"Red" presented by Stage West

RED
play program

The Travelling Toe and 2 other friends attended the Sunday matinee of the provocative play "Red" at Stage West, in Fort Worth. 

Stage West

The story takes place in the New York City art studio of contemporary artist, Mark Rothko, during the time period of 1958-1959.  The cast consists only two characters, Mark Rothko, played by Jim Covault and his young assistant, Ken, played by Nate Davis.  

MARK ROTHKO

The play highlights Rothko's angst about creating his work and selling mural pieces to be hung in the new Four Seasons restaurant in the Seagram Building in NYC.  He struggles with selling his work for this bourgeois setting.  There is also a lot of debut between the 2 men on many subjects ranging from the lack on light in the studio (which Rothko disliked), to other peer artists such as Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, Willem de Kooning and past artists such as Matisse.. Ken, an aspiring artist, begins to learn about art , the art world, literature, and even philosophy during their often heated exchanges.  

It is a very interesting and intense play. Sometime funny, sometimes sad, sometimes unsettling. There are a few F-bombs in the conversation but this play will expand your understanding of what makes something art and the changes within the art world itself.

The stage setting is exactly what you would picture in your mind of a famous artist's studio in NYC.  Nate Davis, the young actor in the play, was also the stage designer of this fabulous and enticing set design.  An excellent job!

During the play, the actors actually create a piece of art work - from rolling out a piece of canvas, adding the wooden stretchers, and then the 2 men begin a painting race to cover the canvas with red paint which flies everywhere.  The Travelling Toe wonders what will happen to all these interesting works of art created by the 2 men after the show ends. Perhaps have an auction to benefit the company?

Just a side note dear readers, that one of Mark Rothko's works of art is on display at the current exhibit at the Kimbell Museum of "The Collection of of Nancy Lee and Perry R Bass".   The painting on display is "Untitled (Orange and Red)" and was completed in 1960.   The Bass family purchased the piece in 1961. So go see the paining after seeing the play and you will have a better understanding of Rothko and his work.

Kimbell Art Museum

The play is about 90 minutes long and there is no intermission so a visit to the "necessary rooms'' before attending the play is recommended.   Also, The Travelling Toe and friends, found the theater to be a little chilly so a wrap might be considered.

Rothko Chapel
Houston, Texas