Manifest Destiny: A Historical Rock Spectacular

Featuring performances by We Are Scientists, The Fabulous Entourage, and Tomorrow’s Friend
Conceived and Directed by Alex Timbers
Produced by Aaron Lemon-Strauss

Creative Director: Jake Schwartz
Scenic Installation: Casey Opstad and Ryan Karels
Costume Design: Jennifer Rogien
Video Design: Daniel Greenfeld and Mike Rosenthal
Additional Text: Alex Timbers
 
Cast: Jeffrey D, Jacob Grigolia-Rosenbaum, Gerardo Rodriguez

Taking its cue from George W. Bush's imperialist dream of bringing democracy to both the Iraqi people and the Martians, Manifest Destiny: A Historical Rock Spectacular, a multimedia concert event, examines the historical meaning and consequence of western expansion with the help of three of New York's hottest young rock bands and enough streaming media to give Dick Cheney a heart attack.

In the tradition of Ziggy Stardust, Hedwig And The Angry Inch, and Spinal Tap, Manifest Destiny is a cutting-edge, whip-smart, tongue-in-cheek re-imagining of the line between theater and rock-and-roll. By blending historical monologues, stand-up comedy, and concert performances by the bands The Fabulous Entourage, We Are Scientists, and Tomorrow’s Friend, Manifest Destiny seeks to tear down the wall between performance styles to create something greater than simply theatre or merely rock.

Interspersed in-between and during the songs will be monologues, scenes, and readings that tell the historical story of Manifest Destiny — from the Vikings looking for a new land to the California gold miners searching for a fortune to the Russian Cosmonauts expanding the limits of human knowledge.

With introduction and moderation by performance artist Jeffrey D and punked out costumes by Les Freres Corbusier’s Jennifer Rogien, the whole package is served up with elucidating slides and classic film strips. Clocking in at under two hours, Manifest Destiny will show what is possible when barriers between performance genres are obliterated.

March 2004: The Tank