you it belongs in
tasteless tasteless tasteless tasteless
tasteless tasteless though it is.
Stephan
But it really is so rude …
Holly, Eddie
I assure you it belongs in.
Stephan
But it really is so crude …
Holly, Eddie
I assure you it belongs in.
Holly
There is comedy in truth!
Stephan
There is comedy in truth, yes,
there is comedy in truth, yes,
there is comedy in truth. Eddie
Tasteless, tasteless, tasteless, tasteless,
tasteless, tasteless, tasteless, tasteless.
There is comedy in truth.
Stephan
You both make very good points here,
I believe you make good points … Holly
I assure you it belongs in, belongs,
tasteless, tasteless, tasteless though it is! Edie
I assure you it belongs in, I assure you it belongs,
tasteless, tasteless, tasteless, tasteless,
tasteless, tasteless though it is!
Stephan
It is really grossly, grossly …
Holly
It belongs in.
Stephan
You’ve convinced me.
Holly & Eddie
Yes!
Stephan
It’s no Cod Piece, this is true.
Eddie
It belongs in.
Stephan
You’ve convinced me.
Beaverzilla! It’s gonna kill ‘em!
Beaverzilla! It’s gonna kill ‘em!
How ’bout My Breakfast with Booboo?
Should it stay, should it be in the show
even though it is a funny bit?
Holly, Eddie
I assure you it belongs, I assure you it belongs,
I assure you it belongs,
Holly
in the show. Stephan
Tasteless, tasteless, tasteless, Eddie
tasteless, tasteless, tasteless,
Holly, Eddie, Stephan
Tasteless, tasteless, tasteless though it is.
Stephan
You’ve convinced me that
Holly, Eddie, Stephan
There is comedy in truth!
Stephan
You’ve convinced me that
Holly, Eddie, Stephan
There is comedy in truth!
Holly
Tasteless though it is,
though it is. Eddie
Tasteless, tasteless, tasteless, tasteless,
tasteless, tasteless though it is. Stephan
Tasteless, tasteless, tasteless, tasteless,
tasteless, tasteless though it is.
Holly
I assure you, tasteless though it is.
‘medy in truth! Eddie
I assure you it belongs in,
tasteless, tasteless though it is.
‘medy in truth! Stephan
You assure me it belongs in,
tasteless, tasteless though it is.
There is comedy in truth!
Stephan
There is comedy in, comedy in truth! Holly & Eddie
Sure, it belongs in. There is comedy in truth!
Holly and Eddie are convincing Stephan that the comedy sketch My Breakfast With Booboo should stay in the show, tasteless though it is.. David Timpane (as Stephan), Laura Wehrmeyer (as Holly), and Alan Naylor (as Eddie) created their respective roles in the world premiere production of A Roadkill Opera at the Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint in Washington, DC, in January 2016. Christopher Dews (who created the non-singing role of Marvin) is holding the moose antlers hat. Timpane and Wehrmeyer star in the 2013 studio recording as well, where the vocals for Eddie are supplied by Andrew Webster.
Just when you thought you couldn’t possibly have more fun with the underground opera sensation A Roadkill Opera, there’s this:
Now, you can Do It Yourself. Through May 6, at Artomatic 2017 in Crystal City, Virginia, you can lip-sync to the lyric videos or karaoke to the backing tracks from the 2013 studio recording of A Roadkill Opera on the set used for the hilarious 2016 shows at the Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint in Washington, DC, and at the James Lee Community Theater in Falls Church, Virginia.
Though not nominated, the studio recording of A Roadkill Operagot the creative team invited to the GRAMMYs, which they attended in February 2015. Which led to the January 2016 world premiere, fully staged performances (with sold-out houses) at theMead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint in Washington DC. Which led to performances by the Symphony Orchestra of Northern Virginia (SONOVA) at the James Lee Community Theater in Falls Church, Virginia, in October 2016.
Visitors to Artomatic 2017 in Crystal City, Virginia are invited to interact with the set from A Roadkill Opera via this large banner in a doorway on the 5th floor (near the stage). Lyric videos and karaoke videos have been released on the roadkillopera.com website and on the Roadkill Opera YouTube Channel for “Impress Them,” “In A Clearing,” and “Cod Piece Dining.”
