Regardless of the answers people derive from such questions, the definition of art is a subjective venture at best. What one considers a meaningful work is worthless to another -- people will award nearly $30,000 to someone who designs a blank room with a light bulb and calls it art, and some works will be remembered by few and forgotten by many. And paid for by none.
This is the premise of Raza's "Art," currently under production by the PlayMakers Repertory Company. Opening Jan. 16, the play begins with the purchase of a white painting done on a white canvas and ends with the dissolution of three friends' relationship.
The play, the fourth of the company's 26th season, is the first cast exclusively by PlayMakers collection of resident talent. While this includes the three actors of "Art" -- Ray Dooley, Kenneth Strong and Philip Davidson -- the resident company also includes director Ted Shaffner and designer McKay Coble.
The stronger resident company resulted in PlayMakers Artistic Director David Hammond's vision for the theater when he assumed his position last season. Although the concept of resident companies --
