Press  Kit  and  Touring  Info  

RoosevElvis  (“Rose-­‐of-­‐Elvis”)  tells  the  story  of  Ann,  a  thirty-­‐five  year  old  meat-­‐processing  plant  worker  living  in  Rapid  City,  South  Dakota.  Painfully  shy,  Ann  has  recently  begun  to  inhabit  the  character  of  Elvis  Presley  in  the  privacy  of  her  home.  In  his  skin,  she  begins  to  find  the  courage  to  open  herself  to  the  world.  She  meets  and  sleeps  with  Brenda,  a  woman  whose  online  dating  profile  lists  taxidermy  and  Teddy  Roosevelt  among  her  interests.  The  two  take  a  weekend  camping  trip  to  the  Badlands,  but  it  doesn't  go  well.  Frustrated  by  Ann's  passivity  about  her  own  life,  Brenda  leaves,  prodding  Ann  to  do  something,  like  get  in  a  car  and  drive  to  her  hero's  house  in  Memphis.  Ann  begins  a  hallucinatory  drive  south,  accompanied  by  the  increasingly  present  and  invasive  spirits  of  Presley  and  Roosevelt  (played  by  the  actresses).  As  Graceland  comes  ever  closer,  these  two  icons  of  American  masculinity  battle  for  what  type  of  man  or  woman  Ann  should  become.  Set  against  the  boundless  blue  skies  of  the  Great  Plains  and  endless  American  highway,  RoosevElvis  is  a  new  work  about  gender,  appetite,  and  the  multitudes  we  contain.    Featuring  Libby  King  and  Kristen  Sieh,  RoosevElvis  was  collaboratively  created  by  director  Rachel  Chavkin,  Associate  Director  Jake  Margolin,  and  performers  King  and  Sieh.  Scenic  design  by  Nick  Vaughan,  lighting  and  projection  design  by  Joe  Cantalupo,  sound  design  by  Matt  Hubbs,  costume  design  by  Kristen  Sieh.  RoosevElvis  also  features  video  filmed  on  location  for  8  days  from  the  Badlands  to  Graceland,  shot  and  edited  by  Andrew  Schneider  in  collaboration  with  the  TEAM.  

A SURREAL ROAD TRIP FROM THE BADLANDS TO GRACELAND…

PRODUCTION TIMELINE 2008    While  developing  Architecting,  Kristen  becomes  enthralled  with  Teddy  Roosevelt.      2010    On  a  research  trip  and  residency  in  Las  Vegas  for  Mission  Drift,  Libby  develops  a  deep  interest  in  Elvis  impersonators.    Summer 2012 Initial  development  and  workshop  showings  at  the  Almeida  Theatre,  London  and  The  Bushwick  Starr,  Brooklyn    December 2012-March 2013 Continued  development  in  Brooklyn    July 2013 Kristen,  Libby,  Rachel,  Andrew,  and  Kevin  depart  on  an  8-­‐day  road  trip  and  film  shoot  from  the  Badlands  in  South  Dakota  to  Graceland  in  Memphis,  Tennessee.      August 2013 Month-­‐long  residency  at  the  Drama  League    to  finish  drafting  the  rehearsal  script    September 2013 Rehearsals  begin      October 2013 World  Premiere  at  The  Bushwick  Starr,  Brooklyn  

P R O M O TI O N AL R E S O U R C ES  High-­‐resolution  photos  and  video  from  both  the  production  and  road  trip  are  available  to  accompany  RoosevElvis,  which  can  be  used  to  create  digital  marketing  tools.  Material  can  be  supplied  in  variety  of  formats  and  files  sizes.  To  view  short  films  from  the  road  trip,  visit  our  Vimeo  page:  vimeo.com/theteamplays  

“RoosevElvis  is  far  too  empathetic  a  play  to  lend  itself  to  cold  deconstruction…[It's]  the  company’s  most  intimate  work  that  I’ve  seen,  and  also  its  warmest…a  lot  fresher  than  most  new  plays  you’ll  see  this  season…researched  to  the  teeth,  [RoosevElvis]  offers  a  spirited  and  insightful  commentary  on  two  archetypes  of  American  masculinity,  while  finding  teasing  ambiguities  within  both  that  suggest  that  machismo  is  a  shaky  existential  choice.”  Ben Brantley, New York Times    “More  buoyant  than  theatrical  material  has  any  right  to  be…RoosevElvis‘s  velocity  sweeps  us  into  gorgeous,  buoyant  nonsense  without  our  noticing…The  audience  laughs—not  with  recognition  or  self-­‐satisfaction,  but  with  the  purest  kind  of  astonished  delight…This  glorious  show  is  strong  precisely  because  it  focuses,  at  long  last,  on  individuals.  It  fully,  totally  revels  in  King’s  gravelly,  bourbon-­‐soaked  tones;  it  exploits  to  the  last  degree  Sieh’s  titanic  comic  gifts…Some  astonishing  scenes,  several  the  best  I’ve  seen  this  year,  are  the  result.”  Helen Shaw, Time Out New York  

