MODERN ART AND FRIENDSHIP: Three friends square off over the importance of an expensive piece of artwork in the upcoming production of “Art” at Kelsey Theatre.

Yasmina Reza’s comedy Art hits the Kelsey Theatre stage April 29 to May 1 on the Mercer County Community College (MCCC) campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor.

The multiple award-winning play (translated from French by playwright/screenwriter Christopher Hampton) takes a comedic look at the bonds of friendship viewed through the prism of modern art, and asks the questions: How much would you pay for a painting that was a white canvas? Would it matter who the painter was? Would it be art?

The story begins when one of Marc’s best friends, Serge, buys a “very unusual” expensive painting. To Marc, the painting is a joke. However, Serge insists Marc doesn’t have the proper standard to judge the work. Yvan, another friend, gets pulled into the discussion. Lines are drawn and the friends square off over the canvas. Arguments become less theoretical and more personal and border on destroying their longtime friendships. So the true question is revealed: “How much is a painting really worth?”

Reza is an award-winning French playwright, novelist, memoirist, and actor best known for her satiric plays that speak to contemporary middle-class anxieties. Her work has been translated into more than 30 languages.

Shows are on April 29 and 30 at 8 p.m., and May 1 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $18-$20. Visit KelseyTheatre.org or call (609) 570-3333.