Scott Wentworth and Jay Sullivan Lead Alley Theater's RED

Alley Theatre Artistic Director Gregory Boyd announces the cast and creative team for the Alley Theatre's production of the 2010 Best Play Tony Award Winner, Red. The cast features two returning actors, Tony-nominated Scott Wentworth as Rothko and Jay Sullivan, who was last seen as Peter Pan, as Rothko's assistant Ken.

In John Logan's Red, 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 on the Bowery. But when Ken gains the confidence to challenge him, Rothko faces the agonizing possibility that his crowning achievement could also become his undoing. Red is a searing portrait of an artist's ambition and vulnerability as he tries to create a definitive work for an extraordinary setting. Explicit language, adult situations.

"We are pleased and privileged," said Artistic Director Gregory Boyd, "to offer our production of Red in a place that is home to so much of Rothko's work. The compelling paintings here in Houston offer an encounter with a spiritual power that approaches the transcendent, and that can, in Dominique de Menil's words, 'bring us to the threshold of the divine.' The play has its own unique power, a purely theatrical potency."

Playwright John Logan received the Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critic Circle and Drama League awards for his play Red. He recently received an Academy nomination for best adapted screenplay for Hugo. His two upcoming projects include Skyfall, the 23rd James Bond film, and the movie adaptation of Jersey Boys. 

Jackson Gay returns to the Alley, following her triumphant production of August: Osage County last season, to direct this raw, provocative and powerful new play. Red, by John Logan and directed by Jackson Gay, begins previews Friday March 2, opens Wednesday March 7 and runs through Sunday, March 24, 2012 on the Hubbard Stage.

Red will feature scenic design by Takeshi Kata and costume design by Jessica Ford. Lighting design is by Paul Whitaker and sound design is by Matt Tierney.

ABOUT THE CAST

Scott Wentworth (Rothko) has starred on Broadway in Lost In Yonkers, Anna Karenina, Getting Married, and Welcome To The Club, for which he was nominated for a Tony Award. He has performed across the United States and Canada in such theatres as the New York Shakespeare Festival, Hartford Stage, the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Centerstage, Arena Stage, Playmakers Rep, Chicago Shakespeare, the Indiana Repertory Theatre, Seattle Rep, A.C.T. in San Francisco, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, the Manitoba Theatre Centre, the London Grand, Montreal's Centaur Theatre, Toronto's Cannon Theatre and the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. Mr. Wentworth was a leading member of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival's Acting Company for seventeen seasons, playing such roles as Iago in Othello, Mark Antony in Julius Caesar, Bosola in The Duchess of Malfi, and the title role in Macbeth. His directing credits include both parts of Henry IV for Stratford, Othello for the Indiana Repertory Theatre, Richard III for Bard On The Beach, The Winter's Tale for the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey and Love's Labour's Lost for Shakespeare Santa Cruz. He has written the book for two musicals; Gunmetal Blues and Enter The Guardsman, with music and lyrics by Craig Bohmler and Marion Adler. Enter The Guardsman received its world premiere at London's Donmar Warehouse and was nominated for two Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical. His adaptation of The Man In The Iron Mask will be produced at Shakespeare Santa Cruz this summer. Mr. Wentworth is delighted to return to the Alley where he last appeared in 1981 as Romeo.

Jay Sullivan (Ken) returns to the Alley Theatre having previously appeared in Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up as Peter, Our Town as George Gibbs and Eurydice as Orpheus. Jay recently made his Broadway debut in Jerusalem as Lee. Other theatre credits include the original productions of Durango as Red Angel/ Bob at The Public Theatre and Longwharf, DogSeesGod as Matt/ Pigpen at Soho Repertory Theatre, Orestes: A Tragic Romp as Orestes at The Folger and Two River Theatre, Afternight Seating as James at Abingdon Theatre, and The Bilbao Effect as Grole Andacht at The Center for Architecture, as well as The History Boys as Dakin and Rock 'n' Roll as Stephen at The Studio Theatre, Much Ado About Nothing as Claudio produced by As Written Productions, and Romeo and Juliet as Benvolio at Arkansas Repertory Theatre. His film and Television credits include The Good Wife; Law & Order SVU and The Unidentified. He is a graduate of Florida State University.

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM

John Logan (Playwright) received the Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critic Circle and Drama League awards for his play Red. This play premiered at the Donmar Warehouse in London and at the Golden Theatre on Broadway. He is the author of more than a dozen other plays including Never the Sinner and Hauptmann. His adaptation of Ibsen's The Master Builder premiered on the West End in 2003. As a screenwriter, Logan had three movies released in 2011 Hugo, Coriolanus and Rango. Hugo recently received 11 Academy Award nominations, including best adapted screenplay for Logan. Previous film work includes Sweeney Todd which won a Golden Globe award, The Aviator which received Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA and WGA nominations, Gladiator which received Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA and WGA nominations, The Last Samurai, Any Given Sunday and RKO 281 which won a WGA award and received an Emmy nomination. His upcoming projects include Skyfall, the 23rd James Bond film, and the movie adaptation of the award-winning musical Jersey Boys.

