Steve On Broadway (SOB)

August: Osage County (The SOB Revisit)

August: Osage County (The SOB Revisit) - Music Box Theatre, New York, NY

**** (out of ****)

To think that one of the biggest stories to come out of Broadway this past year began in Chicago less than one year ago.

The wild success enjoyed by actor/playwright Tracy Letts' August: Osage County all started last summer at the Windy City's celebrated Steppenwolf. And I was there!

I know I'm not necessarily the first theatre blogger to have written about this stunning play, but I know my SOB Review last August sounded the initial clarion call for many of you.

While one feckless critic elected this past Sunday to try raining on this brilliant play's parade, he's the only one who ended up getting wet. He's clearly in the minority. Mind you, I don't begrudge him his opinion one iota, but geesh, isn't it a little fraught, if not tacky, to finally reveal his hand on the very day the Tonys were to be handed out?

The night before the Tonys, I took in the second-to-last Broadway performances by Deanna Dunagan, Rondi Reed, Francis Guinan, Ian Barford and Jeff Perry in their beloved August: Osage County. The show was hitting on all cylinders, chugging like a steamroller. Only it didn't flatten anything -- its characters, the storyline, etc. If anything, the work has become even more multi-dimensional, more potent and intensely vivid, more so than on my earlier visits.

You see, this marked my third time passing through this modern masterpiece, and now that it's settled into the intimate Music Box Theatre, it was my third venue.

Each time I've seen the show, a different actor has portrayed patriarch Beverly Weston, starting with the late Dennis Letts (Tracy Letts' father) in Chicago, then Munson Hicks at Broadway's Imperial Theatre (who bravely took over during Letts' illness and subsequent death), and now Michael McGuire at the Music Box. All three actors have certainly imbued their Beverly with their own unique stylings. Today, McGuire is succeeding with a surprising amount of laughs.

Still, I must admit to having enjoyed most the quiet, dignified shadings Letts brought to the role. During the performance I saw last summer in Chicago, his brief time on the stage was so effective and enthralling you could hear a pin drop.

On Sunday, Father's Day no less, I couldn't help but wonder how proud Dennis Letts would have been of his son taking home the year's highest honor reserved for a Broadway play, and a resounding, new American classic at that. I'm just hoping that with a London run set to begin this fall that British critics don't misconstrue Tracy Letts' acceptance speech in which he stated:

I don't know all these people, I assume they're associated with the play. Writing is better than acting. You get to use your words, you don't have to be there eight times a week and I can guarantee you that this moment beats the hell out of auditioning for "Jag." I see some of you auditioned for that, too.

I want to thank the Tony committee for including a play with the other nominees. You know you're pretty stout company when Mark Twain doesn't get a nomination. Particularly Jeffrey Richards, Jean Doumanian, Steve Traxler and Jerry Frankel. They did an amazing thing. They decided to produce an American play on Broadway with theatre actors. (Emphasis added) I see some of you are theatre actors, too.

I want to thank Steppenwolf Theatre, Martha Lavey, David Hawkanson, our board, our staff, Ed Sobel, Erica Daniels, these people have really helped foster the environment in which this play was made.

A special thanks to our Chicago theatre community, they are the ones who made this possible. Thank you very much.

Here's to Tracy Letts, Deanna Dunagan, Rondi Reed (the three are pictured above in an exclusive SOB Photo), Anna D. Shapiro and Todd Rosenthal on their richly deserved Tony wins, and congratulations to Steppenwolf for doing its part in making Broadway plays relevant to American audiences once again.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Click here to check out Steppenwolf's very own August: Osage County blogs.
Click here for tickets.
Related Stories:
Things I Learned At The Tonys... (June 17, 2008)
Tony Awards: Win Place Show (June 16, 2008)
August: Coming To A County Near You (June 12, 2008)
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Who Will Win (June 10, 2008)
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Part III (June 6, 2008)
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Part II (June 5, 2008)
SOB's 2008 Tony Picks - Part I (June 4, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best New Plays (May 30, 2008)
More August Honors (May 19, 2008)
Whoopi! Tony Eligibility And More Handicapping (May 9, 2008)
An August Award (April 7, 2008)
Today's The Day ... Or Maybe Not (April 7, 2008)
Producer's Perspective Is Sneak Peek (March 24, 2008)
Fantasy Casting Calls (February 26, 2008)
Dennis Letts - RIP (February 24, 2008)
August: Osage County (The SOB Revisit) (February 20, 2008)
August: Osage County Will Extend Again, Moving To Music Box (February 15, 2008)
Is It Just Me, Or... (Part III) (January 22, 2008)
Hot, Hot, Hot August Just Got Longer (January 14, 2008)
SOB's 7 Singular Sensations Of '07 - #1: Deanna Dunagan (December 31, 2007)
SOB's 7 Singular Sensations Of '07 - #3: Amy Morton (December 29, 2007)
ModFab: The Jury Is In (December 28, 2007)
August: Best Time Of The Year (December 15, 2007)
Sorkin "No Tracy Letts" (December 14, 2007)
More Than One Critic Letts August Esteem Show (December 5, 2007)
August Heat Fires Up December Opening (December 4, 2007)
Cold Opening Possible For August: Osage County? (November 16, 2007)
Finally, Back To The Table (November 14, 2007)
Add August To The List? (November 14, 2007)
An August Work (October 30, 2007)
Steppenwolf Letts "Juicy" August Move Forward (September 15, 2007)
This October, Letts' "August" Begins On Broadway (August 22, 2007)
August: Osage County (The SOB Review) (August 19, 2007)

Labels: Anna D Shapiro, August Osage County, Broadway, Deanna Dunagan, Dennis Letts, Michael McGuire, Munson Hicks, Play, Rondi Reed, Steppenwolf, The SOB Revisit, Todd Rosenthal, Tracy Letts

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Wednesday, June 18, 2008 4 comments

An August Award

An August Award

It's official!

