Concert Readings of Junk Rock Opera, With Katrina Rose Dideriksen, Kate Loprest, Freddie Kimmel, Held Nov. 17-19

By Michael Gioia
17 Nov 2012

Katrina Rose Dideriksen
Katrina Rose Dideriksen

Epic Megalopolis Productions presents concert readings of Swedish pop band Brainpool's new rock opera Junk Nov. 17 and 19 at the National Opera Center in New York City.

The work, under the musical direction of Jeremy Lyons, is the first rock opera presented in the new recital hall opened by Opera America earlier this year, a venue dedicated to supporting the creation, presentation and enjoyment of opera.

The cast includes Katrina Rose Dideriksen (The Pregnancy Pact, Bloodsong of Love) as Anna, Freddie Kimmel (Superfly) as Ernie, Mike Backes (Jersey Boys Las Vegas) as Max, Maria-Christina Oliveras (Here Lies Love, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) as Martina, Kate Loprest (Wonderland, Xanadu, Hairspray) and Mary-Kate Morrissey (Hair national tour) as the MetroJets, Jordan Scott Gilbert as Hannes, Paul Louis Lessard as Kioko and Ian Joseph and Frank Viveros as The Attendants.

The story of Junk, according to production notes, "takes place in a near-future urban wasteland run by Junk Incorporated. Anna, a Junk employee, dreams of starting a revolution with her all-girl rock band, the MetroJets. Her ambitions are thwarted when she finds herself caught in a dangerous love triangle between her boss, Ernie, who owns the last nightclub in the city, and the office janitor, Max, who wants to help her escape the drudges of corporate life."

Brainpool, whose members include Christoffer Lundquist, David Birde and Jens Jansson, originally released Junk – A Rock Opera as a double-disc concept album on Playground Records in 2004. The show premiered in concert with the Malmö Symphonic Orchestra in Sweden in 2005, and is currently being developed for theatrical production with director Shakina Nayfack, who has also worked with the band to expand the libretto and score since its 2007 Los Angeles workshop.

Readings are held Nov. 17 at 8 PM and Nov. 19 at 7 PM. The Nov. 17 concert is sold out, but there is a waiting list. The National Opera Center is located at 330 7th Avenue, 7th floor. For ticket information, contact Epic Megalopolis Productions at info@epicmegapro.com.

Epic Megalopolis Productions was formed in 2006 by Shakina Nayfack and Joseph Yoshitomi to "support the development of new work for the stage and to produce innovative and socially relevant material for a new generation of theatergoers."