Welcome to SEASON SPOTLIGHT! Here we will take an in-depth look at the shows in the 2017-18 season and give you a little insight into what you can expect in the upcoming season.
November 3-12, 2017
By Rose Artistic Director Matthew Gutschick
In Van Gogh & Me, Rose artistic director Matthew Gutschick paints an endearing story in this original play about artist Vincent Van Gogh and his friendship with a young girl living in a provincial French town.
Based on actual events, Van Gogh & Me looks at the colorful and sometimes challenging creative career of the artist famous for such iconic works as “The Starry Night” and “Sunflowers.” When Van Gogh retreats to a small town with citizens are puzzled by his eccentricities, he is befriended by a reluctant child named Adeline. Slowly Van Gogh and Adeline navigate the fragile waters of friendship as she learns how he created his greatest paintings, giving audiences a new appreciation of the artist and his beautiful post-impressionistic works.
“Van Gogh’s paintings evoke a sense of childlike wonder and kindness. When I learned that this young girl went on in adulthood to correct the world’s mistaken impression of Van Gogh as a moody and even cruel person, I knew this story had to be put onstage,” says Gutschick, who wrote the piece specifically for The Rose stage.
Van Gogh & Me will be directed by guest director John Hardy, who most recently led the production of The Jungle Book during the 2016-17 season and Jackie & Me during the 2013-14 season. His work has also been seen in The Merry Wives of Windsor and Othello at the Nebraska Shakespeare Festival.
While younger children may not comprehend the play’s plot lines about bullying, cruelty and the challenges of mental illness, audiences ages ten and up will find the biography of the great artist compelling. In the end, Van Gogh & Me leaves an impression about respecting human differences, appreciating art and finding friends.
The show runs 60 minutes without an intermission. Van Gogh & Me will be presented November 3-12, 2017, on Fridays at 7 pm, Saturdays at 2 and 5 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm. A bonus performance will be offered on Sunday, November 12 at 5 pm. Interpretation for the hearing impaired and audio description services for the blind will be offered at the 2 pm show on Saturday, November 11. A sensory-friendly performance will be offered on Saturday, November 11 at 5 pm.