Chicago's American Theatre Company to premiere Tonya/Nancy-inspired play in fall 2016

[Sylvia]

http://www.playbill.com/article/chicago-to-debut-new-nancy-kerrigan-inspired-play

American Theatre Company in Chicago has announced its 2016-17 season; included in the line-up will be the world premiere of T. by Dan Aibel. The new work is named after figure skater Tonya Harding, whose ex-husband reportedly coordinated an attack against her competitor, Nancy Kerrigan.
Margot Bordelon is set to direct the debut, billed by ATC as a “darkly funny and unrelenting play” about the lengths people go to for fame. Performances are scheduled to run September 23-October 30.

Season 32 plays: http://www.atcweb.org/#!season32/c74i

 

[jlai]

Oh no!

 

[Japanfan]

Oh no!

Indeed.

I suppose anything goes as fodder for the creative arts, but wonder if the producers of this show have any idea how the media's milking of the story threatened to ruin Nancy's life, and if they are aware that Tonya paid a heavy price already - humiliation, ridicule and a lifetime USFA ban. Both women have put the incident behind them and moved on with their lives. To make them relive it again is exploitation IMO.

If there is a story there, it is about the lengths a marginalized outsider will go to gain a competitive advantage, and the cost of going to such lengths. And, the story speaks poorly to the door underbelly of FS as an enterprise.

Somehow I doubt the producers will understand that, and just go for the jugular.

 

[Tavi]

Hmm. Never heard of this company, but it looks like the show will be running before, during and after Skate America.

 

[DDNatalia]

Hmm. Never heard of this company, but it looks like the show will be running before, during and after Skate America.

My observation exactly. I suppose one way of looking at this from a "glass half full" standpoint, if it raises the profile of figure skating in the US, hope that translates to interest in casual fans becoming aware of that the current crop of world competitors will be starting an amazing season just outside of Chicago at Skate America

 

[CantALoop]

Meh, it's already been done.

 

[glorybox64]

Just wanted to say that ATC is a well-known and respected theater company in town. Probably among the top 10 or 15 (which actually says a lot in this town). It specializes in dramatic works. I'm not familiar with this director or playwright and it's a world premiere but I would expect that this won't be some slapstick comedy or musical, and that it might be more nuanced than what a lot of people above are expecting.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Do they expect anyone to go to this thing?

 

[Sylvia]

Just wanted to say that ATC is a well-known and respected theater company in town. Probably among the top 10 or 15 (which actually says a lot in this town). It specializes in dramatic works. I'm not familiar with this director or playwright and it's a world premiere but I would expect that this won't be some slapstick comedy or musical, and that it might be more nuanced than what a lot of people above are expecting.

Thanks for your info!

ETA that Aibel's "T." play was among those selected for the Sundance Institute's 2014 Theatre Lab: https://theartofmonteque.com/2014/0...sors-for-2014-theatre-lab-at-sundance-resort/

 

[Tavi]

Do they expect anyone to go to this thing?

It's local for me so I might, especially after Glorybox's info.

 

[paskatefan]

Why? Why?