Artomatic 2017 was thronged with crowds of art enthusiasts on opening night, March 24. Many attended the live performances. Many came to see the fine arts in the largest unjuried show in the Washington DC area. And then there were the opportunities to experience the unexpected, which seems to be a specialty of Artomatic.
Alain Nu entertained a large audience on opening night of Artomatic 2017 in Crystal City, VirginiaTwo new fans admired DJ Choupin’s photos at Artomatic 2017 in Crystal City, VirginiaTwo new fans caught a laugh perusing A Roadkill Opera‘s interactive display at Artomatic 2017 in Crystal City, VirginiaA man admires DJ Choupin’s photos at Artomatic 2017 in Crystal City, Virginia
For the first time, you can try before you buy everything you’d like to see (and maybe a bit more) related to the hilarious underground opera sensation, A Roadkill Opera. And while you are at it, you can see the inspired photographs by DJ Choupin that grace the cover art for the published sheet music and commercially-released CDs for A Roadkill Opera.
Free.
At Artomatic 2017 in Crystal City through May 6. DJ Choupin and A Roadkill Opera are in a gallery room near the stage on the fifth floor.
Most of DJ Choupin’s photos on display at Artomatic 2017 in Crystal City, Virginia are shon on the key
A large banner showing highlights of the journey of A Roadkill Opera from Artomatic 2012 to the studio to the GRAMMYs to the world premiere performances in 2016 is found in the doorway on the fifth floor. It invites you to:
Take a selfie on the set
Lip-sync over the studio album
Karaoke over the backing tracks
Send a link to roadkillopera@icloud.com
Visitors to Artomatic 2017 in Crystal City, Virginia are invited to interact with A Roadkill Opera with this large banner in the doorway on the 5th floor (near the stage)
Great news! If you are hoping to fill in your Bingo card for the predecessors of Beethoven’s Fidelio, see what The Washington Concert Opera wrote this week:
—————————— snip 8< ————————————
“The idea of a strong female who ends up liberating somebody who’s been unjustly imprisoned, and helping bring down a powerful, evil person, I think that still really resonates today…” -Antony Walker
For a detailed look at the how a strong woman caused three different settings to spring forth in 1804/1805 based on the libretto for the French Leonore of 1798–Paer (Italian), Mayr (Italian), and Beethoven (German)–see John A. Rice’s excellent Empress Marie Therese and Music at the Viennese Court, 1792-1807.
You’ve already got a head start on your Bingo card by seeing (or hearing) music from Ferdinando Paer’s Leonorain Parker & Paer’s A Roadkill Opera. Most recently, the full Symphony Orchestra of Northern Virginia (SONOVA) performed highlights of A Roadkill Opera in a free performances at the James Lee Community Theater in Falls Church, Virginia, on October 21, 2016.
A chamber orchestra performed in the world premiere of A Roadkill Opera at the Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint in Washington, DC, in January 2016.
“Parker’s “A Roadkill Opera” pairs the formerly obscure classical music of Ferdinando Paer, one of Beethoven’s contemporaries, with Parker’s semi-autobiographical libretto recounting the hour before the opening night performance of the sketch comedy “Roadkill Live!!!” on Independence Day 1988 in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.” [emphasis added]
Paer’s Leonora had been quite popular in its day, from its release in 1804 until the composer’s death in 1839. It was not performed again until Peter Maag revived it in the 1970s, going so far as to perform it on radio and to issue a boxed set of LPs. No other commercially released recording of the music from Paer’s Leonorahas been issued since, with the exception of Parker & Paer’s A Roadkill Opera (studio album released July 4, 2013), which is built on the overture and first act of Paer’s Leonora.
Gaveaux’s 1798 Leonore, which started this chain, is receiving its U.S. premiere this week, on Sunday, February 19, 2017. Beethoven’s first crack at Leonore/Fidelio is receiving its U.S. premiere on Sunday, March 5, 2017. To complete the cycle, all we need are productions of Mayr’s 1805 L’amour coniugaleand Paer’s 1804 Leonora.
Beethoven had a copy of Paer’s score for Leonora in his library, although it is unknown as to when he acquired it. They were friends and both worked in the same circles in Vienna.
