Ryan Gedrich â16 as Ken, assistant to the artist Mark Rothko, in Theatre Intime's production of Red. (Aleka Gürel â15)
As a high-school senior, Oge Ude â16 read as many scripts as she could get her hands on, including one for Red, John Loganâs Tony Award-winning exploration of the abstract painter Mark Rothko. Last fall, Ude proposed a reinterpretation of the play, incorporating music and dance, for her final project in a Princeton theater course, and this week, sheâll bring that vision to the stage in Theatre Intimeâs first production of the school year.
Red seemed like a perfect fit for the fall, Ude said, with the Princeton University Art Museum completing its Rothko to Richter exhibition Oct. 5. She cast the play in the spring â John Fairchild â15 plays Rothko, and Ryan Gedrich â16 plays Ken, the artistâs assistant â and communicated with cast and crew over the summer via Skype and email. Since returning to campus, the actors and dancers have pursued an intense rehearsal schedule in preparation for the showâs Sept. 26 premiere at Hamilton Murray Theater (show times available here).
Loganâs intriguing, intelligent dialogue about creativity attracted Ude to Red, but she says that the Theatre Intime production aims to be âaccessible to all,â highlighting Rothkoâs passion as much as his art.
Below, PAW contributor Aleka Gürel â15 captured behind-the-scenes photos of Ude, Fairchild, and Gedrich during rehearsals of Red.
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