Literary Agent:
John Talbot
The John Talbot Agency
A Division of The Talbot Fortune Agency Inc.
914-282-0455

CONTACT for Tonya & Nancy licensing, bookings, info:
TONYA & NANCY: THE ROCK OPERA, LLC
Paul Boghosian producer; harborside films
617-484-9539/ harborsidefilmsboston.com
info@harborsidefilmsboston.com


E.'s CV & E.'s email

                                   Elizabeth Searle
 www.elizabethsearle.net / www.tonyaandnancytherockopera.com
Contact-- Email: e.searle@comcast.net 
EDUCATION
MA in Fiction, Creative Writing; thesis advisor John Hawkes; Creative Writing Masters Program, 
Brown University
BA in English/Creative Writing: 
Oberlin College

​BOOKS
  • We Got Him (a novel) 
  • New Rivers Press; American Fiction Series paperback original; Fall of 2016  
(published in AudioBook version from Blunderwoman Productions in 2018)

  • Girl Held in Home (a novel) 
  • New Rivers Press; American Fiction Series paperback original; Fall, 2011  
  • eBook editions on Kindle and more from New Rivers Press: Winter, 2011/2012

  • Celebrities in Disgrace (a novella and stories) 
  • Graywolf Press, 2001  
  • eBook editions (Kindle, BookNook etc) from PFP/AJAR Contemporaries Press, 2011

  • A Four-Sided Bed (a novel) 
  • Graywolf Press, 1998
  • Re-issued in new paperback and eBook editions by PFP/AJAR Contemporaries Press, 2011

  • My Body to You (short stories)
  • University of Iowa Press, 1993, hardback original 
  • Winner of the 1992 Iowa Short Fiction Prize (James Salter, judge) 
  • New paperback and Kindle eBook edition from University of Iowa Press, 2011

  • ANTHOLOGIES, co-editor    
    • Soap Opera Confidential: Writers and Soap Insiders on Why We'll Tune In Tomorrow As the World Turns Restlessly by the Guiding Light of Our Lives: co-edited by Elizabeth Searle and Suzanne Strempek Shea; anthology of essays, including Elizabeth's essay: 'Soap Sisters: Young & Restless & Bold & Beautiful;' forthcoming from McFarland Press, 2017  
    • IDOL TALK, an anthology on Teen Idols; co-edited by Elizabeth Searle and Tamra Wilson; a collection of essays including one by Elizabeth; published by McFarland Press; Summer, 2018.     

         ANTHOLOGIES, contributor     
    • Me, My Hair and I: anthology of essays, including "Act Tresses: Hair as Performance Art" by Elizabeth; edited by Elizabeth Benedict; Algonquin Press; September, 2015        

    • Paper Camera: A Half Century with New Rivers Press: Anthology of essays, including essay 'Reality Fiction' by Elizabeth; New Rivers Press; January, 2015

    • Dumped:Women Unfriending Women; Anthology including "Sealed with a 'Kiss'" by Elizabeth; edited by Nina Gaby; SheWrites Press; spring, 2015

    • Knitting Yarns; WW Norton; literary anthology edited by Ann Hood; other contributors include Barbara Kingslover, Jane Smiley, Anita Shreve, Andre Dubus III;  Fall, 2013

    • Talk Show; PFP Press; anthology edited by Jaime Clarke from his interview pieces on authors for Fanzine; Fall, 2013
    • Earlier anthologies:
    • Men Undressed: Women Authors on Male Sexual Experience; OV Press/Dzanc Books; Fall, 2011
    • No Near Exit: Authors Choose the Best of Post Road Magazine; Dzanc Books; Spring, 2011
    • Illuminating Fiction: Today's Best Writers of Fiction; edited by Sherry Ellis; Red Hen Press; Spring, 2010
    • Don’t You Forget About Me, edited by Jaime Clarke; creative nonfiction piece “The Scream, With Lipgloss” included; Simon and Schuster; 2007
    • The Darfur Anthology; nonfiction piece, "Letter to Laura" included; ECC Press, 2007
    • Write Now; edited by Sherry Ellis; essay, “Object Lesson” included; Penguin; 2006
    • Out of the Blue/ Writers Unite; Crooked River Press; 2004
    • The Iowa Award anthology; story “What to Do in an Emergency”; University of Iowa Press; 2002
    • American Fiction (awards anthology); story: “Another Spineless White Girl” New Rivers Press, 1995
    • Breaking Up is Hard to Do  Story: “Losing Weight” Crossing Press, 1994
    • The Time of Our Lives  Story: “White Eggplant” Crossing Press, 1993 
    • Lovers  Story: “My Body to You" Crossing Press, 1992 