The seven generations of Leonore began with Gaveaux’s 1798 Leonore, followed by Paer’s 1804 Leonora, Mayr’s 1805 L’amor coniugale, and Beethoven’s three versions (beginning in 1805) of Leonora/Fidelio, and culminating in Parker & Paer’s 2012 A Roadkill Opera
Exciting news for fans of Ferdinando Paer’s music: over the next few weeks in Washington, DC, you can hear live performances of two of the period operas that sandwiched Paer’s 1804 opera Leonora (the musical basis for A Roadkill Opera):
Sunday, February 19, 2017 at 3 pm, Opera Lafayette presents Gaveaux’s 1798 French escape opera Léonore, ou l’amour conjugal
Sunday, March 5, 2017 at 6 pm, Washington Concert Opera presents Beethoven’s 1805 version (of his more famous 1814 Fidelio) of Leonore
Antony Walker (at the piano) and Ryan Brown discussed the remarkable coincidence of their programming the 1798 French opera Leonore (by Brown’s Opera Lafayette) and Beethoven’s 1805 Leonore (by Walker’s Washington Concert Opera) within weeks of each other.
There was also an 1805 version by Mayr of the same story, under the tile L’amor conjugal, that predated Beethoven’s first attempt. The story of the common genesis of the three Viennese residents, Paer, Mayr, and Beethoven, in Gaveaux’s librettist Bouilly and his enthralled fan Empress Therese is well-told in John A. Rice’s 2003 Empress Marie Therese and Music at the Viennese Court, 1792-1807.
It was Paer’s setting that provided the music that power’s Parker & Paer’s 2012 A Roadkill Opera, which had its premiere under the direction of Maestro Jeffrey Dokken at the Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint in Washington, DC in January 2016, followed by a performance of highlights by the Symphony Orchestra of Northern Virginia at the James Lee Community Theater in Falls Church, Virginia in October 2016.
The seven generations of Leonore began with Gaveaux’s 1798 Leonore, followed by Paer’s 1804 Leonora, Mayr’s 1805 L’amor coniugale, and Beethoven’s three versions (beginning in 1805) of Leonora/Fidelio, and culminating in Parker & Paer’s 2012 A Roadkill Opera
Ryan Brown, artistic director and conductor of Opera Lafayette, kicks things off on February 19, 2017, at Lisner Auditorium. Antony Walker, artistic director and conductor of Washington Concert Opera, follows up at Lisner on March 5, 2017. The two got together at the Arts Club of Washington on January 26, 2017, to discuss the history and relationship of these operas.
Holly (Laura Wehrmeyer) and Eddie (Alan Naylor) debate ways and whether it is necessary to punch up the humor of In A Clearing while Marvin (Christopher Dews) tends to the llama in A Roadkill Opera in its world premiere performances in January 2016 at the Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint in Washington DC
Many thanks to the hundreds of people who attended live performances at the Mead Theater Lab at Flashpoint in Washington, DC in January 2016 and at the James Lee Community Theater in Falls Church, Virginia, in October 2016. Thanks, too, to the many others who came to the Gaithersburg Book Festival and to artist talks and installations at Artomatic@Frederick 2016 in Frederick and Artomatic 2016 in Potomac, Maryland.
Our final event for the year was Hungry Men Don’t Swerve, an artist talk at Artomatic 2016 on Sunday, December 4, 2016, at 1 p.m., about A Roadkill Opera‘s journey from Artomatic to the GRAMMYs.
First-time Artomatic attendees from Austria were drawn in December to the Artomatic 2016 artist talk on the path of Ferdinando Paer’s 1804 Leonora to the 2016 world premiere performances of Stephan AlexanderParker’s A Roadkill Opera. The setting: in front of the Artomatic 2016 office, and directly in front of the exhibit space for the artist Rambo!
The crowd was treated to a sneak peak of video from the October 2016 performances by the Symphony Orchestra of Northern Virginia (SONOVA) at the James Lee Community Theater in Falls Church, Virginia, in October 2016.
The Symphony Orchestra of Northern Virginia performed fully staged highlights from A Roadkill Opera on October 21, 2016, at the James Lee Community Theater in Falls Church, Virginia.