Jackson Gay (Director) returns to the Alley Theatre having previously direcTed August: Osage County and the world premiere of Kenneth Lin's Intelligence-Slave. Upcoming projects include David Adjmi's 3C at Rattlestick and Bess Wohl's Barcelona at People's Light. Recent credits include Fallow by Kenneth Lin at People's Light & Theatre Company and Ojai Playwrights Conference; workshop of a new musicAl Jackson commissioned and is producing, First Lady of Christmas by Cheri Magid (Book/Lyrics) with music by Evan Palazzo and The Hot Sardines at Sarah Lawrence College; Yale Drama Series presentation of Shannon Murdoch's New Light Shine at Yale Rep; The Danger of Bleeding Brown by Enrique Urueta at Latino Mix-Fest Atlantic Theater; And When We Awoke There Was Light And Light by Laura Jacqmin at Cape Cod Theater Project; Lisa Dillman's American Wee-Pie at 2011 PlayPenn; A Little Journey at The Mint; Sam Mark's Light Years to the Delling Shore at the 2011 Sundance Theater Institute at Banff, Canada; David Adjmi's 3C for Superlab at Playwrights Horizons and Clubbed Thumb; Punk Princess at NYMF with book/lyrics by Yasmine Lever and music by Stew and Heidi Rodewald, featuring Our Lady J and Justin Bond; Lucy Thurber's Scarcity for Atlantic Theater Company, where she previously directed Kia Corthron's Master Disaster and Rolin Jones' The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow, which was selected as a 2006 Pulitzer Prize finalist; Jason Grote's Box Americana at the 2008 Eugene O'Neill Playwright's Conference; Len, Asleep in Vinyl, by Carly Mensch at Second Stage and Juilliard; a workshop presentations of David Adjmi's Marie Antoinette for the Goodman Theater, Sundance in Residence at The Public Theater, and the JAW/West Festival; 10 things to do before I die, by Zakiyyah Alexander at Second Stage Uptown; Collaboration with lighting designer Jennifer Tipton on The Glass Menagerie for the Guggenheim Museum's Works & Process; Best Production Connecticut Critic's Award The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow at the Yale Rep. Jackson's producer credits include First Lady of Christmas by Cheri Magid (Book/Lyrics) with music by Evan Palazzo and The Hot Sardines, which just enjoyed a workshop production at Sarah Lawrence College. Jackson is currently on faculty at Primary Stages ESPA School of Theater. She is the recipient of the Jonathan Alper Directing Fellowship at Manhattan Theatre Club, the Williamstown Theater Festival Directing Fellowship and the Drama League's New Directors/New Works Fellowship. Recipient of the 2008 University of the Arts Silver Star Distinguished Alumni Award. MFA Directing Yale School of Drama. Jackson is from Sugar Land, Texas.

Takeshi Kata (Scenic Design) returns to the Alley having previously designed The Farnsworth Invention, Subject to Fits, The Clean House and Orson's Shadow. New York credits include Outside People at Vineyard, Adding Machine, Orson's Shadow at Barrow Group, Through a Glass Darkly, Dreams of Flying Dreams of Falling, Port Authority, Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow at Atlantic Theatre Co., Doris to Darlene at Playwrights Horizons, Gone Missing at The Civilians, The Attic at Play Co. and Pullman Car Hiawatha at Keen Co. Regionally, Kata has worked at American Players Theatre, Cleveland Play House, Dallas Theatre Center, Ford's Theatre, Geffen Playhouse, Goodman, Hartford Stage, Kirk Douglas, Long Wharf, Nashville Opera, The Old Globe, Skylight Opera, Steppenwolf, Williamstown Theatre Festival, and Yale Rep. Kata has won an Obie and has been nominated for a Drama Desk award.

Jessica Ford (Costume Design) is making her Alley Theatre debut. Recent regional theatre productions include It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play at the Long Wharf Theatre, where she also designed the world premier of Athol Fugard's Coming Home, The Fantastiks, A Doll's House, The Price, and sets for The Santaland Diaries. She recently worked with Jackson Gay on the world premiere of Kenneth Lin's Fallow at The People's Light and Theatre Company. Other regional credits include Arena Stage, The Folger Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Portland Center Stage, Baltimore CenterStage, Syracuse Stage, Milwaukee Shakespeare, Yale Rep, Barrington Stage, Hangar Theatre, Actor's Theatre of Louisville, Two River Theatre, and Shakespeare and Company. In New York she has worked with Ars Nova, The Play Company, P73, Second Stage, Rattlestick Playwright's Theatre, Pearl Theatre, Summer Play Festival, and was Associate Designer for The Public Theatre's production of All's Well That Ends Well at the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park in 2011. Jessica received her MFA from Yale School of Drama and was a recipient of the 2007-9 NEA/TCG fellowship for designers.

