FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - “You cannot be an artist until you are civilized. You cannot be civilized until you learn. To be civilized is to know where you belong in the continuum of your art and your world. To surmount the past, you must know the past.” –from Red. The provocatively brilliant Mark Rothko (Timothy Mark Davis) batters his new assistant Ken (Johnny Contini) with these penetrating words in very first scene. Ken has entered the domain of the ruthless and genius 20th century abstract expressionist painter, Rothko. For the following 90 minutes the two will laugh, cry, yell, paint, stare, drink, pontificate, and challenge one another to no end. Red, at its core, is a celebration of art and a serious call to those who call themselves artists. Beyond that, it is a peek behind the curtain into the mind of one of the most profound, confusing, and ultimately tragic painters in all of art history.
The New City Players are thrilled to present John Logan’s searing portrait of an artist at a crucial point in his career as their third production (Godspell April 2014; Rabbit Hole November 2014). Directed by company member Andrew Paul Davis, the play will be held at Andrews Living Arts Studio in FAT Village (23 NW 5th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33301), a hub for local creative businesses and artists. Performances run August 13-16; 20-23. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at newcityplayers.org/tickets.
“I am very excited to be a part of bringing Red to Fort Lauderdale for the first time,” says director Andrew Paul Davis, “This play provides a unique opportunity to engage with the arts and it is sure to challenge and thrill audiences.”
ABOUT - The New City Players are comprised of South Florida theatre artists who are committed to the flourishing of our community through the theatre arts. We are young, restless, and zealous about bringing truth, beauty, and goodness into the lives of those who encounter our work. “To grasp the full significance of life is the actor’s duty, to interpret it is his problem, and to express it is his dedication.” –Marlon Brando
