Boutcher Theatre Company Returns with a Riveting Performance of 'Red'

Create art for the world and you.

The Boutcher Theatre Company returns to the stage with Red, a dramatic play by John Logan. Red explores the complex dynamic between artist, Mark Rothko and his assistant, Ken. As the pair clash about what it means to create art, they uncover deeper human desires and the eternal conflict between old and new.

I saw Boutcher Theatre Company’s debut performance of Red back in April. Like that performance, Red's extraordinary and raw themes took audiences' breath away. The new staging of Red in the Peabody Black Box intensifies this visceral masterpiece, drawing audiences into the intimate world of artistic passion and existential struggle.

Reprising their roles as Mark Rothko and Ken, actors Dan Kelly and Chloe Olwell inhabit these roles as if paint colors were merging on a canvas. Kelly and Olwell’s performances are commendable, creating a fascinating dynamic. Their relationship is the core of Red as they debate several topics regarding art, personal matters, and striving for passion.

When rehearsals first started for Red, Dan Kelly researched every detail he could find about the artist’s life. Kelly completely disappears into the famed artist, Mark Rothko, a commanding and often volatile figure.

Kelly powerfully dictated philosophical monologues about the nature of colors or emotions. Rothko’s passion consumes his concentration, but human compassion lingers in his soul. That trait is not to go unnoticed.

Chloe Olwell does an exemplary job counterbalancing Kelly’s performances. Ken is not based on a specific person, but Olwell eagerly paints her character from a blank slate. Olwell’s reactions are a highlight as her eyes bulge or her mouth drops at Rothko’s unbelievable rants.

Despite Rothko’s closed-guarded persona, that doesn’t stop Ken from breaking painted barriers. Olwell conquers a groundbreaking and layered performance. The scene where Ken confronts Rothko in this monologue-heavy rant is impressive.

The setting for Red plays an important role in the story. In April, the production was held in the storage room of Sully’s Brand in Beverly, MA. Red was upgraded to the Peabody Black Box, allowing for more dramatic work as characters paced the stage with paintbrushes in hand.

Made up to resemble Rothko’s studio, tables with paint, art supplies, records, and empty bottles are strewn about the stage with dropcloths smudged with past art projects covering the floor. Three distinct red murals sit on each side of the stage, representing several ideas and meanings.

The technical elements, like lighting, played a significant role, dimming or brightening in several key moments. Whether it was accidental, one stage light was glitching. To me, this represented the state of the character’s mental health.

It was incredible watching this show again, but also with an audience viewing it for the first time. I was so fixated whenever characters poured or mixed red paint in buckets. The audience was encapsulated in every moment, clapping, laughing, and mesmerized when the characters painted an entire canvas red onstage.

Red is more than just a play about an artist. It’s an execution of the human mind. Bradley Boutcher outdid himself in his direction, breathing life into this story and enforcing several heavy themes. He navigates the play’s themes with deft intuition, never losing sight of the human elements.

As Boutcher’s passion project, working on Red made him discover a new side to the world of art. You never know what you can accomplish as an artist. Red encourages artists to continue pushing boundaries and keep creating something new.

Don’t miss a chance to see Boutcher Theatre Company’s Red at Peabody Black Box from August 31 - September 8. It’s a compelling and thought-provoking theater experience.