The Graceland Tales

In late 14th Century London, a group of pilgrims meet at the Tabard Inn to embark upon a pilgrimage on horseback to Canterbury Cathedral to visit the shrine of "the holy blissful martyr," Thomas à Becket. Chaucer's Canterbury Tales details the tales they tell to pass the time along the way. In early 21st Century Chicago, a group of pilgrims meet at Union Station to embark upon a pilgrimage by train to Memphis to visit Graceland during "the rock and roll blissful martyr" Elvis's Death Week. Come along for the ride with 21st Century versions of many of Chaucer's characters. Chaucer's Knight, Squire, and Yeoman become a senator, her daughter, and the senator's aide. Chaucer's representatives of the up and coming middle class, the Five Guildsmen, become representatives of the technology industry, the Five Techies. Chaucer's Pardoner, of whom Chaucer the Narrator says he is not sure if the Pardoner is "a gelding or a mare," becomes a transgender woman. Of course, the Graceland...