Your Theatre Brings Award-Winning Play ‘Red’ to New Bedford

Community theatre group Your Theatre is starting the new year with multiple performances of the Tony-award winning play Red beginning January 17 at the Steeple Playhouse in downtown New Bedford.

It is a two-person performance and the stars of the production – Eric Paradis as artist Mark Rothko, and Paul Inwood as Rothko's assistant Ken – joined Townsquare Sunday to preview the play.

"It's a lot of us for 90 minutes," Paradis said. "Hopefully, you'll love us."

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The John Logan play is based on the true story of noted artist Mark Rothko, who has just landed the largest commission in the history of modern art, a series of murals for New York's famed Four Seasons Restaurant.

With a young assistant named Ken, Rothko works feverishly on the murals. Later, tension develops when Ken starts to question his teacher. Your Theatre describes Red in a press release as "a searing portrait of an artists ambition and vulnerability."

Paradis said the dialogue in the play is amazing.

"It was a joy to read. The words, the phrasing, the depth of thought that Mark Rothko had in this play is really fantastic," he said. "It's fast-paced, and I think the dialogue will keep the audience engaged."

Inwood said he found the role of Ken challenging.

"Most of the stuff I've done in the last few years has been comedy, so the dramatic aspect has been a challenge," he said. "It's just me and Eric out there, so we help each other the best we can."

Red will run two weekends beginning on January 17 with a total of eight performances. Tickets can be purchased at steepleplayhouse.org.

This is the 78th season of Your Theatre, and Paradis said people are enjoying coming to the theater company's new home.

"The Steeple Playhouse is still intimate, even though it's a lot bigger than where we've been in the past. There's not a bad seat in the house," he said. "When you first walk in to the main theatre space, you'll say wow, now I know what the fuss was all about."

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