“Picasso at the Lapin Agile” by Steve Martin
Where: Olympic Theatre Arts, 414 N. Sequim Ave.
When: 7:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, July 10-11, 17-18, 24-25; 2 p.m. Sundays, July 12, 19 and 26
Tickets: $16 adults, $10 children 16 and under, active military/spouse $2 discount, group discounts available by calling in advance. Also available at the door; $10 preview night on Thursday, July 9, and Pay What You Will performance on Thursday, July 16.
More info: Call 683-7326 or visit olympictheatrearts.org.
Two geniuses walk into a bar … and a play ensues.
No lightbulbs are screwed in nor do chickens cross the road, but comedian, musician and writer Steve Martin brings together two of the 20th century’s greatest minds — Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein — for his “Picasso at the Lapin Agile.”
Anna Andersen adapts the 1993 play for Sequim’s Olympic Theatre Arts starting July 9 with a preview night through a July 25 matinee.
The artist, played by Sean Peck-Collier, and scientist, Mikes Carignan, converge to the real-life Paris bar in 1904 at the beginning of their rising notoriety with Einstein soon to publish “On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies” about Special Relativity and Picasso to paint “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon.”
There the men debate what is genius and talent with a colorful cast fleshing out the discussion.
Andersen, a first time director for OTA, said she’s directing this for the second time after moving from Berkley, Calif., because she likes the humor and is able to delve deeper in characters’ mindsets.
“(The play) shows when people are on the verge of changing the world and about to change how we know everything,” she said.
“But each character has their own something genius — even the fool (inventor Charles Dabernow Schmendiman played by Mike Roggenbuck) has a confidence that makes up his genius. Martin put in what is special about characters from all walks of life.”
But Picasso remains center of the journey, Andersen said.
“He’s jealous and hasn’t learned to appreciate women,” she said. “He’s insecure but knows he’s on the verge but somewhere in this he has a realization about his creative destination.”
Many of the Olympic Peninsula’s well-known actors star in the play, including Peck-Collier, whom Andersen finds carries some of Picasso’s better traits.
“Sean as Picasso is very passionate and incredibly dedicated and consumed with the drive to improve,” Andersen said. “He studies and works hard, which Picasso also has.”
Carignan, who plays Einstein, said his version of the genius may not capture everyone’s original perception of the icon.
“From what’s said in the play, this is not the Einstein we all know,” he said. “This Einstein is in his early 20s so his youthfulness is there.”
However, Carignan said Einstein and Picasso find themselves on a similar level of discovery.
“Einstein is a genius and there’s not a lot of them around,” he said. “It’s got to be difficult to communicate with people on a different level. One of the most exciting things for me to play is his discovery that there’s someone else out there. At least in this play, Picasso could do things no one else could.”
One key for Picasso is the entrance of an unexpected visitor, Andersen said, played by Danny Willis. “He’s the one who leads Picasso to his revelation,” she said.
As Picasso and Einstein are developed, Andersen said she finds other characters like Germaine (Angela Poynter-Lemaster) show genius but are overlooked because of the times.
Aside from some heady discussions and discoveries, Andersen said people will love it. “You’ll definitely go for a ride,” she said. “It’s fun, there’s laughter and you might be moved.”
“Picasso at the Lapin Agile” also features Ron Graham as bar owner Freddy, Mindy Gelder/Jenny Sies as Picasso’s love interest Suzanne, Pat Owens as art dealer Sagot, Jim Guthrie as older bar patron Gaston and Kaylee Ditlefsen as the Countess.