  • MUSICAL THEATER: SCRIPTS AND LIBRETTI
    • Tonya & Nancy: the Rock Opera: Wrote Book and Lyrics of show; originated the concept.  The show has been produced in NYC, Boston, LA, Portland OR and most recently Chicago.
    • 2018: NYC Concert at Feinstein's 54Below on Feb 13, 2018; Broadway Stars Sing Songs from Tonya & Nancy: the Rock Opera; starring Ashley Spencer as TONYA and Tony Nominee Lauren Worsham as NANCY; produced by Paul Boghosian/Harborside Films; concert CD released by Broadway Records in Fall, 2018
    • 2018: Tonya & Nancy: the Rock Opera produced by Ohlook Performing Arts Center in suburban Dallas, TX for a summer run on same bill as Rocky Horror and Hedwig.
    • 2018: Tonya & Nancy: The Opera: The operetta group Mixed Precipitation produced ‘Tonya and Nancy: The Opera’ - a one-act opera with libretto by Elizabeth and music by Abigail Al-Doory Cross- Previews 'on ice' on Lake Harriet for the Art Shanties, January 20th and 21st, 2018; full production February 21rst and Feb. 24th.​
    • 2016/2017: The rock opera played a 6 week run Nov/Dec 2016; produced by Underscore Theater in Chicago at Theater Wit; the show won a Jeff Theater Award for Best Featured Actress for 2016/2017.
    • 2015: The rock opera was produced on Off Broadway as an official full production 'invited show' at the New York Musical Theater Festival (NYMF) 2015; the show had a sold-out extended run Off Broadway at the Pearl Theater Center in July, 2015
    • 2015: NYC Preview performances for Tonya & Nancy at NYMF included NYMF Preview Press Conference, Broadway Sessions, Broadway Mondays at Hardware, NYMF preview at World Trade Plaza, and a Songwriter Showcase for Elizabeth at Musical Theater Factory.
    • 2014: Concert performance of Tonya & Nancy at The King King Club in Hollywood, CA; produced by The Los Angeles Rock Opera Company and Harborside Films; benefiting the LA theater, Celebration; sold-out performances in Feb., 2014.
    • 2013: Showcase performance in New York City produced by Harborside Films; directed by Kenny Howard, co-founder of Broadway Consortium; starring Broadway performers Melissa Van Der Schyff and Janine DiVito
    • 2011: full production; produced by Paul Boghosian and Harborside Films in Boston in Jan, Feb. and a Return Engagement in July of 2011 at the American Repertory Theater's Oberon Theater in Harvard Square  
    • Portland, OR; 2008: first full workshop production; produced by Triangle Productions, premiered in Feb. of 2008 in Portland, OR; 6 week extended run; winter/spring, 2008
    • Song Showcases: musical performances from Seven Rabbits on a Pole performed in the Menotomy Concert Series in May, 2015; excerpts from Tonya & Nancy: the Rock Opera featured by LA Playwright's Arena in Hot Night in the City event, spring, 2010; songs from Tonya & Nancy also featured in Boston Cabaret's Songwriter Showcase, 2008; a short excerpt was shown on CBS, The Early Show
    • Tonya & Nancy: the Opera; wrote libretto and originated concept of one-act opera; libretto published in Post Road magazine; opera premiered at American Repertory Theater’s Zero Arrow series in May, 2006; produced by Tufts Music; music by Abigail Al-Doory; the opera was performed in excerpt by Opera Vista in Houston, where it was selected as one of the top three New Operas of the year (2007); a full production was performed in Minneapolis & St. Paul in 2010.  New full production was performed in Minneapolis/St. Paul, produced by Mixed Precipitation at Amsterdam Bar & Hall in St. Paul; Opened February 20, 2014.  The show was extended by popular demand and an additional performance added at the Hat Trick Hall in St. Paul.  Previews were performed at the Art Shanties Project on Feb. 16, 2014, outdoors 'on ice.'  A 2018 production is in the works in MN.
    • Seven Rabbits on a Pole: an Opera, Work in progress; performed in workshop version at Longy School of Music/Bard College in spring, 2011; music by Pasquale Tassone; libretto adapted by Elizabeth from the John C. Picardi play, which was produced in Boston and NYC.
    • SKYPAINT: A Cyber Rock Opera; music and lyrics by Russell Chudnofsky; Book by Elizabeth; a Boston-area production of SKYPAINT is in the works for 2018.
  • SCREENPLAYS and PLAYS
  • A Four-Sided Bed feature script by Elizabeth; in development with Creatrix Films; screenplay won award at Woods Hole International Film Festival and more (see Honors)
  • A Four-Sided Bed : produced as a STAGED READING at ZEPHYR THEATER in Hollywood in May, 2016; produced by Creatrix Films and Amy Carpenter Scott; the performance starred Evan Ross (THE HUNGER GAMES), Gia Mantegna (UNDER THE DOME), Kenny Leu (NCIS) and Lucy Griffiths (TRUE BLOOD; PREACHER).  
    • Stolen Girl Song: One Act Play 
      • staged reading of new version: Sept, 2018 at Hobart Book Village Festival of Women Writers; performed by Broadway actress Heidi Freise.
        • Northern Writes New Play Festival; spring, 2013; play selected for festival; premiered in spring, 2013 at Bangor Opera House in Maine
        • Poet's Theater at the Armory Center for the Arts in Somerville, MA; performed on Dec. 20, 2013
        • Performed in excerpt at Poet's Theater in Nov., 2011
    • Celebrities in Disgrace: short film with script co-authored by Elizabeth and Paul Ramsay, adapted from her novella; produced by Bravo Sierra Pictures
      • Premiered in summer, 2010 as an official film selection at the 20th annual Woods Hole International Film Festival in Cape Cod, MA; screened in 2010-2011 at film festivals around the country (See 'Honors'), 
    • Additional scriptwriting projects include a theater script for A Four-Sided Bed and a feature film script and play script "Marta" in progress with playwright Melinda Lopez; in development with Harborside Films, 2005-present