Paul Whitaker (Lighting Design) returns to the Alley Theatre after serving as the Associate Designer for Moon for the Misbegotten. His New York credits include The Public Theater, MCC, Playwrights Horizons, Second Stage, Atlantic Theater, The Play Company, Intar and others. His Regional credits include South Coast Repertory, Long Wharf Theater, The Huntington Theatre Company, The Children's Theatre Company, Centerstage, A.C.T., Hartford Stage, Yale Repertory Theatre, Dallas Theater Center and others. He has a BA from Macalester College and a MFA from Yale School of Drama. Paul is currently a faculty member at Cal Poly Pomona and a Lighting Designer/Theatre Consultant for Schuler Shook.

Matt Tierney (Sound Design) is making his Alley Theatre debut. He is a composer and sound designer who is currently an associate of Elevator Repair Service where his credits include The Sun Also Rises, The Sound and the Fury: April Seventh and 1928; The Shipment and Church at Young Jean Lee's Theater Company; Hamlet at The Wooster Group which received a 2008 Lucille Lortel Award Nomination; the film There's Still Time..Brother, Who's You Dada? at MOMA and The Emperor Jones. Other recent productions include the New York premiere of Sarah Kane's Blasted at Soho Rep in 2008, directed by Sarah Benson. He has served as music director and assistant director for several productions with Ridge Theater Company including Decasia by Michael Gordon (music) and Bill Morison (film), Jennie Richee by Mac Wellman which received a 2001 OBIE Award for collaborative design, Shelter with Bang on a Can, Oedipus by Harry Partch, and The Death of Klinghoffer by John Adams at the Brooklyn Academy Of Music.

SPONSORS
Red is generously sponsored by Supporting Sponsors KPMG LLP and Latham & Watkins. The Alley Theatre is supported by the 2011-2012 season sponsor United Airlines, the official airline of the Alley Theatre.

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets to Red start at $25. All tickets to Red are available for purchase at www.alleytheatre.org, at the Alley Theatre Box Office, 615 Texas Avenue, or by calling 713.220.5700. Groups of 10 or more can receive special concierge services and select discounts by calling 713.220.5700 and asking for the group sales department.

"ROTHKO AND RED" SERIES
Thursdays, February 16 - March 15, 2012
Alley Theatre, The Menil Collection and Rothko Chapel will co-sponsor the "Rothko and Red" series from February 16 - March 15, 2012, held by Rice University's Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies. In this course participants will attend a dress rehearsal of the Alley Theatre's production of Red and a post-performance discussion with Alley Theatre Artistic Director Gregory Boyd. Participants will learn about Rothko from Rice faculty and the final session will meet at the Rothko Chapel. The fee for the "Rothko and Red" series is $150 if registered by February 2 and $160 after February 2. The fee for Alley Theatre subscribers, Menil Collection members and Rothko Chapel members is $150 and the fee for Rice University alumni is $140. To register, contact Rice University's Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies at gscs@rice.edu or call 713.348.4803.

FACT, FICTION & INTERPRETATION: CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE LIFE & WORK OF MARK ROTHKO
Monday, March 5, 7:00 p.m.
The Rothko Chapel in collaboration with the Alley Theatre is proud to present a panel discussion on Mark Rothko. The discussion will feature Kate Rothko Prizel, the artist's daughter, and Alley Theatre Artistic Director Gregory Boyd and will focus on the interweaving of fact and fiction in the service of drama. This event is free, but space is limited. Seating is on a first come, first served basis. The event will be held at the Rothko Chapel: 1409 Sul Ross Street, Houston, Texas 77006. For more event information contact the Rothko Chapel at 713.524.9839 or the Alley Theatre's Community Engagement Coordinator, Briana Resa, at brianar@alleytheatre.org.

CAPTIONED AND AUDIO DESCRIBED PERFORMANCE
Saturday, March 3, 2:30 p.m.
The Alley Theatre offers access services for our deaf or hard of hearing and sight-impaired patrons. Audio Description is provided for each Hubbard Stage production and Open Captioning is offered for every Hubbard Stage and Neuhaus Stage production. To ensure that your seats will accommodate your needs, please call the box office 713.220.5700 when ordering tickets to this performance. Discounted tickets are available for groups of 10 or more.

$10 TIX
Saturday, March 3
The Alley Theatre continues its efforts to make the theatre affordable to patrons. Partnering with other social non-profit organizations, the Alley seeks to generate in-kind donations and reward patrons with $10 Tix for select performances. The $10 Tix are available in person only on Saturday, March 3 and are limited to two tickets per person. With your donation, you can purchase two $10 tickets for Saturday, March 3 at 2:30 p.m. Donate and purchase in person at the box office (615 Texas Ave.) on Saturday, March 3 only. Limited availability. The partner organization and donated item will be announced at a later date.

TALKBACK
Tuesday, March 13, 7:30 p.m.
Members of the cast return to the stage following the performance to take questions from the audience. TalkBacks are led by a member of the Alley Artistic Staff.

ACTOUT
Thursday, March 15, 6:00 – 7:15 p.m.
Houston's premiere theatre group for gay and lesbian theatre fans and their friends celebrates the Alley Theatre's production of Red. This pre-curtain event is free with your ticket to the Thursday, March 15, 7:30 p.m. performance Red. To buy a ticket, required for this event, use the promo code: ACTOUT. Purchase online at www.alleytheatre.org or call the box office at 713.220.5700.