Elizabeth Searle

All About E

(& "Tonya & Nancy" too)

"Tonya & Nancy:
The Rock Opera" Info

Bio & More

Elizabeth Searle is the author of two works of theater and four books of fiction: CELEBRITIES IN DISGRACE, a novella and stories; A FOUR-SIDED BED, a novel nominated for an American Library Association Book Award and MY BODY TO YOU, a story collection that won the Iowa Short Fiction Prize and a 2011 novel, GIRL HELD IN HOME. The New York Times Book Review called her novella Celebrities in Disgrace “a miniature masterpiece.”

Elizabeth Searle'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 drawn worldwide media attention. 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.

Searle’s short stories have appeared in magazines such as PLOUGHSHARES, REDBOOK, NEW ENGLAND REVIEW AGNI, and KENYON REVIEW and in 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.

Elizabeth has taught fiction writing at Brown, Emerson College, Bennington MFA, Stonecoast MFA, and the University of Massachusetts (Visiting Writer, 2007-08). Her novella CELEBRITIES IN DISGRACE was produced as a short film in 2010 by Bravo Sierra Productions in 2010 with script co-written by Elizabeth. She served for over a decade on the Executive Board of PEN/New England and founded the Erotic PEN readings. She teaches at Stonecoast MFA. Elizabeth lives with her husband and son in Arlington, MA.

Elizabeth Searle
Email: e.searle@comcast.net

BA: Oberlin College; MA: Brown University

BOOKS

Girl Held in Home, a novel; New Rivers Press, 2011.
Celebrities in Disgrace, a novella and stories. Graywolf Press, 2001.
A Four-Sided Bed, a novel. Graywolf Press, 1998
My Body to You, short stories. Winner of the 1992 Iowa Short Fiction Prize (James Salter, judge). University of Iowa Press, 1993
A new paperback and eBook edition of A FOUR-SIDED BED and a new eBook version of CELEBRITIES IN DISGRACE were published in 2011 by PFP/AJAR Contemporaries in 2011. A new paperback and eBook of MY BODY TO YOU is forthcoming from UIowa Press.

ANTHOLOGIES

MEN UNDRESSED: WOMEN AUTHORS ON MALE SEXUAL EXPERIENCE; OV PRESS/DZANC BOOKS; Fall, 2011
NO NEAR EXIT: AUTHORS CHOSE THE BEST OF POST ROAD MAGAZINE; DZANC BOOKS; Spring, 2011
Don’t You Forget About Me, edited by Jaime Clarke; nonfiction piece “The Scream, With Lipgloss” included; Simon and Schuster; 2007
The Darfur Anthology; nonfiction piece, "Letter to Laura" included; ECC, 2007
Write Now; edited by Sherry Ellis; essay, “Object Lesson”. Penguin; 2006
Out of the Blue/ Writers Unite anthology. Crooked River Press; 2004.
The Iowa Award anthology. University of Iowa Press; 2002. Story “What to Do in an Emergency” selected for inclusion.
American Fiction (awards anthology). New Rivers Press, 1995. Story: “Another Spineless White Girl.”
Breaking Up is Hard to Do. Crossing Press, 1994. Story: “Losing Weight.”
The Time of Our Lives. Crossing Press, 1993. Story: “White Eggplant.”
Lovers. Crossing Press, 1992. Story: “My Body to You.”

LIBRETTI

TONYA AND NANCY: THE OPERA; published in Post Road magazine; Opera previewed at American Reperatory Theater’s Zero Arrow series in May, 2006. It was performed in excerpt by Opera Vista in Houston. A full production was performed in Minneapolis & St. Paul in 2010.
TONYA AND NANCY: THE ROCK OPERA, produced by Triangle Productions, premiered in Feb. of 2008; a new production was produced in Boston in 2011.

SCREENPLAYS

Celebrities in Disgrace adapted for film, 2010
A Four-Sided Bed feature script completed in 2011; in development with Bravo Sierra Picures; additional Screenwriting for Harborside Films, 2005-present

SHORT STORY PUBLICATIONS

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 Review-- “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
The California Quarterly-- “Tell Me About It.” Fall, 1991
The Roberts Writing Awards Annual, 1990-- “News.” January, 1991
Confrontation-- “Give the Gift of Life and Sight.” Spring, 1990
Epoch-- “Virgins.” Winter, 1989
The 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

BOOK REVIEWS & ESSAYS

Don't You Forget About Me anthology; essay, 2007
Amercian Book Review; 2005; Book review/essay
Post Road: Summer, 2004: Interview with me on my fiction
Improper Bostonian: Fall, 2002: essay for Literary Issue.
Post Road; Spring, 2002: essay: “Black Tickets: Then and Now.”
Ploughshares; Book reviews: Fall, 1997; Winter, 1992; Fall, 1992; Winter, 1991

RECOGNITION AND AWARDS

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 Mag.
2010: work selected to appear in BEST OF POST ROAD anthology.
2011, 2008 and 2006 Tonya & Nancy Opera and Rock Opera coverage included interviews on NPR, ESPN Hollywood, MSNBC, Boston Globe, Boston Herald, WGBH radio and TV (Boston) and in Sports Illustrated, the CBC and the Associated Press (2006) and in 2008 coverage on Good Morning America, CNN, Fox and CBS The Early Show.
2008 Portland Area Music Awards: TONYA & NANCY: THE ROCK OPERA nominated for Best Original Musical and Best Original Song
2008 Boston Cabaret Songwriter's Showcase: songs from TONYA & NANCY: THE ROCK OPERA featured as Showcase finale
Paterson Fiction Prize, 2002; book Celebrities in Disgrace chosen as finalist
American Library Association Prizes, 1998: book A Four-Sided Bed chosen as finalist in its ALA Prize fiction catagory.
Lawrence Foundation Prize for Fiction; winner, 2001
Selected for inclusion in Contemporary Authors and in Who’s Who in American Women, Millennial Edition, among other reference works.
Boston Globe Paperback Bestseller List: novel listed: February, 1998.
America Online; amazon.com; Library Journal (magazine): 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; sponsored by the HG Roberts Foundation.
Ms. Magazine, nationwide fiction contest, 1982: short story “First Most Beautiful Woman in the World” selected as 2nd prize winner.

WRITERS’ CONFERENCES & ORGANIZATIONS

2012. The Muse and the Marketplace; writers' conference sponsored by Grub Street in Boston, MA; Elizabeth will speak at the conference in May, 2012.
2012. Mystic Writers' Conference; Mystic, CT; Elizabeth will teach and read at the conference in March, 2012.
2011. Literary Festival at Old Dominion University; Elizabeth will be a featured reader Oct. 5th, 2011.
2010 Boston Globe Media Matters Conference. Elizabeth led seminars on scriptwriting.
2005-2009 Desert Nights, Rising Stars: Arizona State University Writers’ Conference; reader and teacher: Spring, 2005 ; Spring, 2006, Spring 2007,2008; 2009.
2008 Write Angles Writing Conference; Mt. Holyoke. Elizabeth led a seminar on Erotic Writing.
Maine Writers and Publishers Conference. reader and teacher, 1999 & 2001.
Cape Cod Writers’ Conference. Lecturer, Fiction. Summers: 1997 and 1993.
Rutgers University Writers’ Conference. Featured reader and teacher of Fiction Workshops. Spring, 1994
Lowell Writers’ Conference: 1990-92; Conference Director: 1993
PEN/ New England: Executive Officer, 1999; Vice Chair, 2002-2010; Executive Board Member, 1998-2010; childrens' book fair and Book Building projects, 1995-present.