Exhibiting Author Stephan Alexander Parker Talks Literary Roadkill

by Stephan Alexander Parker

“A Roadkill Opera” is a new opera first workshopped at Artomatic 2012, the Washington area’s largest free creative arts event. Set to classical music from 1804 and crossed with a backstage comedy, the 59-minute opera tells the story of the hour before the lights go up on opening night for a comedy improv troupe in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Librettist Stephan Alexander Parker (exhibiting) and music director/conductor Jeffrey Dokken, the creative team behind the Artomatic 2012 workshop performance and 2013 studio recording of “A Roadkill Opera,” announced a new initiative at the 2015 GRAMMY Awards: A Roadkill Opera DIY comprises the complete opera in a box, including the conductor’s score and parts so you can perform it yourself with just five singers and a 9-piece chamber orchestra.

“This music is too much fun for us to be the only ones performing it,” said Jeffrey Dokken, music director and conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of Northern Virginia.

“A Roadkill Opera is not roadkill on the road to GRAMMY gold—we got bronze!” said Stephan Alexander Parker, librettist for the opera. He was referring to the invitation to attend the GRAMMY awards. Together with Dokken and Parker, the Roadkill entourage included video director Ben Ganz and merchandizing director DJ Choupin. All four attended the GRAMMY ceremonies with Bronze level tickets. Composer Ferdinando Paer was not available to attend, as he passed away in 1839.

Photo: A Roadkill Opera‘s librettist Stephan Alexander Parker and music director/conductor Jeffrey Dokken show their Grammy tickets before the Premiere