Road trip: "Red"

TheaterWorks

233 Pearl St., Hartford

Actors must covet the role of abstract expressionist painter Mark Rothko in "Red." He bristles with brash ego and sharp intelligence, and playwright John Logan gifts him with beautifully constructed monologues about the meaning of art and life. Jonathan Epstein does the honors in TheaterWorks' production, and he creates a furiously vivid Rothko. "Red" meets the artist as he's agreed to create murals for the Four Seasons Restaurant. It was the biggest commission in the history of modern art, but Rothko is nothing if not conflicted about it. "Red" is a two-man show, and Thomas Leverton is two-dimensional as Rothko's assistant. But Epstein's performance and Logan's writing make this "Red" worth the trip to Hartford. Tickets to the show, which only runs through Sunday, are $50 ($13 extra for center reserved seating). Call (860) 527-7838.

- KRISTINA DORSEY