THEATRE DAEDALUS EXPLORES ART, TRUTH, AND OBSESSION
WITH STEVEN DIETZ'S INVENTING VAN GOGH
Cast Announced for July Production
COLUMBUS, OH (April 20, 2011)—Over one hundred twenty years ago, the world lost arguably one of the great masters of the art world: Vincent van Gogh. This summer, Theatre Daedalus takes audiences on a time-bending journey in search of the lost final van Gogh self-portrait in Steven Dietz's INVENTING VAN GOGH, running July 21-30, 2011, at the Van Fleet Theater in the Columbus Performing Arts Center.
A haunting and hallucinatory drama about the making of art, INVENTING VAN GOGH is the story of the final van Gogh self-portrait, painted just before the artist's death, which has never been seen...until now. Patrick Stone, a contemporary painter, is hired to forge this final masterpiece—and finds himself squaring off, across the years, with van Gogh himself. The result is a compelling mystery about the obsession to create and the fine line that separates truth from myth.
The cast includes Jeremy Ryan Brown as the 19th century painter and Brant Jones as Patrick Stone. Ben Gorman, Rick Isbell, and Otterbein graduate Natalie Jensen each tackle dual roles, playing contemporaries of both artists. Mr. Gorman appears as Dr. Jonas Miller, Patrick’s mentor and van Gogh expert, as well as Dr. Paul Gachet, van Gogh’s friend and physician; Mr. Isbell plays art authenticator Rene Bouchard and French post-Impressionist artist Paul Gauguin; and Ms. Jensen completes the cast as dual daughters to doctors—Hallie Miller, and Marguerite Gachet.
Theatre Daedalus Artistic Director Jeremy Sony is directing the piece. Sony has received multiple directing awards, including an Excellence in Direction award from the Central Ohio Theatre Roundtable for his direction of Ken Jones’ DARKSIDE in 2007.
"I’m excited to have Jeremy, Natalie, Brant and Rick back with us," Daedalus Managing Director Michael Parsons said. All four of them worked with Theatre Daedalus in their original production 29 BELLS this past November. "We are really looking forward to working with Ben, who has consistently produced outstanding work for Columbus Civic Theatre, Available Light, and other troupes. Jeremy and his casting committee did an outstanding job of casting this haunting, driven play."
Company co-founder and Playwright-in-Residence Jaclyn Villano said the troupe chose this play "because it falls into our mission statement of showcasing gifted new playwrights as well as established masters of the craft. Steven Dietz is a playwright for our times, a major writer for the stage whose work exposes our true natures to ourselves," she said.
Sony agreed. "In my mind, INVENTING VAN GOGH is his finest play. We're very proud to have this production staffed with such fine actors and crew."
INVENTING VAN GOGH by Steven Dietz at 8 p.m., July 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, & 30, at the Van Fleet Theater in the Columbus Performing Arts Center, 549 Franklin Avenue. Tickets are $15 adults, $12 seniors and students. Purchase online at www.theatredaedalus.com or call 614-787-0327.
About Theatre Daedalus
Recipient of six Central Ohio Theatre Critics Circle nominations and one award in 2010, Theatre Daedalus has been described in the press as "excellent," "thought-provoking," and "masters of character development," and our shows have been cited as "the strongest productions seen in some time."
Founded in 2008 by playwrights Michael Parsons, Jeremy Sony, and Jaclyn Villano, Theatre Daedalus believes in the power of theater to educate and entertain. To that end, we seek to develop original plays, cultivate theatrical awareness in the community, and present thought-provoking works for the stage. As a theater founded by writers, we are committed to showcasing gifted new playwrights as well as paying homage to established masters of the craft. Theatre Daedalus collaborates with exceptional, diverse artists to bring powerful theatrical experiences to its audience.
