by Macey Levin
Ralph Albert Blakelock is one of the least famous artists of the Hudson River School overshadowed by Thomas Cole and Frederic Church amongst others. In 1916, however, his “Brook By Moonlight” (below) was bought for $20,000, the highest price ever paid for a painting by a living American artist. That was the high point of a broken life. His great-great-granddaughter, Erica Knight, has written and performs a play about his life for Bridge Street Theatre’s (BST) fourth presentation in this year’s “SoloFest.”
Blakelock fathered nine children with his wife Cora, but he could not financially support them. This led to his first breakdown in 1891. After a series of debilitating experiences he was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic and was confined in an asylum for the mentally disturbed in 1899. For twenty years he lived a very solitary existence but somehow continued to create his art. Shortly before his release, with the aid of a benefactor and a reporter, he was allowed to attend a showing of his work in Manhattan. He gained his freedom in 1915 and passed away in 1919.
His work was highly respected. Favorite subjects were the wilderness and solitude. Many of his paintings were of nature, focusing on the cast of the moon on the beauty of Earth’s scenery amid twilight hours. Having spent formative years visiting Indian camps he immortalized America’s west. His paintings trtansport the viewer into a shimmering, almost other worldly territory.
Knight’s play, directed by John Ahlin, is somewhat problematic. Ms. Knight portrays eleven different characters, some of whom are peripheral to his story and are not well-delineated. A screen shows slides that identify the characters, the year and many locations. The weakness of the play is that she introduces episodes of her own life intertwined with that of her great-great-grandfather’s. They are not as emotionally effective as Blakelock’s. This severely undercuts the impact of his tragic story. It also added another half-hour to a one-woman show. When she focuses on his ordeal the play and her performance are much more effective and moving. Toward the end a gallery of Blakelock’s paintings are displayed on the screen.
Ms. Knight is an engaging, energetic actress. Though some of the scenes do not contribute to the development of the story, her presence commands attention.
Lighting by Bridge Street’s artistic director John Sowle complements the various tones of the many scenes in a range from brightness light to shadows.
The rest of BST’s 2025 season runs from April to November featuring a broad scale of compelling plays concluding with the American classic “On Golden Pond.”
Ghost Dance: Picture of a Madman, written and performed by Erica Knight: Director: John Ahlin; Light Design: John Sowle; Production Stage Manager: Hannarose Manning; Running Time: 90 minutes, no intermission; March 28-30, 2025.