Westport Country Playhouse to Host 'Art Is Everywhere' Events

"Where do you see art in your world" is a question that Westport Country Playhouse is asking as the theater presents a series of "Art Is Everywhere" events and exhibits around the 2016 Season opening productions of "Art" and "Red," two Tony Award-winning plays performed in repertory (alternating daily), May 3 - 29.

To celebrate "Red," and the play's subject Mark Rothko, The Glass House will present a selection of photographs featuring the interiors of architect Philip Johnson's celebrated Four Seasons restaurant in the Seagram Building as well as his iconic Glass House in New Canaan, CT. Rothko and Johnson were long-time collaborators and friends who worked together on many projects including the Four Seasons murals and the Rothko Chapel in Houston, Texas. The display will be in the Playhouse lobby.

Also in the lobby will be the finished canvas, entitled "What Do You See?," from a community-created art project that drew a number of participants at the 2016 Season Kick-off Block Party in early April.

The public is invited to find local works of art around the region during the Playhouse's #ArtIsEverywhere scavenger hunt through April and May. Clues will be given via Playhouse social media a few times a week. Scavenger hunt participants can post photos of each piece of found art to the Playhouse's Twitter and/or Instagram feeds - @WCPlayhouse #artiseverywhere. Also, the public may take photos of their own ideas of art and submit them to the Playhouse's Twitter and Instagram feeds for a photo display in the Playhouse lobby.

Discussions with Local Art Historian Fiona Garland

To further enhance the audience's appreciation of the plays "Art" and "Red," local art historian Fiona Garland will host a discussion series on Wednesday evenings during May. Post-show discussions on "The Art of 'Art'" are set for Wednesdays, May 4 and 18, after the 8 p.m. performance of "Art," in the Playhouse's Smilow Lounge. Patrons will have the opportunity to learn more about the play and answer questions, such as: What are these all-white paintings about? Is Antrios a real artist or is he based on someone else? What constitutes art anyway?

Pre-show discussions on "The Art of 'Red'" are scheduled with Garland on Wednesdays, May 11 and 25, at 7:15 p.m., before the 8 p.m. performance of "Red," in the Playhouse's Smilow Lounge. The talks will give context to "Red," while exploring some of the great works and artistic movements mentioned throughout the play, including who and what influence artists, as well as some of the great works and artistic movements mentioned throughout the play.

Discussion leader Fiona Garland earned her MA in Art History from the Courtauld Institute of Art in London in 2011, specializing on the art of Venice. Her passion for art history and the stories it reveals about the artists, their patrons, and society in general has created an avid following for audiences in London and Connecticut. Teaching in a lively and engaging style, she has guided tours of art galleries and churches exploring London, Venice, and Ghent, and across North America. Ms. Garland is a member of the Advisory Committee for the Bellarmine Museum of Art.

Panel Discussion and Collecting Display

In conjunction with the productions of "Art" and "Red," the Playhouse will collaborate with the Westport Arts Center to present "From the Point of View of the Artist," a panel discussion on Monday, May 9, at 6 p.m., at the Arts Center, 51 Riverside Ave., Westport . The panelists, each of different artistic disciplines, are Frederic Chiu, musician, and Jeanine Esposito, visual artist, of Beechwood Arts; David Kennedy, associate artistic director, Westport Country Playhouse; and Amanda Innes, Westport Arts Center acting executive director. David Green from the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County will moderate. The discussion is free of charge and open to the public.

"What's Your Passion?," a Playhouse lobby display showcasing personal collections, including postcards, theater memorabilia, and Legos, will celebrate the art of collecting, not only as a tie-in with the themes of "Art" and "Red," but also with the upcoming production of "Buyer and Cellar," a comedy about a woman named Barbra who has a collection of memorabilia in a mall located in her Malibu mansion's cellar.

About "Art" and "Red" - Two Plays in Repertory

"Art" by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton, and "Red" by John Logan, will run May 3 - May 29, directed by Mark Lamos, Playhouse artistic director. The plays are staged in repertory to connect and intensify their similar themes. Each play alternates daily.

In the witty comedy, "Art," a novice art collector, proudly shows off a newly acquired painting to his friends. The painting is expensive and completely white. He imagines they will stand in awe, but they have a slightly different point of view.

In the riveting drama "Red," the famous abstract expressionist Mark Rothko paints; his assistant runs the errands; each knows his place in the world. But when the artist asks his protégée, "What do you see," it rearranges everything.

"Art" will be performed on the even-numbered days of May; "Red" on the odd-numbered days. Performance schedule is Tuesday at 7 p.m., Wednesday at 2 and 8 p.m., Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 3 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Special series feature Taste of Tuesday, LGBT Night OUT, Opening Night, Sunday Symposium, Open Captions, Thursday TalkBack, Together at the Table Family Dinner, Playhouse Happy Hour, and Backstage Pass.

"Art" and "Red" Production Sponsors are Barbara and John Streicker; Corporate Production Sponsor is Bank of America.

Single tickets start at $30; buy early for best prices. Discounts are available for ticket purchases to both "Art" and "Red."

For more information and to buy tickets, visit www.westportplayhouse.org or call the box office at (203) 227-4177, toll-free at 1-888-927-7529, or visit Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. Stay connected to the Playhouse on Facebook (Westport Country Playhouse), follow on Twitter (@WCPlayhouse), and on YouTube (WestportPlayhouse).

Photo by Don Rebar

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