Written by orange• June 19, 2026• 2:46 am• Laguna beach, Laguna Playhouse, Review, Theater, Uncategorized

RED @ Laguna Playhouse – Review

photo credit: Jason Niedle

Written by Patrick Chavis

Red at the Laguna Playhouse June 10 – 28, 2026.

Like the art it seeks to represent, this two-hander play by playwright John Logan uses the isolated, controlled narrative of a master-student dichotomy to express the mindset of the modern artist Mark Rothko. In this piece, we experience not just the tension between young and old but also the personal and the universal.

Story:

Red is a play about modern, abstract expressionist painter Mark Rothko (Rob Nagle), who is known for being uncompromising and obsessive. The play follows him as he creates work for a large commission for the Four Seasons. He takes on an assistant, Ken (James Hayden Rodriguez). They work together, and Rothko exposes Ken to his thoughts on art, philosophy, history, and his disdain of the new guard, but the closer Ken gets to Rothko, the more questions arise.

Design:

This is a remarkable modern play, and J. Scott Lapps’s direction makes it more potent for those willing to venture to see it. From the angular set design by Stephen Gifford, which reaches towards the sky like some chapel to the universe, that enables the large paintings to be displayed, which Rothko was known for, to the audience. And what is exposure without light? Lighting designer Jared A. Sayeg lights the painting and the set, showing, with impeccable timing, the difference in color, tone, and brightness. From washed out to vibrant, the paintings are in flux.

The play largely relied on contemplative classical music, possibly echoing what Rothko would enjoy. It’s even mentioned in the script with the changes in the music. Some jazz is also included in this play. The levels and delivery of the music from sound designer Ian Scot contributed to the pathos in the scenes without getting in the way.

During the conversations about art between Ken and Rothko. We can understand how meaning can be translated through another person’s perspective. If that is true, the personal can be the universal, and to truly understand, the painting is to somehow understand Rothko or who he was at one time. These efforts take time, but when done earnestly, they can be transformative.

The play captures these ideas so powerfully through moments as slight as the lighting of a cigarette or the big moments when someone realizes they have to let someone go, even those they’re fond of.

Narrative Thought:

Hints and signs that Ken’s character is about to change the dynamic of the relationship in this piece exist. They are undeniably there. Narratively, however, some kind of dramatic cue would have made Ken’s new spurt of confidence in front of Rothko seem way more natural. In a piece that’s so precise, it seems an odd choice, but in life, people do get fed up, and things do change in an instant. Not necessarily a flaw in the script.

Acting:

Nagle and Rodriguez are dramatic dynamite. Watching them, I wasn’t sure if they’re gonna take each other’s heads off or paint a masterpiece, but something will surely blossom from the exchange.