By Carrie Chapter, Philadelphia Theatre Company

Here at Philadelphia Theatre Company, on November 13^th, we sadly said goodbye to John Logan’s Red – our first show of the 2011-2012 season. But, now we’re able to relax in the memory of a truly fantastic run! For those of you unfamiliar with the play, Red re-imagines a pivotal period in the life of Abstract Expressionist (though, he would loathe the label) artist, Mark Rothko (played by Stephen Rowe), as he begins work on a commissioned series of murals for the opulent Four Seasons restaurant in the new Seagram Building in the late 1950s.  Tensions brew as Rothko enlists the help of his new assistant, Ken (played by Haley Joel Osment), whose influences rattle Rothko’s most basic principles and philosophies about art and life. In addition to enthusiastic audiences, the critical response was tremendous as well. Rebecca Goering from Broadway world raved: “Stephen Rowe is splendid in his portrayal of the intense yet vulnerable Mark Rothko. Haley Joel Osment effectively delivers the ample combination of an unwavering thick-skinned young man with an unaffected intelligence.” As the production dramaturg, I may be biased, but I had immense pride in the actors throughout the rehearsal process and during the run itself. This is a difficult, demanding play, and the sheer endurance and intensity on their part, night after night, really shone.

As for my own PEP (Patron Enrichment Programming) for Red, our Book Club discussion of Carol Wallace’s historical novel, Leaving Van Gogh, had unprecedented attendance, and featured a guest appearance of author, Carol Wallace. Our readers were enamored of Ms. Wallace, and I still cannot believe she was kind enough to join us on such a special night! The American Playwrights in Context series- or, APIC for short – had a different twist with this production. Since the playwright John Logan is busy in London, we presented an onstage interview between Red director, the lovely, incisive Anders Cato, and myself. In our discussion we talked about the common ground tread among Mr. Cato, Mr. Rothko, and Mr. Logan as artists, creating a trifecta of commingling histories. Our Meet-the-Artists post-show talkbacks proved to be patron favorites, as our actors graciously participated in three separate audience Q&As. The Special Topics panel discussion arrived in two parts for this production: first, Philadelphia Museum of Art Staff Lecturer, Matthew Palczynski, and I entertained the matinee crowd with post-show conversation; second, Mr. Palczynski moderated a stellar panel of such notable artists and art historians as Diane Lachman, Sarah Rich, and Michael Leja. However, due to that infamous freak snowstorm, our Backstage Tour was canceled, but the Stage Manager and I revived the tour event for a group of students and a Yale University Alumni group later in the run. Oh, and with gratitude for our alliance with the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Mr. Palczynski interviewed me at the PMA on the inner-workings of Red – it was one of the most thrilling experiences I have had so far in my career!

What’s next, you ask? At PTC, we are revitalizing Susan Stroman’s original direction in Kander & Ebb’s musical, The Scottsboro Boys, under the masterful guidance of Jeff Whiting. I have been so fortunate to be in conversation with librettist, David Thompson, about this exciting venture! The production will be an event not to be missed in the city of Philadelphia!