“A  stirring,  absurd,  and  grandly  human  historical-­‐cosplay  road-­‐trip  fantasia…a  big-­‐hearted  and  affecting  examination  of  that  most  American  of  faculties:  imagining  yourself  as  bigger,  grander,  and  more,  no  matter  how  little  you  might  be.”  Village Voice  “The  most  awesome  buddy  comedy  in  American  history…in  typical  TEAM  fashion,  it  explores  so  much  more,  from  the  limits  of  hero  worship  to  the  impossible  standards  of  masculinity  in  America,  and  all  with  thrilling  athleticism  and  unfailing  intelligence.”  Theatermania  “Command  performance[s]  by  King  and  Sieh  who  carry  the  whole  production  by  weaving  in  and  out  of  their  characters  and  counter-­‐characters  seamlessly…[they]  deftly  spar  across  the  stage  through  historically  biographical  reflections  and  witty  one  liners.”  Grace Moon, velvetparkmedia  “RoosevElvis  is  a  singular  example  of  how  the  TEAM  is  re-­‐inventing  contemporary  storytelling.”  The Brooklyn Rail    

“More  buoyant  than  theatrical  material  has  any  right  to  be…  The  audience  laughs—not  with  recognition  or  self-­‐satisfaction,  but  with  the  purest  kind  of  astonished  delight.”  

Helen Shaw, Time Out New York

“How  stimulating  to  wake  up  in  the  hands  of  a  present-­‐tense  theater  company  who  knows  what  it’s  doing.”  The New York Times    “Visionary  in  concept  and  execution,  this  show  reminds  you  of  Tony  (Angels  in  America)  Kushner  and  sometimes  of  Robert  (The  Dragons’  Trilogy)  Lepage.”  The Independent, London    “A  Tour  de  Force  of  subtlety...what  a  joy  it  is  to  see  new  writing  that  transmits  what  it  is  like  to  live  in  the  21st  century.”  The Financial Times, London  

“The  TEAM  are  theatrical  excavators  of  American  culture,  American  dreams  and  the  American  psyche,  understanding  the  intimate  connection  between  past  and  present,  celluloid  and  reality.”  The Guardian  “The  TEAM  have  slowly  but  surely  become  the  artistic  conscience  of  a  younger  generation.”  Neil Cooper, The Herald  “An  outstanding  New  York  ensemble…near  world-­‐class  now,  the  Wooster  Group  of  their  generation.  Managing  to  be  at  once  artistically  daring  and  intelligently  researched.”  Kate Bassett, The Independent  

CRITICAL PRAISE FOR THE TEAM

The  TEAM  is  a  Brooklyn-­‐based  ensemble  dedicated  to  creating  new  works  about  the  experience  of  living  in  America  today.  Once  described  as  “Gertrude  Stein  meets  MTV,”  the  TEAM’s  work  crashes  American  history  and  mythology  into  modern  stories  to  illuminate  the  current  moment.  We  combine  aggressive  athleticism  with  emotional  performances  and  intellectual  rigor,  keeping  the  brain,  eyes  and  heart  of  the  audience  constantly  stimulated.      Founded  in  2004,  The  TEAM  has  created  and  toured  8  works  nationally  and  internationally.  Four-­‐time  winners  of  the  Edinburgh  Fringe  First,  Winner  2011  Edinburgh  International  Festival  Fringe  Prize,  2011  Herald  Angel,  ranked  Best  of  2011  by  The  Guardian,  Time  Out  New  York  Top  Ten  2007,  and  Portugal’s  Público  Top  Ten  2009  and  2011,  nominated  for  the  Drama  League  Award  for  Outstanding  Musical,  the  TEAM  has  performed  all  over  New  York  (including  the  Public  Theater,  PS122,  and  the  Ohio  Theatre);  nationally  (including  the  Walker  Art  Center  in  Minneapolis,  and  the  A.R.T.  in  Cambridge);  and  internationally  (including  London’s  National  Theatre,  Barbican  Centre,  Almeida  Theatre,  and  Battersea  Arts  Centre;  Edinburgh’s  Traverse  Theatre;  Lisbon’s  Culturgest;  the  Salzburg  Festival;  the  Perth  International  Arts  Festival;  and  the  Hong  Kong  Arts  Festival).    The TEAM is Jessica Almasy, Frank Boyd, Rachel Chavkin, Stephanie Douglass, Jil l Frutkin, Brian Hastert, Jake Heinrichs, Matt Hubbs, Libby King, Jake Margolin, Dave Polato, Kristen Sieh, and Nick Vaughan. Artistic Director: Rachel Chavkin Producing Director: Manda Mart in

ABOUT THE TEAM

“Enthralling  and  infuriating,  funny  and  tragic,  intelligent  and  downright  lunatic  –  it  is  impossible  to  have  a  simple  response  to  this  extraordinary  production...  One  leaves  the  theatre  thrilled  by  a  company  so  determined  to  push  the  boundaries  of  theatrical  possibility.”  Telegraph, London “The  TEAM  achieve  the  huge,  soaring  size  of  their  ambitions…the  (collectively-­‐done)  writing  is  crisply  poetic,  and  each  performance  sharp,  focused  and  beautiful…an  immersive,  enthusiastically-­‐rendered  spectacle.”  Kirstin Innes, The List

“A  virtuoso  plundering  of  American  literature  and  history.”  Daily Telegraph, London “The  trademark  of  the  TEAM’s  work  is  a  fierce,  endlessly  creative  willingness  to  try  to  understand  the  stories  and  the  meaning  of  their  own  country.  And  their  approach  to  theatre  makes  no  concessions  to  any  traditional  idea  of  what  this  art-­‐form  should  look  like…”  Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman “A  passionate  critique  of  contemporary  America…  a  fierce,  questioning  intelligence.”  The Times, London

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