  • SHORT FICTION PUBLICATIONS
    • Stonecoast Review: "We Got Him" (novel excerpt): Winter 2015/16
    • Solstice Literary Journal; www.solstice.com: "The Quiet Car"; Spring, 2014
    • TheGloriaSirens; online magazine: "The Thing About Hinckley": story reprinted, 2014
    • Seattle Review-- "Student Shooter" 2010
    • Roger Magazine-- "And A Dead American" 2010
    • Massachusetts Review--"Hammond Castle" 2009
    • New England Review--"If You Play Joni Mitchell" Spring, 2008
    • Hayden's Ferry Review-- “When You Watch Me" April, 2008
    • Massachusetts Review-- “Sick Play” January, 2006
    • Other Magazine--“The Thing About Hinckley” summer, 2004
    • Scene Magazine (Boston)-- “Wind-Up Camera" Spring, 2003
    • Genre-- “Pretend Boyfriend” Summer, 2003
    • Ontario Review-- “101” Summer, 2001
    • Michigan Quarterly Review-- “Birthdays” Fall, 2000
    • Chelsea-- “What It’s Worth” Fall, 2000
    • Five Points-- “Memoir of a Soon-to-Be Star” Fall, 1998
    • Ploughshares-- “Why We’re Here” Winter, 1997
    • Boulevard-- “The Young and the Rest of Us” Winter, 1997
    • Agni-- “A Four-Sided Bed” Fall, 1995
    • Boulevard-- “Not Herself” Spring, 1993
    • Kenyon Review-- “My Body to You” Fall, 1992
    • Epoch-- “Round Objects” Winter, 1991
    • Ploughshares-- “White Eggplant” Fall, 1991
    • Epoch-- “Number Eight” Fall, 1991
    • Chelsea-- “What to Do in an Emergency” Fall, 1991
    • California Quarterly-- “Tell Me About It” Fall, 1991
    • Roberts Writing Awards Annual, 1990-- “News” January, 1991
    • Confrontation-- “Give the Gift of Life and Sight” Spring, 1990
    • Epoch-- “Virgins” Winter, 1989
    • California Quarterly-- “Losing Weight” Fall, 1988
    • South Carolina Review-- “ First Most Beautiful Woman in the World” 1988
    • The Greensboro Review-- “Days and Nights” Summer, 1988
    • The Indiana Review-- “How Are You This Evening?” Winter, 1986
    • The Indiana Review-- “Stella” Spring, 1985
    • South Carolina Review-- “Alice Egner” Fall, 1984
    • South Carolina Review-- “Dogs Chase Cars” Spring, 1984
    • Redbook-- “Missing LaDonna” September, 1982

