“RED” was a breakout-hit in London’s 2009 season before moving to New York, with the original cast of Alfred Molina and Eddie Redmayne, winning the 2010 Tony for Best Play, for playwright John Logan, as well as Tony’s for Best Lead Actor Molina, and Best Featured Actor Redmayne.

The rationale driving Logan’s story is the need to explore and understand the “creative process” which takes place in his riveting two-hander play “RED”, solidly directed by Michael Arabian.  That’s a very tough assignment due to many gray areas within any creative moment.  These moments, by their very nature, are difficult to define or isolate.  Many storytellers have tried to convey and illuminate the linkage between the artist and society, but not many have succeeded. The struggle is a very personal experience and one that only the artist hears and feels.

The first lines uttered by John Vickery playing Mark Rothko, the late abstract/impressionist painter to Jason Maddy playing Ken, Rothko’s new assistant are “What do you see?”  Ken hesitates …Rothko this time gruffly and demandingly barks again, “What do you see?”  The question is a challenge thrown by the teacher to his new student, artist to artist.

What we the audience see onstage is an artist’s studio, with various canvases in various stages of completion, along with the tools of the painter’s trade: cans of paint, brushes, half completed frames, floor mops, saw horses, daubing rags all over the place, and
a general clutter that makes sense only to the two painters.  For the next ninety minutes we have the opportunity to see not only Rothko’s innner demons, but his artistic philosophy as well.  Ken’s patient acquiescence to Rothko’s outbursts, allow us to watch two actors deliver finely judged performances revealing their individual creative processes in the bargain, as well as the characters they portray.  It’s something all actors do and personally experience every time they step onto a stage.

During the course of the play, Vickery says to Maddy, “There is only one thing I fear in life, my friend… one day the black will swallow the red.”  Their is a lot of social as well as political philosophy of that sort that is discussed in Logan’s play.  There are also many provocative issues raised concerning the role of the artist in society.  At one point, Ken brashly questions Rothko’s theories of art, even challenging Rothko’s acceptance of a $35,000 dollar monetary commission to paint murals in the famous Four Seasons restaurant in New York City.  Back in the 1950’s that was serious money for a few murals, even for a celebrated artist like Mark Rothko.

John Vickery and Jason Maddy bring experience and strength to their performances. Vickery especially does the heavy lifting, as the bellowing, tortured, introspective gifted painter Mark Rothko.  Maddy, delivers a nice counter-point performance as Ken, the quiet and in awe assistant; together they complement the vision of director Michael Arabian’s intelligent production.

The technical credits are first-rate as well.  Giulio Perrone’s artist/painter studio set design gives the actors the space they need to create their magic, and the subdued but, very effective, lighting design by Brian Gale enhances the mood and tone of this splendid ninety minute production.

“RED” continues at San Diego Repertory Theatre in Horton Plaza on the Lyceum Stage through April 27th.

The Guardian US and the Washington Post are among the winners of a prestigious journalistic Pulitzer award. The newspapers shared the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service Reporting for coverage of NSA surveillance and whistleblower Snowden’s leaks.

Due to falling budgets and increased obligations, Americans filing their taxes are less likely to be audited by the Internal Revenue Service this year than they have been in nearly a decade.

According to the Associated Press, this has resulted in the agency fielding the fewest number of auditors since the 1980. While advancing technology is helping the IRS adapt in some ways, its inability to employ as many agents means not only will revenue collection suffer, but also that Americans looking for help with their tax forms may not be able to get assistance.

In 2013, less than one percent of all 146 million individual tax returns were audited by the agency, though the likelihood of being subjected to the procedure increased for the wealthy and for those claiming significant tax deductions relative to their stated income.

“We keep going after the people who look like the worst of the bad guys,” IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said to the AP. “But there are going to be some people that we should catch, either in terms of collecting the revenue from them or prosecuting them, that we’re not going to catch.”

According to the Wall Street Journal, individuals earning $1 million or more have a nearly 11 percent chance of being audited – almost 5 percent higher than back in 2009, but still the lowest percentage since 2010. Those earning under $200,000, however, have only a .88 percent chance of earning IRS scrutiny.

Speaking with the AP, former IRS lawyer Elizabeth Maresca said that company employees and those who aren’t wealthy simply don’t have much of a chance to cheat on their taxes.

“Anybody who’s an employee, who gets paid by an employer, has a limited ability to take risks on their tax returns,” she said. “I think people who own their own business or are self-employed have a much greater opportunity (to cheat), and I think the IRS knows that, too.”

As for the IRS itself, although Koskinen said it could collect far more revenue with greater manpower, chances of that happening are slim. President Obama has proposed a 10 percent increase to the agency’s budget, but Republicans have resisted in light of scandals and the fact that the IRS must help implement the Affordable Care Act – namely the individual mandate.

The agency was also accused of improperly scrutinizing conservative-leaning political groups between 2010 and 2012, sparking a series of investigations into the matter. Since 2010, the IRS budget has dropped by almost a billion dollars, from $12.1 billion to $11.3 billion.

Koskinen also said that he thinks some politicians may be under the impression that by lowering funds, the IRS will choose not to implement the ACA. Since the agency is legally obligated to do so, however, that is simply not a possibility. Instead, the IRS will have to choose between enforcement, taxpayer services, and technology.

According to Obama’s budget proposal, every $1 increase in the IRS’ budget would result in $6 in additional revenue collection.

“I say that and everybody [in Congress] shrugs and goes on about their business,” Koskinen told the AP.“I have not figured out either philosophically or psychologically why nobody seems to care whether we collect the revenue or not.”

Open Audition” Saturday, April 12th, 2014 at the Health and Wellness Center 11-750 Cholla Drive, Desert Hot Springs, Ca. 92240.
“Audition: 1PM till 6 PM”

Audition from five years to 19 years old at the DHS Health & Wellness Center.
Mayor Adam Sanchez and the city council are very pleased and excited to ask local Elementary, Middle School, and high-school students to audition to show case their youngster’s talents.
Sanchez, Sr. Said,” He needs 16 Acts Dancers, Rappers, Singers Comedians, and all kinds of talents.”
Coordinating the event is Universal Producer Adon Icon. Adon said, “This is a unique opportunity to be seen by Universal Records and Rolling Stones Magazine…So Bring It On Your A Game.”

Contact Us: Desert Hot Springs-Mayor Sanchez Sr. (760) 288-6085
or Future Enomic Resources (760) 609-7876.

“FREE ADMISSIONS TO “DHS GOT TALENT” SHOW.