Post Gazette: An electric scene in "Red" finds the character of painter Mark Rothko and his assistant Ken prepping a canvas in red paint, Beethoven's 9th Symphony the only sound as priming becomes primal, ending in actors splattered, as if bloodied with paint. With "Red" coming to the O'Reilly Theater's thrust stage, where the audience can be at arm's length on three sides, it was only natural to ask set designer Michael Schweikardt:
"Is there a splash zone?"
5 comments:
I am so excited to see this production. There has been s much hype about not only the unique style of the show - but about the scenic design which has been put forth for it. It's great that so many popular pieces are coming through Pittsburgh this year. Not only has Red won many awards, it is also made out to be an incredibly moving piece. Commercial theatre which goes beyond just being sold to the public as something flashy or gimmicky and into being truly artistic has a great impact. This way, those who don't know a lot about theatre may still wind up in the audience for a piece such as this - perhaps sparking an interest in work of a different sort.
I will be honest, the idea of a splash zone excites me a bit (as long as the audience is forewarned). Im a wee bit disappointed that there will not actually be one. That being said, I am still incredibly excited about seeing this production. I'm interested to see how accurate these non copyrighted paintings will be to their originals as, at their size, they are bound to be focal points throughout the length of the show. Let the paint fly!
After working with Michael Schweikardt on a production this summer, it's really interesting to hear about his creative process and making the show his own, even when it's so inseparably tied to the life and work of a famous figure like Rothko and his paintings. The Public seems like it would be a tough space for this show to take place, since 2D artwork and thrust seating configurations don't immediately play well together for obvious reasons. The choice to put pieces on rolling stands and to incorporate the pulley fly system from Rothko's studio are clever ways to overcome the challenges of the space, all while staying connected to (and, in fact, enriching the experience of) the text and subject matter.
After reading this article all i could think about was the poor costume designer. It's great that they are creating a paint that will was out of the costumes, though. It's good that they wont need a new costume every night, cause that could get really expensive and limit the design. I wonder what is in the "paint" that they will be using.
I agree with sam. It would be very exciting to have an optional splash zone for the audience.
Sadly I am not that familiar with this play and its background. This is actually the first time I am hearing about it. It kind of reminds me of the play a Sunday in the Park with George but less media usage. I am very excited for this play to be coming to the public theatre. I am a little concerned for the designer and the possibility of so many people building up anticipation based off of the award wining broadway set designs and not expecting to see Mr. Schweikardt design. Now to the idea of having a splash zone in a show like this could be an interesting interactive idea for the show. But any audience member would need a fair warning. I have a feeling though that the enticement of paint flying in the "priming" and preparation of work will have a draw to many different potential audiences. including the contemporary artists of today who might not typically take the time to go see live theatre. I personally am very excited for the chance to get to see this and as Kassondra has put it am very exceed about how many popular piece are coming to pittsburgh.
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