Nature Theater of Oklahoma - the company whose most recent Obie Award-winning work, NO DICE, enjoyed rave reviews, an extended run and sold-out houses with Soho Rep last season - will conclude Soho Rep's 2008-2009 Off-Broadway season with the U.S. premiere of RAMBO SOLO fresh from its lauded European tour. Previews begin March 19 prior to an official press opening of March 21 at Soho Rep (46 Walker Street).
Nature Theater of Oklahoma's actor Zachary Oberzan has had a deep connection with the story of "Rambo: First Blood" since he was a boy of ten. He first saw the Hollywood blockbuster during one magical weekend spent watching free HBO. He knows the story by heart - but can he navigate all the perilous twists and turns of his own obsession with it? Set in the dark heart of Zack's tiny New York studio apartment, RAMBO SOLO follows one man's private passion to its limits, as he struggles to re-enact the entire First Blood story in all its sweaty dramatic detail.
Re-inventing Soho Rep's space, RAMBO SOLO takes us into Zack's world as he attempts to create a better movie version of the book-in his 250 square foot studio apartment and with a budget of $100. Counter pointing video, audio and the actor himself, RAMBO SOLO follows Zack's mighty struggle to tell a simple story.
"I am delighted to welcome back Nature Theater of Oklahoma. They turn the theater experience inside-out-and are the most inventive and hard-working company I know. We are thrilled to be presenting RAMBO SOLO, Soho Rep's first solo show," noted Soho Rep Artistic Director, Sarah Benson.
RAMBO SOLO is conceived & directed by Nature Theater of Oklahoma founders Pavol Liska and Kelly Copper; features Zachary Oberzan; and has production and video design by Peter Nigrini.
Prior to its engagement at Soho Rep this spring, RAMBO SOLO toured Europe, playing venues in Hamburg, Germany; The Netherlands; and Belgium. In Europe, RAMBO SOLO was met with such critical praise as: "hilarious...the Nature Theater of Oklahoma certainly has many new fans in Germany" from Hamburg Morgenpost; and "Nature Theater of Oklahoma presents with subtle means a multitude of worrying thoughts about identity, a liquid separation between reality and fiction, and the difference between low and high culture as well as your own prejudices about this. One never could imagine that they could get so much from Rambo," from Telegraaf, in Holland.
Nature Theater of Oklahoma -- whose recent productions include NO DICE at Soho Rep, and POETICS: A BALLET BRUT at Under-the-Radar in '08 -- works in a new tradition that is akin to Elevator Repair Service, The Wooster Group and Richard Maxwell.
Last season, Nature Theater of Oklahoma's NO DICE at Soho Rep was met with such critical raves as "NO DICE is a tour de force...that rare, wondrous type of theatrical sustenance: You leave blissful and sated, yet wanting more," from The New York Times; "brilliant and humorous...immensely entertaining and one of the most original performance that I've had the pleasure to attend," from TheaterMania.com; and "funny and touching" from Time Out New York.
Nature Theater of Oklahoma is a New York company formed under the direction of Pavol Liska and Kelly Copper. The company takes its name from the last chapter of Kafka's unfinished first novel AMERIKA.
Now in its 33rd year, Soho Rep's 2008-09 season is the second under the leadership of Artistic Director, Sarah Benson, and the first for new Executive Director, Tania Camargo. This is the second season the company will operate as an Off-Broadway company after decades of presenting work in the off-off-Broadway arena. One of the company's most popular and innovative programming features from last year -- 99-cent tickets for all Sunday performances of main stage productions throughout the year - continues this season, as well.
Under the leadership of Artistic Director Sarah Benson and Executive Director, Tania Camargo, Soho Rep is dedicated to cultivating and producing visionary, uncompromising, and exuberant new plays. They perform to one of the youngest adult audiences in New York City, with over three-quarters of its audience aged 18-40.