  • NONFICTION: BOOK REVIEWS, ESSAYS & ONLINE
  • Underscore Theater online: short nonfiction piece by Elizabeth; March 2018
  • Solstice literary magazine: feature interview with Elizabeth; Jan, 2017
    • Solstice literary magazine: essay by Elizabeth published in August, 2015
    • American Book Review; book review by Elizabeth of story collection Psycho Dream Factory; Summer, 2012
    • New Ohio Review; short essay on Virginia Woolf; 2012
    • VIDA/Her Kind; online magazine; featured Guest Author; summer, 2012; also featured as Guest Post author on GloriaSirens blog; 2014.
    • The Nervous Breakdown; online magazine; excerpt and interview with Elizabeth featured; fall, 2011
    • Celebrities in Disgrace blog: Elizabeth's blog has drawn over 200,000 hits and has been linked by the Huffington Post; it has featured Guest authors such as Leslea Newman, original quotes from stars like Zooey Deshanel and interviews with rockers like Nelson, John Payne and Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue, who Tweeted about the blog; Elizabeth has blogged since 2010 on celeb-related Pop Culture issues at: www.celebritiesindisgrace.wordpress.com; 2010-present
    • American Book Review; book review; 2005 
    • Post Road:  Feature Interview with Elizabeth; Summer, 2004
    • Improper Bostonian: "Taking The Fall"; essay for Literary Issue. Fall, 2002
    • Post Road; essay: “Black Tickets: Then and Now.” Spring, 2002 
    • Ploughshares; book reviews: Fall, 1997; Winter, 1992; Fall, 1992; Winter, 1991

