What is RED about?

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I have had so many people ask about what RED is all about.   I think what Jessica, our Marketing specialist, has written will give you some pretty good clues.  I can not wait to see this show.   It is ambitious undertaking by all involved.   I love the fact that theatre can be TEACHER.   To learn more about creative people creating....to learn about their contributions....their inspirations....their demons...To me, theatre can do all this in ways that other mediums can't.  And to be as up close and personal as THE BOX offers it's audiences.....Wow!   I hope to have you join me!  

Diana Wooley, 

CEO LAMB Arts LTD

“What do you see?” These are the first words Artist Mark Rothko says to his new assistant; he is referring to one of his paintings…or is he? Life, art, and our understanding of both are challenged and questioned in RED, the next production at LAMB Arts Regional Theatre. Playing on THE BOX stage, Jan 31-Feb 10, this play is a powerful and intimate portrait of a man and an artist as he faces down his demons and fears. RED won the Tony Award for Best Play in 2010.

Master abstract expressionist Mark Rothko has just 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. 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.

“This show is really a portrait of a great artist as he wrestles with the act of creation and his own demons,” says Russell Wooley, who plays Rothko in the show. “At one point, Rothko says to Ken, ‘There is one thing I fear, my friend…one day the black will swallow the red.’ On one level, he’s talking about his painting, about the act of creating art; but he’s also talking about everything else, too. His own life, his fears…I think that’s something that’s very relatable and very intimate.”

The staging for this production reflects that intimacy; THE BOX is the second stage at LAMB, inspired by the black box theatres found across the country. “The space is smaller than a normal auditorium so you’re very close to the action,” Wooley says. “For a piece like RED, that has a lot of drama and passion, it’s a very powerful experience.” In addition to Wooley, the play features local actor Peter Swanke who recently was seen in THE PILLOWMAN last fall.   The production of RED is directed by Luke Saunders.

LAMB Arts Regional Theatre is a part of the non-profit LAMB Arts, Ltd. and has been presenting theatre for the Sioux City community for over 30 years. LAMB is located at 417 Market Street, between Hamilton and downtown, in Sioux City, IA. Admission prices are $12 for students through college, $15 for Seniors, and $17 for adults. Tickets can be purchased online at www.lambtheatre.com or by calling the box office at 712-255-9536. Evening performances are held Thur 1/31-Sat 2/2 and Wed 2/6-Sat 2/9 at 7:30PM, with a 1:30PM matinee on Sunday Feb 10.

 


Jessica Wheeler
Marketing Specialist
LAMB Arts Regional Theatre
417 Market Street
Sioux City, IA 51103

712-255-9536
Keep current with LAMB--:www.lambtheatre.com

Theatre is a Reflection on Society-columbinus

Fall of 2011, a talented band of young actors rehearsed, performed and vicariously lived through some of the Columbine experience through their production of 'columbinus'.   To say that any of us view society the way we did before would be erroneous.   'columbinus' changed us.   I have heard the same from audience members and family members of the cast.   And we were all affected in such different ways.   Those of you who witnessed that production will remember how the first act dealt with the modern high school experiences.....the isolation, the questioning, the anger, the depression...as well as the joys.   The second act was a theatrical reinterpretation of the events that occurred at Columbine High School in 1999.   With the recent tragedies and the discussion in our country about the role of guns in our society, we are opening up a discussion on this blog for others to express their views.   What we find so exciting at LAMB is that theatre can promote lively discussions where we can continue to grow as human beings.   This is the statement that begins our discussion:

COLUMBINE STUDENT'S FATHER 12 YEARS LATER Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colorado, was recently invited to address the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee. The following is a portion of the transcript:

"Since the dawn of creation there has been both good & evil in the hearts of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers.

"The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out in the field. The villain was not the club he used.. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain's heart.

"In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA - because I don't believe that they are responsible for my daughter's death. Therefore I do not believe that they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel's murder I would be their strongest opponent

I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy -- it was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies! Much of the blame lies here in this room. Much of the blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves. I wrote a poem just four nights ago that expresses my feelings best.
Your laws ignore our deepest needs, 
Your words are empty air. 
You've stripped away our heritage, 
You've outlawed simple prayer. 
Now gunshots fill our classrooms, 
And precious children die. 
You seek for answers everywhere, 
And ask the question "Why?" 
You regulate restrictive laws, 
Through legislative creed. 
And yet you fail to understand, 
That God is what we need! 

"Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc. Spiritual presences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation's history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact. What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs -- politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own hearts.
"As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes, he did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! I challenge every young person in America , and around the world, to realize that on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School prayer was brought back to our schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain. Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your God-given right to communicate with Him. To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA -- I give to you a sincere challenge.. Dare to examine your own heart before casting the first stone!
My daughter's death will not be in vain! The young people of this country will not allow that to happen!" - Darrell Scott


Now to our ongoing discussion.   Join us!

Diana Guhin Wooley 
CEO LAMB Arts Ltd
417 Market Street
Sioux City, IA 51103
 712-293-0930
Keep current with LAMB--:www.lambtheatre.com