"Seeing RED" PRE-PRODUCTION LECTURE SERIES ANNOUNCED

Sarasota, FL – Jan. 12, 2012 – Asolo Repertory Theatre and The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art are joining forces to present a new opportunity for theater goers this season.  In addition to seeing RED, John Logan’s Tony Award-winning play set to open March 30 at the Historic Asolo Theater, enthusiasts will also be “Seeing RED,” a series of pre-production lectures beginning February 23 and continuing through March 22.

While John Logan’s stage script presents a compelling theatrical depiction of painter Mark Rothko as one of the 20th century’s most important and complex artists, the three-part lecture series – along with a special installation of art – focuses on the question asked in the opening line of the play: What do you see?  “It is our intent,” says Dr. Matthew McLendon, Ringling curator of modern and contemporary art “to give theater goers an opportunity to deepen their engagement with Rothko’s story prior to seeing the stage production.”  McLendon opens the series on Thursday, February 23 with a lecture entitled Revealing Rothko, in which he explores the circumstances leading to the events surrounding the infamous Seagram Murals which form the basis of the play. 

In the March 8 program, Seeing the Light, McLendon leads a curatorial tour of the special art installation Luminosity.  Taking as its subject the pivotal moment in the play in which Rothko describes the work of Caravaggio as being “illuminated from within...he gives it inner luminosity,” the focus exhibition explores how artists through the ages have engaged that most important element—light.  The final program in the series, Waiting for the Curtain, takes place March 22 and provides a closer look at the artistry and creative process of bringing Rothko’s story to life on stage.

All three programs begin at 7:00 p.m. in various locations at the Ringling Museum.  Tickets are $5 per program for members of the Ringling Museum, Asolo Repertory Theatre subscribers, and students with valid identification (all others: $10) and are available at the Historic Asolo Theater Box Office at the Ringling Museum of Art: 941.360.7399.

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General Admission includes the Ringling Museum of Art, special exhibitions, Ca' d’Zan Mansion, Circus Museum, and Mable’s historic Rose Garden, all on 66 acres of lushly landscaped grounds. Adults are $25; senior citizens (65 and over) are $20; children ages 6-17 are $5.  Free Admission for children 5 and under accompanied by an adult, museum members.  Advance tickets are available by calling 941.358.3180. Visit Ringling.org for more information.

The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Florida State University, is one of the largest museum/university complexes in the nation.  It preserves the legacy of John and Mable Ringling, educating and enabling a large and diverse audience to experience and take delight in a world-renowned collection of fine art; Ca' d’Zan, the Ringling historic mansion; the Circus Museums; the Original Asolo Theater; and historic architecture, courtyard, gardens and grounds overlooking Sarasota Bay.
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