John Logan: Oscar-Nominated and Tony-winning Playwright’s of RED

August 28th, 2013

Credit: Deadline.com

Could one small thing inspire your entire future? For writer John Logan, playwright for International City Theatre’s upcoming production of the Tony-winning Best Play Red, reading Shakespeare with his father while confined indoors as an asthmatic child stimulated his love of theater and his passion as a writer.

Equally as adept writing for stage or screen, Logan is a three-time Academy Award nominee for his screenplays “Hugo,” “Gladiator,” and “The Aviator.”  He is a Golden Globe Award winner for “Sweeney Todd.”  Screenwriter of the most recent James Bond movie, “Skyfall,” Logan is set to write the next two Bond movies.

On the stage, Logan premiered two plays in 2013 alone. Peter and Alice, starred Judi Dench and is based on the meeting of the real-life inspirations for Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland and JM Barrie’s Peter Pan.  On Broadway, I’ll Eat You Last: A Chat with Sue Mengers starred Bette Midler as the notoriously larger-than-life Hollywood agent of the stars.

Red, winner of six Tony Awards including Best Play, is based on real-life abstract-expressionist artist Mark Rothko.  Set in the 1950s, the play is a riveting exploration of the creative process.  Rothko is working on his biggest commission, murals for the Four Seasons restaurant.  As the actors paint live onstage, his new assistant challenges Rothko as he grapples with fame and fortune versus artistic expression and integrity.

Logan himself has conceded the connection between Rothko, the artist in Red, and himself, a playwright in Hollywood.  As quoted in the Chicago Tribune, “You might say,” Logan allows, “that the demons in the play are my own.”

International City Theater invites you to experience John Logan’s Red.  Performances run August 21 to September 15 at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center, home to ICT.  For tickets, please visit InternationalCityTheatre.org or call (562) 436-4610.