Exhausted Paint: The Death of Van Gogh
Free and open to the public.
Exhausted Paint: The Death of Van Gogh is a 65-minute solo performance about the life and legacy of the famous painter, based on his collected letters. Written by New Orleans-based playwright Justin Maxwell and performed by Central Illinois native Drew Stroud as Vincent Van Gogh, Exhausted Paint was developed at the University of New Orleans’s School of the Arts and has begun touring around the country. Maxwell’s plays have been published and performed across the country. Critic Theodore P. Mahne, writing for Nola.com, said of Maxwell’s writing, “Justin Maxwell ... works on the edge, taking his audiences in unexpected directions and ensuring that they’ll enjoy the ride ... a mad coherence ... elicits near-equal parts laughter, fear and empathy.”
The piece uses an experimental structure, where only the first and final scenes of the play are fixed. Following the first scene the performer spins a wheel onstage, and the results of that spin dictate which scene will appear next. This method continues until each scene has been performed.
Drew Stroud’s visit to Millikin’s campus will include a workshop with Millikin Theatre students and a postshow discussion open to the public following the performance. As the piece uses unconventional theatre techniques to tell the story of one of the most famous visual artists of all time, we expect it will have interest to lovers of both theatre and art.
This program is partially supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, The Illinois Arts Council Agency, and the Decatur Area Arts Council.