  • RECOGNITION & AWARDS
  • ​2018: Elizabeth became a member of ASCAP, for songwriting professionals
  • 2018: Elizabeth and Abigail Al Doory Cross's opera, TONYA & NANCY: THE OPERA selected as a Best of Classical pick by the Minneapolis Star Tribune
  • 2017: Elizabeth's novel WE GOT HIM was one of three finalists for the Midwest Book Award
  • 2017: The Chicago production of TONYA & NANCY: THE ROCK OPERA was nominated for two Jeff Theater Awards and won Best Supporting Actress (Veronica Garza) for 2016/2017
  • 2017: Elizabeth had two events accepted at the AWP 2017 conference; Elizabeth led and performed in both ADAPTATION IN THREE ACTS and WRITTEN ON A (WOMAN'S) BODY.
  • 2017: Elizabeth's novel WE GOT HIM was listed on the Small Press Distribution Center Bestseller List for Jan/Feb 2017.
  • 2016/2017: JEFF THEATER AWARDS for 2016/2017: TONYA & NANCY was a 'Jeff recommended show' which received two Jeff Award nominations and won a Jeff Award for Best Supporting Actress, Veronica Garza
  • 2016: TONYA & NANCY: THE ROCK OPERA named one of TOP FIVE MUSICALS OF 2016 by New City Stages in Chicago
  • 2015: TONYA & NANCY: THE ROCK OPERA (Book, Lyrics and Concept by Elizabeth) selected as an official Full Production show at the New York Musical Theater Festival.
    • 2015: TONYA & NANCY: THE ROCK OPERA at NYMF in NYC: Ken Davenport's Producer's Perspective blog listed the show as one of TOP FIVE at NYMF and PLAYBILL sited it as one of the 'Top Ten Shows to See'.  Broadway World spotlighted it as a PhotoFlash feature; Best of Off Broadway listed it as a Best of Fest.  
    • 2015: the anthology ME, MY HAIR and I, including Elizabeth's essay, was the PEOPLE MAGAZINE 'Book of the Week' as well as a selection on ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY'S list of 'Must's in books, films and TV. 
    • 2014: Elizabeth selected as a featured author at the WriteBoston gala with guest of honor Mayor Tom Menino; later Elizabeth was chosen as Featured Author in the WriteBoston News in September of 2014.
    • 2013: Elizabeth's screenplay for A Four-Sided Bed won Best Feature Screenplay, Romance in the 22nd annual Woods Hole International Film Festival 
    • 2013: Poet's Theater event featuring Elizabeth's play Stolen Girl Song selected as a 'Pick of the Day' in the Boston Globe Arts section; Dec. 19, 2013
    • 2012: Elizabeth's screenplay for A Four-Sided Bed won Best Adapted Screenplay in the American International Film Festival (summer, 2012)
    • 2010/2011: Short film Celebrities in Disgrace (based on Elizabeth's novella with script by Elizabeth) premiered as an official selection at the Woods Hole International Film Festival; the film was also selected for several 2011 film festivals, including Columbia Gorge International Festival in Vancouver, Vegas Cinefest and Hoboken International Festival; the film drew coverage on WBUR Boston
    • 2010: winner of Boston's Literary Death Match, an international reading series run by Opium Magazine; Elizabeth was an invited reader sponsored by Post Road 
    • 2010: work selected to appear in 'Best of' Post Road anthology: No Near Exit; selected by Melissa Pritchard
    • 2011: Tonya & Nancy: the Rock Opera selected as an Arts Pick by WBUR, Boston and Best Bet by Boston Phoenix.  Coverage for the show has included AP, NYT, London Times, Sports Illustrated, Boston Globe, Good Morning America, ESPN Hollywood and more
    • 2008 Portland Area Music Awards; Oregon: Tonya & Nancy: the Rock Opera nominated for Best Original Musical and Best Original Song in audience-based awards
    • 2008 Boston Cabaret Songwriter's Showcase: songs from Tonya & Nancy: the Rock Opera featured as Showcase finale
    • 2002; Paterson Fiction Prize; book Celebrities in Disgrace chosen as Finalist
    • 2001 Lawrence Foundation Prize for Fiction; winner; $1000 literary award given by Michigan Quarterly Review
    • 1998 American Library Association Prizes: book A Four-Sided Bed chosen as a finalist in its ALA Prize fiction catagory.
    • 1998- present; Selected for inclusion in Contemporary Authors and in Who’s Who in American Women, Millennial Edition; Who's Who Europa among other reference works
    • 1998: Boston Globe Paperback Bestseller List: novel listed in February, 1998
    • 1998/1999: America Online; amazon.com; Library Journal (magazine): A Four Sided Bed novel cited as a ‘Best First Novel’ or named as a ‘Recommended Book’
    • PEN/New England: elected to Executive Board, 1998; Vice Chair, 2001
    • Best American Short Stories, 1986, 1991 and 1993; Pushcart Prize, ‘93/’94, 2001: stories cited among the “Distinguished Stories of the Year”
    • Iowa Short Fiction Prize, 1992. Story manuscript selected by James Salter for publication and award
    • Chelsea Fiction Prize, 1991. Nationwide competition; short story “What to Do in an Emergency” won first prize
    • Roberts Writing Awards, 1990: short story “News” chosen to appear in awards annual; HG Roberts Foundation
    • Ms. Magazine, nationwide fiction contest, 1982: short story “First Most Beautiful Woman in the World” selected as 2nd prize winner in MS MAGAZINE fiction Contest.

