James Briggs, founder of Starry Night Theater Company, led the play's successful initial run in Pittsfield in December.
Jim Briggs stars as Theo in the play "Vincent." A talented, misunderstood artist or a suicidal madman who cut off his ear?
Audiences will have to make their own decisions after watching “Vincent,” a one-man play about Vincent van Gogh, written by actor-director Leonard Nimoy of “Star Trek” fame.
James Briggs, founder of Starry Night Theater Company, who led the play’s successful initial run in Pittsfield in December, will be suiting up again for another run at CityStage in Springfield for four days beginning Thursday.
But even though he bears a passing resemblance to Vincent, Briggs won’t be suiting up as the artist, but playing his brother, Theo, the play’s principal character.
A full-length, two-act play, “Vincent” is set about a week after the artist’s suicide. Theo, his greatest supporter, tells the story which Nimoy adapted from about 500 letters the brothers sent back and forth to each other over the years.
In the play, Theo has gathered friends and colleagues together once again after the funeral, where he was unable to speak because he was so emotionally distraught over the loss of his brother, noted Briggs.
“He just could not get a single word out and felt as if he had let his brother down. So, Theo sets out to right the wrong and the public perception of his brother as a lunatic or madman. Theo is basically telling Vincent’s story through his own eyes – talking about the brother he knew that most did not know,” said Briggs.
It was the actor/producer’s own admitted “fascination” with van Gogh – as a kid he said he remembers seeing van Gogh’s paintings and even had a poster of his Starry Night painting in his bedroom – and his desire to find a first show for his new theater company that led Briggs to “Google” the artist to see if there might be a play about him.
“Nimoy’s play came up almost immediately and I ordered the script. After reading it, I thought it was a well-written show and a great acting challenge, and the perfect way for me to get back into the theater world,” said Briggs.
The actor said he also loved the visuals that accompany the rights to produce the play.
“You are given 130 slides of van Gogh’s artwork to project throughout the show. I’ve even had a new 10-foot wide screen built for me that resembles an actual picture frame,” said Briggs.
Briggs studied theater at Middlebury College in Vermont. Between roles, he attended Boston College Law School and spent many years as a practicing attorney in Boston, Pittsfield and Williamstown. He recently retired from the law to return to his first passion - the theater.
“I just finally said this isn’t what I loved to do (being a lawyer), I liked it, but didn’t love it. So, I decided to move back to the Berkshires to pursue my first love,” said Briggs.And, about Briggs fascination with van Gogh, just look at the name of his theater company again.