Troubled French Painter Portrayed in *Vincent* at JSC

March 4, 2007

The visionary and tortured life of Vincent Van Gogh is the subject of a solo performance by Johnson State College’s new visiting professor of theater, F. Reed Brown.

Vincent will be performed for one night only at the Dibden Center for the Arts at JSC, Wednesday, March 7, at 8 p.m.

Professor Brown has performed the play frequently in the past to critical acclaim, and is a widely regarded actor, director, choreographer and theater co-founder.

Vincent is the story of the famous French artist (born March 30, 1853), seen through the eyes of brother Theo Van Gogh and the more than 500 letters he received during the last 10 years of his brother’s life — his most productive and turbulent period before he shot himself July 27, 1890, and died two days later.

The play covers Vincent Van Gogh’s transformation as a painter inspired by the Impressionist movement; the close connection to and support from his brother; and his violent quarrel with painter Paul Gauguin that led to the infamous severing of his ear.

In the play, F. Reed Brown begins playing the part of Theo, telling the story of his brother through his letters, and then morphing into the role of Vincent.

The play is based on an adaptation by Leonard Nimoy (Spock of Star Trek fame) of the play Van Gogh by Phillip Stephens about the story of Vincent Van Gogh through his letters to his brother. Nimoy restructured the play to allow for roles for both brothers.

Despite his controversial and troubled life, Vincent Van Gogh is one the greatest Impressionist painters, producing more than 750 paintings and 1,600 drawings. Until 2004, his Portrait of Dr. Gauchet was the most valuable painting sold at auction, for $81 million (only surpassed by the recent sales of Picasso’s Boy with Clay Pipe for $106 million, and a Jackson Pollock painting for $125 million).

General admission to Vincent is $5, and free for the JSC community. For tickets, call Dibden Center for the Arts at 802-635-1476.