Two-actor play tells famous painter’s story

It is not uncommon for actors to examine the complexities and nuances of their characters, but for two SJU seniors the process of learning their characters did not stop at memorizing lines and blocking.

The CSB+SJU Theater Department will present John Logan’s “Red” on Feb. 21-25 in CSB’s Gorecki Theater. Directed by Sean Dooley, “Red” tells the story of Mark Rothko, an abstract expressionist who was commissioned in 1958 to create a series of murals for New York’s Four Seasons restaurant.

Leaning on his assistant Ken, Rothko must face Ken’s inquiry on the importance of these murals, his own vulnerability intertwined with them and the knowledge that payment for the murals’ creation may be his destruction—something that SJU senior Spencer Gerber finds fascinating about this piece.

“[Red] explores the nature of art, of what it means to create something, what art means, who can see it, what it means to different people,” Gerber said. “At the end of the day, [it explores] why artists make art.”

As a two-person play, the narrative is both intimate in the studio’s microcosm between characters and yet expansive, as Ken’s character encompasses real people’s experiences working with Rothko beyond the play’s set year. The actors acknowledge the difficulty of pulling off this push and pull, but SJU senior Ben Martin, playing Ken in “Red,” finds the challenge enticing as this is his first time acting on stage at CSB+SJU.

“It’s very exciting,” Martin said. “We’ve never really had a whole two-man show, like the official show that has gone on.”

When asked how the actors are approaching their characters, both agreed that working within the painting medium established a connection. Though the pair do little painting in the production aside from priming a canvas, Gerber and Martin had the opportunity to paint canvases employing the same techniques as Rothko and his assistants.

“Being able to get hands-on experience with what these characters have done allows us to better portray them,” Martin said. “One important aspect about acting is being to think about who your character is and what they do.”

Unlike the theater department’s other productions, “Red” encourages a more intimate connection between the actors and the audience. On-stage seating blurs the lines between observation and participation, while the dynamic between Gerber and Martin’s characters leaves audience members feeling as if they are sitting in the art studio themselves. The production also serves as Gerber and Martin’s senior project, enabling them to more closely examine the history and style associated with Rothko’s art.

Aside from painting, the pair maintained journals about the process and studied relevant pieces from the period.

“We are fulfilling all requirements for being in [“Red”] but also doing research on it and taking journals after every rehearsal,” Gerber said. “We will also be presenting on this at the end of the semester at Scholarship and Creativity Day.”

Both Gerber and Martin have been involved with the theater department during their time at CSB+SJU and, despite the changes the program has faced in recent years, hope students, faculty and administration continue to find value in the arts.

“I just hope that people get the opportunity to hear about theater,” Gerber said. “And I hope that it’s broadcasted throughout classrooms and dining halls and across campus.”