Open Book Theatre Company Presents RED, Opening Tonight

Open Book Theatre Company is excited to announce the second play in its Inaugural Season. Red, the Tony award winning play by John Logan, will open tonight, December 5th and run for 6 performances.

The story of red focuses on master abstract expressionist Mark Rothko just after he has landed the biggest commission in the history of modern art, a series of murals for New York's famed Four Seasons Restaurant. In the two fascinating years that follow, Rothko works feverishly with his young assistant, Ken, in his studio on the Bowery. But when Ken gains the confidence to challenge him, Rothko faces the agonizing possibility that his crowning achievement could also become his undoing. Raw and provocative, RED is a searing portrait of an artist's ambition and vulnerability as he tries to create a definitive work for an extraordinary setting. Although Red focuses on painter Mark Rothko, it paints with a wide brush and gives us a look into art of all kind. This extraordinary play will have you talking about how artists work, how art is created, what art asks of its audience, and what an audience asks of its art.

The show stars Dennis Kleinsmith as Rothko and Richard Payton as Ken and is directed by Topher Alan Payne with lights by Harley Miah and movement by Kat Walsh.

Playwright John Logan is a celebrated playwright, screenwriter and producer. In addition to Red's Tony Award for Best Play (2010) Logan has been nominated by the Academy Awards, Primetime Emmy Awards, Writer's Guild of America Awards and more.

Open Book Theatre Company artistic director Krista Schafer Ewbank studied playwrighting with John Logan at Northwestern University and remembers him as a kind and generous teacher. "John was in negotiations with Oliver Stone to produce his screenplay Any Given Sunday while I was his student. It's been fun to watch his career grow," said Schafer Ewbank. When looking for plays to include in Open Book's inaugural season Red was high on the list of potential scripts. "I actually hugged the script to my chest the first time I finished reading it," she said, "and I jumped up and down when we were granted the rights. I'm so excited to be able to present this gorgeous work."

Open Book is also encouraging participation in the Open BOOK CLUB, designed for lovers of the written word to see a play not just as a performance, but as literature. Dive deeper and discuss character, plot and more with downloadable book club questions available on the website (openbooktc.com) - great for groups that just see the play or go deeper by reading it first! The matinee performance on Sunday December 7th will be followed by a discussion with the artists, and is a great opportunity for book clubs.

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