When it was announced that Arts United Center was being remodeled, there were several performing companies who were left, for lack of a better word, homeless — their primary venue unavailable. 

As we all know there is no shortage of stages in Fort Wayne. However, Fort Wayne Civic Theatre has decided to think outside the box with its latest production of the R-rated Red, playing weekends at Fort Wayne Museum of Art from March 21-April 6.

“As we were narrowing shows down, knowing that our home theater, Arts United Center, is under renovation right now, we knew we were performing at other venues in town, and we wanted to do something in collaboration with the art museum,” Red director Andrew Holderfield said. 

“And so we said, ‘OK, we don’t want to just perform at the venue — we’re going to be at the art museum. We really would like to do something with them.’ ”

Civic Theatre’s artistic committee, which chooses the shows, presented several potential scripts to members of the museum staff, and Red was selected.

Show goes on display

Red, a play by John Logan, takes you into the studio of Mark Rothko (played by Jeff Casazza), pioneer of abstract expressionism, as seen through the eyes of his young, increasingly challenging assistant, Ken (Adam Cesarz), who must choose between appeasing his mentor and changing the course of art history. 

The production has become a perfect fit for its venue. 

“From the very first meeting, we wanted to make this a collaboration,” Holderfield said. “And collaboration can generally be a vague term. What is a collaboration between the theater and the art museum? Once I stepped into the director role, I wanted to honor what the play is about: the art form of painting, of visual media.” 

For Cesarz, the art museum is a perfect backdrop.

“I don’t see where it could have been performed anywhere else in town,” he said. “It makes the most sense to do it at the art museum. We’re in an exhibit room, and the exhibit is Red the play.” 

The production will truly be on exhibit. 

“We will be opening up the set during regular museum hours for people to come in and look at the set and explore the set,” Holderfield said. “We call it Explore Red. And there are reproductions of some of Rothko’s works on our set for patrons to explore as well.” 

In addition, following the show Saturday, March 22, there will be a talk-back about Rothko and his work with Dr. Elizabeth Kuebler-Wolf, associate professor of art history at the University of Saint Francis. The discussion is open to that night’s attendees.

Mixed Media

Holderfield admits he has been in his element as he directs this production. 

“I am a big art fan,” he said. “I love design and I love directing.” 

When not directing, Holderfield serves as Fort Wayne Civic Theatre’s production manager and lighting designer. 

“Directing to me is a form of design” he said. “In school, I did a whole semester where we were focused in my design theater classes on famous artists, their shape, and how they shaped culture and art movements. I did a whole segment on Rothko, too, because he created this form of abstract painting. 

“Rothko is just as much philosopher as he is painter, and understanding that element of design, and creating something to make the viewer feel how you want them to feel. Or sometimes they feel however they want to feel. That is design to me, and that is what I love most about theater and art in general. It felt like a natural fit.”

Forging a bond

While not a stranger to the stage, Cesarz says this role was a new challenge. 

“There is just way more responsibility and depth in this role than probably any of the other roles that I have done in musicals,” he said of such shows he’s been in like American Idiot, White Christmas, and Jersey Boys. “In musicals, you get a break in between scenes here and there, but in this you are basically on stage for like 99 percent of the show here, and I am just in character that entire time.”

Cesarz has found himself really forging a connection with Casazza. 

“Being a two-person play, it’s just me and him and The Speaker (Julie Donnell) on the stage,” he said. “It’s very, very intimate. And boy, there’s some really strong moments in it, too.” 

Holderfield explained that he encouraged his actors’ relationship through simply encouraging them to have conversations.

“I told them, ‘You guys, you go over there and you just talk,’ ” he said. “I said, ‘You just talk amongst yourself. I think that is the best use of your time right now. Talk about your characters and start figuring things out.’ Ever since that day, I feel like I just see them in the corner figuring out who they are. Off-stage and on-stage, that chemistry is there.” 

“I see Jeff’s energy, and I do my best to match it and try to one-up him, just to try to keep up with the pace that he’s setting,” Cesarz said. “He is a very physical actor. I would like to say that at age 33 I’m still somewhat sprightly, and I think that’s one thing that I do as well. 

“I love playing characters and getting inside the mindset of a person, and being able to just portray their motivation.”

Holderfield hopes the intimacy and immersion draws the audience into the performance. 

“When you come to see the production of Red, you are being observed by the performers on stage from the very first second of the show,” he said. “We’re in an improvised space at the museum. It’s not a traditional proscenium theater. It is intimate. Our set concept, our scenic design, the concept that we’re bringing forward was to incorporate the audience into that. We’re leaning into what the script calls for. We’re leaning into you being a part of the show. 

“And so I just hope that that resonates with our audience. I hope that they feel and think about what is happening on stage.”