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The great masters of creativity often share one common trait: obsessiveness. The driving force behind so many works of art, it is as much a source of excellence as it is self-destruction. Moises Kaufman’s 33 Variations is a mature, stark meditation on the power of professional obsessions — both the dangers they pose and the redemption they offer — and provides a theater performance that’s worth the drive to Chelsea, Michigan’s Purple Rose Theatre. Leaping across the ages, it follows Ludwig Beethoven in 19th century Austria, toiling over a piece he cannot finish, and in other scenes follows Katherine Brandt, a modern-day musicologist, straining to decode Beethoven’s oft-overlooked “Diabelli Variations.” Directed by Guy Sanville, 33 Variations opens on Thursday, March 28th at 8pm and will run through June. $27. Purple Rose Theatre, 137 Park St. Chelsea, Michigan. 734-433-7673. www.purplerosetheatre.org.—GMK