Tracy Letts' breath-takingly brilliant August: Osage County has earned one of the single most distinguished awards any theatrical work possibly can: the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Other finalists included David Henry Hwang's Yellow Face and Christopher Shinn's Dying City.

Jurors for this year's Pulitzer Prize for Drama included last year's recipient David Lindsay-Abaire (who won for his Rabbit Hole), The Washington Post theatre critic Peter Marks, New York magazine drama critic Jeremy McCarter, The Los Angeles Times' theatre critic Charles McNulty and Chicago Playworks for Young Audiences Artistic Director Lisa Portes.

From the moment I first experienced this amazing theatrical work last August in Chicago, I knew I was witnessing extraordinary stage history being made. I even indicated then that I had a hunch a Pulitzer might be in its future.

I could not be more excited for the entire cast and crew, along with the fine folks at Steppenwolf, but I'm especially thrilled for Tracy Letts -- I only wish his father Dennis had been able to see his son honored by this well-deserved award. He surely would have been incredibly proud.

Hearty congratulations!

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Click here for tickets.

Related Stories:
Today's The Day ... Or Maybe Not (April 7, 2008)
Producer's Perspective Is Sneak Peek (March 24, 2008)
Fantasy Casting Calls (February 26, 2008)
Dennis Letts - RIP (February 24, 2008)
August: Osage County (The SOB Revisit) (February 20, 2008)
August: Osage County Will Extend Again, Moving To Music Box (February 15, 2008)
Is It Just Me, Or... (Part III) (January 22, 2008)
Hot, Hot, Hot August Just Got Longer (January 14, 2008)
SOB's 7 Singular Sensations Of '07 - #1: Deanna Dunagan (December 31, 2007)
SOB's 7 Singular Sensations Of '07 - #3: Amy Morton (December 29, 2007)
ModFab: The Jury Is In (December 28, 2007)
August: Best Time Of The Year (December 15, 2007)
Sorkin "No Tracy Letts" (December 14, 2007)
More Than One Critic Letts August Esteem Show (December 5, 2007)
August Heat Fires Up December Opening (December 4, 2007)
Cold Opening Possible For August: Osage County? (November 16, 2007)
Finally, Back To The Table (November 14, 2007)
Add August To The List? (November 14, 2007)
An August Work (October 30, 2007)
Steppenwolf Letts "Juicy" August Move Forward (September 15, 2007)
This October, Letts' "August" Begins On Broadway (August 22, 2007)
August: Osage County (The SOB Review) (August 19, 2007)
Pulitzer Pulls Rabbit Out Of Its Hat (April 17, 2007)

Labels: August Osage County, Broadway, Chicago, Dennis Letts, Play, Pulitzer Prize, Steppenwolf, Tracy Letts

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Monday, April 07, 2008 4 comments

Dennis Letts - RIP

Dennis Letts - RIP

Sad news this morning for anyone who has had the opportunity to see August: Osage County. Former Oklahoma-based university professor and actor Dennis Letts died on Friday. Letts bravely portrayed August's patriarch Beverly Weston. He was also father of the show's playwright, Tracy Letts.

According to the Tulsa World:

He was diagnosed with cancer last September, but he still chose to go to New York to perform in his son's play, which opened in December to positive reviews. He performed in eight shows a week, all while receiving cancer treatment, until late January.

"You're talking to a fellow who's gone from Tishomingo Community Theater to Broadway. That's quite a step," Letts told the Tulsa World in an interview last November.

When I finally saw the Broadway incarnation of August: Osage County on Valentine's Day, I learned that Dennis Letts would not be performing in the show that evening. Now, of course, I know why. While Munson Hicks admirably took on the role of Beverly Weston that evening, I couldn't help but miss Dennis Letts, whose soft-spoken dignity in his portrayal was what really drew me inside August the first time I saw it.

In fact, from the moment I saw Dennis Letts begin his beautifully understated performance last summer in the initial Steppenwolf run of August: Osage County, I knew I was witnessing something very unique and special in all my theatregoing years.

Here's what I said then:

Dennis Letts, the playwright's father, in a subtle poignant portrayal who haunts the play long after his lone appearance... My first twinge in realizing just how excellent this production would be was in the opening scene. Beverly is not so much interviewing Johnna (Kimberly Guerrero), a mysterious young native American woman, for a housekeeping position as much as he's preparing her for the tumult she's about to face in the wake of his departure. He's long-since resigned to losing his battle with the bottle and his wife's addictions to the many drugs she takes, yet he wants to leave Violet in caring hands.

After that August performance, I walked down Chicago's Halsted Street by myself, thinking how very fortunate I had been in seeing these landmark performances. As I walked further, I came across another lone figure on the sidewalk. It was Dennis Letts. I couldn't resist striking up a conversation in which I congratulated him on his incredible performance. Toward the end, I said, "I'll bet you are extremely proud of your son," to which he responded, "Oh boy, I am. I am."

My thoughts this morning are not only with his superb stage family -- the Chicago and New York casts and crews of August: Osage County -- but particularly with his wife Billie Letts, his brother Ray Letts, and his three sons Dana, Shawn and of course Tracy. Here's wishing each of them peace over their loss.

Memorials may be made in Dennis Letts' honor to the North Tulsa Heritage Foundation (322 North Greenwood,Tulsa, Oklahoma, 918.596.1006 or mlmackey@sbcglobal.net).

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Labels: August Osage County, Dennis Letts, In Memoriam, Tracy Letts

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Sunday, February 24, 2008 6 comments