Synopsis:
We are interested to work on the one act play about Abstract expressionism. More specifically, we want to make a play on the life of a famous abstract artist, Jackson Pollock. This play is very passionate, serious, and admirable, it will also contain a lot of tragic scenes based on his life. We want people to comprehend the struggles of Pollock and his achievements throughout his life time. The message that we are trying to give out of the play is expressing life through art work and I believe that this message really applies to the play we are trying to create. In the beginning we are going to introduce all the characters that are going to form the play. Jackson Pollock is the protagonist and the antagonist will be his wife, Lee Klasner. The other two characters that are in it as well are Pollock’s brother, Charles, and his mistress, Ruth Kligman. Overall, we are going to make a play of the biography of Jackson Pollock.
Jackson was born in January 28, 1912 in Cody Wyoming, but raised in Arizona and California. He was the youngest boy out of his five brothers. Leroy Pollock, Jackson’s father, wasn’t a successful man and he tried a variety of careers. This had a great affection to the family so they move every now and then to the western United States. Pollock’s brother, Charles, Moved to New York to study at the Art Student League School located in New York City, he also encouraged Pollock to move with him and study art as well. In 1942, Lee Krasner met Jackson in an important show in a New York Gallery. She was really impressed with Jackson's art work and later on became friends. After their marriage in the year of 1945 they moved to a farm in East Hampton, New York. They were both influenced by each other and produced a large work of art pieces together in their farm. Krasner began working on a small scale more often in the early 1950’s. This made Krasner to spend more time working rather than spending time with Jackson. This attempt led Jackson to go through a great depression and rely upon alcohol. He decided to go to therapy for help and he maintained there for about a year, later on he refused to keep attending. In the year of 1956 Pollock finished his last masterpiece called, Blue Poles and it was sold in Australia for over than two million dollars. Pollock died in the same year he crated Blue Poles, in a car accident with another passenger. Fortunately, his mistress, Ruth Kligman survived the fatal accident. Ruth met Jackson at the age of twenty-three in a Cedar. She would always comfort him in his lonely times. Years after his death she wrote a book about her relationship with Jackson Pollock. The book is called “Love Affair: A Memoir of Jackson Pollock”, it was published in 1974.
Character Bios:
Jackson Pollock is a 33 years old male. He’s real name is Paul Pollock but he decided to change his name to Jackson. He is an Abstract Painter who was born on January 28, 1912. Throughout his life he had a great dedication to his work. He got married in 1945 to Lee Krasner, who was also an abstract painter. Jackson is about 5’8 with brown small eyes; he is half bald, he always smoking a cigarette. Jackson tried to give a macho image, but, in reality he was very sensitive, artistic, and serious about his work. Jackson was creative and a hard working Abstract Artist, although at times he had a very low self esteem and had trouble controlling his alcoholism. His goal was to become a well known American Abstract Artist because of the effort he put into his art pieces. At some point of his life he was in great depression and started drinking excessively, after his wife left him. He went to therapy for almost a year and later refused to keep attending. Another Character that this play contains is Lee Klasner.
Another Character that this play contains is Lee Krasner. She is a 37 years old. She was born on October 27, 1908. She as well is an Abstract Artist who is very dedicated, competitive and creative towards her work. Lee is a tall thin, white woman with short brunette hair and big blue eyes. Even though, Lee is very hard working and puts a lot of effort to her work, she struggles to show her identity. Krasner as well wanted to become a successful artist. Krasner is Jackson Pollock’s wife in the play. Krasner was always away from Pollock and that was a big conflict not only for her but for her husband. Her absence meant a lot for her husband and it created trouble between them.
Ruth Kligman is another Character in our play who plays Jackson Pollock’s Lover. She was 26 years old when she started her relationship with him. Ruth is a very pretty woman with long black hair; she is short with nice curves. One of the qualities that she posses is that she was very seductive and can get any man she wished for. She was an abstract artist but also an actress. Ruth is also very smart, helpful and social. In the play her goals as a person will be to become one of the best actress.
The last character that we are going to provide is Charles Pollock, Jackson’s brother. He was an American painter born in 1902 in Denver Colorado. He was thirty years old when he encouraged Pollock to study art in New York. Charles characteristics in the play is that he is very nice, yet strict when he has to be, he is very intelligent, handsome, and most importantly he is a total gentlemen. He is also tall, with blond flippy hair and has big blue eyes. He was a very intelligent, responsible and hard working man. In the play he will be Jackson Pollock’s brother and he was a big influence for Jackson to start his art career.