Though not nominated, the studio recording of A Roadkill Operagot the creative team invited to the GRAMMYs, which they attended in February 2015. Which led to the January 2016 world premiere, fully staged performances at theMead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint in Washington DC.
It was sold out houses for the Saturday performances of A Roadkill Opera on January 9, 2016, at the Mead Theatre Lab At Flashpoint in Washington DC. The houses were pretty good as well on the previous night of this limited run of the hilarious new opera about the hour before the first professional gig for a sketch comedy troupe in 1980s Wyoming.
Holly (Laura Wehrmeyer) and Eddie (Alan Naylor) debate ways and whether it is necessary to punch up the humor of “In A Clearing” while Marvin (Christopher Dews) tends to the llama in A Roadkill Opera in its world premiere performances in January 2016 at the Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint in Washington DC
The opera is new: the story is set in 1988 in the hour before the first professional gig for a comedy improv troupe in Jackson Hole—the Roadkill On A Stick Frozen Foods Theatre Company. The music is classical–from the 1804 Leonora by Ferdinando Paer, one of Beethoven’s direct competitors.
This clip shows the Cod Piece Dining Room comedy sketch, recorded live at the 1992 Roadkill!!! Greatest Hits!show on Friday the 13th at the Pink Garter Theatre in Jackson, Wyoming. Doug Henderson, who was starring in the title role of Harvey in the production then running on the Pink Garter Theatre’s stage, proved to be an energetic announcer. Dave Rohrer provided live musical accompaniment, Ed Bachtel and Stephan Alexander Parker were onstage in their final public performance under their legal partnership (dissolved shortly thereafter) in the Roadkill On A Stick Frozen Foods Theatre Company, and the role originated by Holly Danner in the 1988 run was played in the 1992 show by Louise Gignoux.This clip has mild profanity (unlike the family-friendly A Roadkill Opera).
Many of the props from the 1988 show will be recognizable to audiences that attended the 2016 performances of A Roadkill Opera.
Artomatic 2016 benefitted from the organizational communication skills of Clarence Davis, who was hands-on in working the door, banding those eligible for purchasing alcohol, and (incidentally) sufficiently curious about A Roadkill Opera to read the piano/vocal scoreDiana King, retired from the education department of Chicago’s Lyric Opera, is a fan of A Roadkill Opera. She met with librettist Stephan Alexander Parker at a Chicago Bar earlier in 2016 and followed up by telephone in December 2016 to encourage a Chicago productionA Roadkill Opera‘s librettist Stephan Alexander Parker and merchandising director DJ Choupin at the world premiere performances in January 2016 at the Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint. Parker is holding the Harrison Ford print by the artist Rambo! that was raffled off to attendees who came dressed as Harrison FordThe world premiere cast takes a bow at a January 2016 performance of A Roadkill Opera at the Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint in Washington, DCThe audience for a performance of A Roadkill Opera, just before the show in January 2016 at the Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint in Washington, DC. A GoPro video of a performance is on the Roadkill Opera website and YouTube channelThe audiences for the world premiere run of A Roadkill Opera at the Mead Theater Lab at Flashpoint in Washington DC in January 2016 included Katie Lerner-Lam, Nina Parker Ganz, Eva Lerner-Lam, and librettist/executive producer Stephan Alexander Parker, seen here holding the Rambo! print that went to the lucky audience member who dressed as Harrison Ford (and won the raffle)
Cheers to those of you who came to see the Symphony Orchestra of Northern Virginia (SONOVA) perform selections from A Roadkill Opera on Friday, October 21, 2016, at the James Lee Community Theater in Falls Church, Virginia. It was thrilling to hear a full orchestra perform with the singers. Even if you missed it, keep an eye out for the videos shot that night.
A full complement of Roadkill Opera swag was available at the performances. A selection is also available now through December 9 at the Roadkill Opera display that is part of Artomatic 2016. Come out to see any of the acts performing live on the 5th floor at 12435 Park Potomac, Potomac, MD. The Roadkill Opera display is next to the stage. You are sure to find the perfect gift for the person who has everything and didn’t know they were missing chopsticks, bottle openers, 100% cotton baseball caps, or CDs and sheet music.