BIO NOTE 
Elizabeth Searle writes fiction and theater. She is the author of several works of theater and five books of fiction, most recently her novels WE GOT HIM and GIRL HELD IN HOME. Her previous books are CELEBRITIES IN DISGRACE, a novella and stories; A FOUR-SIDED BED, a novel nominated for an American Library Association Book Award and in development as a feature film,MY BODY TO YOU, a story collection that won the Iowa Short Fiction Prize, judged by James Salter. Elizabeth's theater works have drawn national and even worldwide media attention.

Elizabeth was born in PA and grew up in SC, KY and AZ.  Her father wrote hundreds of published Letters to the Editor as well as a column in his local paper, giving Elizabeth her passion for politics.  Her mother was a Librarian who loved both books and theater, two of Elizabeth's creative passions.  Elizabeth started writing with her sister Kate, in the wilds of South Carolina, where the two 'broadcast' (on walkie talkies) a radio Soap Opera called 'What A Way to Live.'
 
After years of happily writing fiction, Elizabeth returned to her first love of script-writing in 2006.  Elizabeth's and Michael Teoli's Rock Opera, TONYA & NANCY THE ROCK OPERA-- as well as her and Abigail Al-Doory Cross’ original opera, TONYA AND NANCY: THE OPERA-- have both been produced multiple times to widespread media coverage. In May, 2006, at the American Reperatory Theater’s ‘new space for new works,’ Tufts Music premiered the opera, which is based on the infamous Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan ice scandal.

The opera drew coverage from-- among other media outlets-- Associated Press, ESPN Hollywood, Sports Illustrated, the New York Times, the London Times, The Daily Show and National Public Radio. Searle and composer Teoli created the full-length Rock Opera which premiered in February, 2008, drawing media coverage from GOOD MORNING AMERICA, CNN, CBS and FOX. A critically acclaimed new production of the rock opera was produced by Harborside Films and performed at the American Repertory Theater's Oberon Theater in January, February and July of 2011. A staged reading performance was produced in New York City in spring, 2013. The show was performed in sold-out club dates in LA in 2014. It enjoyed a Sold-Out run at the New York Musical Theater Festival in 2015, drawing national and international media.  Recent productions ran for 6 weeks in Chicago-- produced by Underscore Theater and recommended by the 2016/2017 Jeff theater awards-- and in the summer 2018 in Texas.  A 2018 NYC concert version of the show played to a full house at 54Below- with concert CD from Broadway Records.

Elizabeth continues to write fiction as well as scripts.  Her short stories have appeared in magazines such as PLOUGHSHARES, REDBOOK, NEW ENGLAND REVIEW AGNI, and KENYON REVIEW and most recently in SOLSTICE and in over a dozen anthologies such as LOVERS and DON'T YOU FORGET ABOUT ME. She won the 2010 Boston Literary Death Match and the Lawrence Foundation Fiction Prize. She received her MFA from Brown University, where she studied with John Hawkes.

Elizabeth has taught fiction writing at Brown, Emerson College, Bennington MFA and the University of Massachusetts (Visiting Writer, 2007-08). She has taught at Stonecoast MFA for over a dozen years. Her novella CELEBRITIES IN DISGRACE was produced as a short film in 2010 with script co-written by Elizabeth; it has screened in film festivals around the country. Her one-act play, Stolen Girl Song, was performed in Maine and MA in 2013.  She has co-edited an anthology on Soap Operas (2017) and on Teen Idols (2018).

She served for over a decade on the Executive Board of PEN/New England, worked on children's literacy issues and founded the Erotic PEN readings. She teaches Fiction, Pop Fiction and Scriptwriting at Stonecoast MFA. Elizabeth is an avid Democrat and biker. She has volunteered for the last 5 years at Food Link.  She loves music and movies and hanging out with her 'boys'. She lives with her husband and son in Arlington, MA.