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by Leonard Nimoy directed by Ceil Herman Scenic and Lighting Designer ~ Peter Herman Costume Designer ~ Jeanne Luper Producer ~ Ceil Herman Theo & Vincent Van Gogh ……………...............................……. Josh Shakra The Production Team Assistant Director ................................................................
Ivy White Slide Projectionist
.........................................................
Allie Canavan Light Board
Operator ………………..…….….....….............………Leonard Berge Sound Board
Operator……………................................………. Nick Hawkins Costume
Construction ........................... Jeanne Luper & Carla Clouser Costume Maintenance ........................................................
Lois Joiner Properties Artisans .............
Peter Herman, Meredith Loring, Ivy White Publicity …………………………...
Margaret Bernstein, Mike Cook & Toni Marie House Manager
Coordinator …..…..................…..………......... Kathi-Jane Las
Cruces actor Josh Shakra, in a highly entertaining tour-de-force, brings to
life the relationship between Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh and his brother,
Theodorus ("Theo"), playing both roles, in "Vincent," a
one-man show opening Friday, September 28, 2007 at the Black Box Theatre, 430
N. Downtown Mall, in Las Cruces. "Vincent" was written by Leonard
Nimoy and is directed for the Black Box's "No Strings Theatre
Company" by Artistic Director Ceil Herman. The set and lighting were
designed by Peter Herman. Costumes are by Jeanne Luper.
The
play is drawn from more than 500 letters written between Vincent and Theo
from August 1852 until Vincent's death from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in
July 1890. The letters show Vincent's bouts with madness, his religious mania
and his passion for light and color. They also give life to Theo's pride,
anger, sorrow, joy and envy as he reflects on the brilliance and the tragedy
of his older brother's life and his place in it as confidant, champion and
financial supporter. A successful art dealer, Theo provided financial support
for Vincent throughout his adult life and was with him during the final
moments of his life. The two brothers were re-buried side-by-side at the
Auvers-sur-Oise cemetery in April 1914.
One of
the most famous artists in history, Van Gogh produced more than 850 paintings
in his short life and was particularly prolific in his final few months. He
is also well remembered because he cut off the lobe of his left ear on
Christmas Eve 1888 after a violent argument with artist Paul Gauguin.
"Vincent" is, in fact, written by another artist famous for his
ears, Nimoy, who played "Mr. Spock" on the original "Star Trek"
television series. He wrote the play in 1978. Shakra was
previously seen as Vincent Van Gogh in New Mexico State University Theatre
Arts Department's production of "Vincent at Brixton" however, the
play at the Black Box Theatre is completely different. He appeared as Nikos
in "Big Love" at Black Box Theatre earlier this year. He will play
Marley in "A Christmas Carol" at NMSU later this year. "Vincent"
runs at 8:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturday, September 28-29 and October 5-6
and 12-13; at 2:30 p.m. on Sundays, October 7 and 14; and 7:00 p.m. on
Thursday, October 11. Tickets are $10 regular admission, $9 for students and
senior citizens over age 65. Reservations are available at 505.523.1223 or
online at http://no-strings.org/.
One-man show has 'split'
personality
ByOne-man show" can be quite a daunting set of
words. Accompanying terms that come to mind are "sleep,"
"boredom" and "scary." But with an extremely competent
actor, a creative director and an able production crew, the Black Box
Theater's "Vincent" brings the "one-man show" to a whole
new level.
History comes alive
at the Black Box “Vincent,” by Leonard Nimoy and directed by Ceil Herman,
is showing at the Black Box Theatre, 430 N. Downtown Mall, through Oct. 14 “Vincent” is a one-man show that tells the introspective
tale of the renowned Vincent Van Gogh through the eyes of his brother Theo.
Last year, the Black Box Theatre offered “Woman Before a Glass,” a one-woman
show that told the story of the oft-misunderstood Peggy Guggenheim, and this
performance beautifully upholds a new tradition of one-man shows that offer a
glimpse into the maddening world of art.
At the same time that “Vincent” gives audiences an opportunity to
glimpse inside a troubled, yet creative mind, the story also serves as a
history lesson. Little anecdotes about the life of Vincent Van Gogh, such
as the removal of his earlobe before gifting it to a “girlfriend,” are clarified
and put into context. Sadly, Theo tells the story of his brother after
returning from Vincent’s funeral, where he was unable to speak any kind words
in defense or in honor of Vincent’s misunderstood genius. Theo not only served as a confidant for the tortured mind
of Vincent, but also as gallery representative, financial backer and emissary
to the mainstream world of art. Much of the communication from Vincent is in the form of
letters to Theo, to which Theo responds to the audience quite candidly. It is
quite obvious that supporting Vincent was difficult and at times quite
painful, but Theo felt a duty not only to his brother, but also to the great
talent that lay within Vincent. I often find myself drawn more to comedy than tragedy and
drama because of the difficulty in performing a dramatic piece well. Drama
must connect to the audience at a relatable level, and “Vincent” keys in
directly to the pain that comes with love and a dysfunctional family, a theme
that is not lost in these modern days. Josh Shakra, who also portrayed the famous Van Gogh in
last year’s production of “Vincent in Brixton” by the American Southwest
Theatre Company, leads the show artfully. Shakra does the seemingly impossible, shifting
effortlessly between the separate personalities of the Van Gogh brothers, as
well as shifting between the manic/depressive moods of Vincent. Although one
would assume that finding the distinction between which brother Shakra is
playing would be difficult at times, he manages to distinguish their
uniqueness with little more than a change of vocal tone and inflection. Most impressive about Shakra was the emotion he pulled
upon for Theo’s final remembrance of Vincent. The anguish of knowing that his
brother is gone and that his genius will be honored for eternity in death
while he was mocked and ridiculed in life, pulled forward the emotions anyone
may have about a misunderstood loved one. To help emphasize the moments of Theo’s story, “Vincent”
is accompanied by slide projections of Van Gogh’s work displayed for the
audience. The slides are shown in a chronological progression, allowing the
audience to see the world through Vincent’s eyes as the story moves along, as
well as showing the progression of his artistic ability. “Vincent” is clearly a powerful piece, and Shakra
obviously has a deep respect for the characters he portrays. It is a must see
for any history buffs or those that love the work of Vincent Van Gogh. I will
never look at his work without taking to heart the pain he felt and the good
he tried to do. Performances of “Vincent” are at 8 p.m. Fridays and
Saturdays, at 2:30 p.m. Sundays, Oct. 7 and 14, and at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct.
11. Ticket prices are $10 for regular admission and $9 for students and
seniors over 65. Reservations are strongly suggested and may be made by
calling 523-1223 or visiting www.no-strings.org.
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