You can play along or do it yourself–we recently released A Roadkill Opera, Wanted: Vocals. The backing tracks from the studio recording are now available minus the vocals, so you can shine on your own. Check out the tracks through Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon.com, or your favorite download site.
Special pricing on A Roadkill Opera‘s merchandise is available if you show up in person. Come to Artomatic 2016 in Potomac, Maryland.
Ferdinando Paer, a direct competitor of Beethoven’s, wrote 55 operas. The music from Paer’s 1804 Leonora has been edited to a fun, fast, 59 minutes for the screwball backstage comedy A Roadkill Opera, which will be presented in two FREE shows by the Symphony Orchestra of Northern Virginia (SONOVA) on Friday, October 21, 2016, at the James Lee Community Theater in Falls Church, Virginia.
There were sold-out performances in the world premiere run at the Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint in Washington, DC, in January 2016. Come early to get the best seats in the 200-seat theater in Falls Church. Shows at 7:00 and 8:30 pm. You will be in our video recording of these shows!
The stellar cast for the Symphony Orchestra of Northern Virginia’s production of A Roadkill Opera returns four players from the world premiere
A Roadkill Opera, the underground opera sensation that had its world premiere performances in January 2016 at the Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint in Washington DC, will be presented and accompanied by the Symphony Orchestra of Northern Virginia (SONOVA) for two shows on Friday, October 21, 2016, at the James Lee Community Theater in Falls Church, Virginia. From the January 2016 show are pictured Holly (Laura Whermeyer), Eddie (Alan Naylor) and Marvin (Christopher Dews)
Laura Wehrmeyer and David Timpane, who have been with A Roadkill Opera from the very first workshop at Artomatic 2012 in Crystal City, will return in the roles they created in the world premiere performances in January 2016 at theMead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint in Washington DC. Laura and David also performed the roles of Holly and Stephan, respectively, in the 2013 studio recording. Also returning from the world premiere cast are Alex Miletich IV and Christopher Dews. The four returning cast members are joined by Kelly Curtin and Larry Boggs. These six dynamic entertainers will be accompanied by the Symphony Orchestra of Northern Virginia (SONOVA) under the direction of Jeffrey Dokken.
The Symphony Orchestra of Northern Virginia (SONOVA) will present two FREE performances of A Roadkill Opera at 7:00 and 8:30 pm on Friday, October 21, 2016 at the James Lee Community Theater in Falls Church, Virginia
The studio recording of A Roadkill Operawas released on July 4, 2013, on Amazon.com and subsequently on CD Baby, AmazonMP3, andiTunes. It is now available worldwide on nearly all platforms. This comic opera with music in the style of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is recommended for fans of PDQ Bach, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Tom Lehrer, and The Rutles–but only if you like classical music with infectious hooks.
Though not nominated, the studio recording of A Roadkill Operagot the creative team invited to the GRAMMYs, which they attended in February 2015. Which led to the January 2016 world premiere, fully staged performances (with sold-out houses) at theMead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint in Washington DC.
The opera is new: the story is set in 1988 in the hour before the first professional gig for a comedy improv troupe in Jackson Hole—the Roadkill On A Stick Frozen Foods Theatre Company. The music is classical–from the 1804 Leonora by Ferdinando Paer, one of Beethoven’s direct competitors.
A Roadkill Opera tells the story of the hour before the first professional gig for a bunch of amateur improv sketch comedians in 1980s Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Below is a clip showing the classic sketch “Cod Piece Dining Room” recorded live at the 1992 Roadkill!!! Greatest Hits!show on Friday the 13th at the Pink Garter Theatre in Jackson, Wyoming. This clip has mild profanity (unlike A Roadkill Opera, which is suitable for all ages). Doug Henderson, who was starring in the title role of Harvey on the Pink Garter Theatre’s stage, proved to be an energetic announcer. Dave Rohrer provided live musical accompaniment, Ed Bachtel, Louise Gignoux, and Stephan Alexander Parker were onstage in the final public performance by the the Roadkill On A Stick Frozen Foods Theatre Company, the troupe portrayed in A Roadkill Opera.
The props will be recognizable to audiences that attend A Roadkill Opera.
