Tony Winner Rondi Reed Returns To Prime Time TV Tonight
If you're like me and have enjoyed the relative abundance of Broadway/theatre folks on television lately, you may have been enjoying seeing Tony-winning actress Swoosie Kurtz blissfully playing against type as Joyce, the sexpot mother of Molly Flynn on CBS' new hit comedy "Mike & Molly."
This evening, Rondi Reed, who won our hearts and a very well-deserved Tony as Mattie Fae Aiken in August: Osage Countymakes her debut on the series as Mike's mom Peggy.
CBS describes tonight's episode as follows:
When Mike invites Molly over to his apartment, his plans for romance are interrupted by an untimely call from his mom, Peggy on the next episode of "Mike & Molly."
But this short teaser has left me, well, breathless:
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It's already been over two years since Varietyfirst confirmed that Letts was revisiting his work by writing the screenplay. Fantasy casting for the big screen version of the work began more than a half year earlier.
The Chicago Tribune's very own theatre critic Chris Jones wins the early prize, having distinguished himself two and a half years ago for presciently saying on January 28, 2008, that his dream casting would include Meryl Streep as Violet and Julia Roberts as Barbara!
As for me, if Deanna Dunagan and Amy Morton aren't going to be cast, I can think of no other actress more capable of delivering Violet than Meryl Streep, who is perhaps the greatest living actress on the planet. Julia Roberts may be the world's biggest movie star, but I'm not entirely convinced she has the chops to take on Barbara. If she is cast, I hope to be proven wrong.
Additionally, I'm still holding out hope that the film version, to be directed by John Wells, will include at least a couple of the original cast members from Steppenwolf. My top choice? Rondi Reed to recreate her Tony-winning turn as Aunt Mattie Fae Aiken.
It's your turn to weigh in on whom you'd cast. Whom do you believe should round out this dysfunctional family in a movie theater near you? (My friend Kevin Daly of Theatre Aficionado At Large has already weighed in here.)
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On Thursday, I wrote about some of the extraordinary replacements I've had the pleasure of seeing on Broadway, including those who have superseded the original cast members.
But I concluded my post by discussing August: Osage County and the superlative performances offered by both Deanna Dunagan and Rondi Reed. I noted how no other actresses I've personally had the pleasure of seeing in the roles the Dunagan and Reed created could surpass the originals.
It's at that point that I'd like to pick up.
Back in the summer of 2009, immediately after I first wrote how Australia's Sydney Theatre Company (STC) would import August: Osage Countyfor audiences Down Under, I heard from more than one Aussie friend about their deep-seeded resentment toward the STC. They were angry that the STC would dare to overlook the 2009 mounting offered by the Melbourne Theatre Company (the first production of Tracy Letts' excellent play to be mounted in Australia) or at least produce its own version using Australian actors and crew.
To those friends, I countered, "Regardless of where the production originated, wouldn't you prefer -- or at least be curious to see -- the actors for whom the playwright originally envisioned the roles performing the work?" I can certainly appreciate the legitimate desire to keep Australian actors working, but it is a rare opportunity to see most of the original cast perform, isn't it? Isn't there something innately magical about experiencing a production as originally intended, replete with nuances that subsequent productions inherently fail to replicate? If I had the opportunity to go back in time to see any Broadway show with its original cast, I'd relish the chance.
So, dear readers, if you had your chance to go back in time to see the first production of any theatrical work with its original cast, what would it be?
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Two nights ago, I had a fabulously ridiculous dream.
In it, I was seeing a Broadway show alongside The New York Times' critics Ben Brantley and Charles Isherwood, two men I've never met in person, but have certainly observed. It was a bizarre dream to be sure, especially since much like the rest of last season, I found myself disagreeing with Isherwood's assessment of the show, but agreeing with Brantley's (fortunately in this phantasm, the Gray Lady's senior critic was responsible for writing the review).
Imagine my delight upon waking to find myself agreeing with Isherwood regarding his excellent assessment of replacement casts.
In particular, I could not agree with him more that A Little Night Musicconstitutes the "must-see" production this summer. It's been positively transformed, largely on the heartstopping performance of Bernadette Peters. So transformative was her rendition of "Send In The Clowns" that you could hear a pin drop as she delivered it.
Having also seen Peters and her replacement Reba McEntire in the most recent Broadway revival of Annie Get Your Gun, I have to admit to concurring with his assessment that McEntire's performance eclipsed that of the tried-and-true Broadway Baby she replaced. I enjoyed Bernadette Peters in the title role, but the scrappy McEntire was born to play Annie Oakley. It is rather ironic that until I saw Peters as Desiree Armfeldt, Reba McEntire was my favorite Broadway replacement I ever had the thrill of seeing.
Additional props to Isherwood not only for discussing how truly disappointing the successors to Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick were in The Producers, but also for mentioning the fine replacements Jonathan Pryce and Estelle Parsons made for John Lithgow (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and Deanna Dunagan (August: Osage County), respectively. While I thought Pryce's sophisticated delivery of the con artist Lawrence was an improvement over Lithgow, I'm convinced after beholding Dunagan perform as Violet Weston yet again last week that no one can ever quite match her bravura Tony Award-winning performance.
That goes double, by the way, for Dunagan's co-star Rondi Reed as Mattie Fae Aiken. I've witnessed two other actresses attempt making that delicious role their own. Try as they might, neither could erase my fond memory of the quintessential Mattie Fae. Coincidentally, Reed has also succeeded in winning my heart as the absolute best of the dozen or more Madame Morribles I've ever seen in Wicked.
So, dear readers, who are your favorite replacements? Or if your fabulously ridiculous dreams could come true, whom would you want to see as replacements in a current Broadway show?
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
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August: Osage County (The SOB Revisit) – Main Stage, Sydney Theatre Company, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
**** (out of ****)
Jet lag be damned.
Despite being on Aussie soil for only a week, the excellent troupe from Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre is firing on each and every one their finely calibrated cylinders. That includes extraordinarynewones they’ve picked up along their lengthy journey from their Windy City home base to Sydney via Broadway and London.
While I’ve long since run out of superlatives to adequately describe Tracy Letts’ August: Osage County, a magnificent modern American masterpiece if there ever was one, I’ve never seen it in better shape than I did Tuesday evening here in Sydney. With no trace of irony or hint of hyberbole whatsoever, Tuesday's opening night constituted the single best night I've ever spent in a theatre.
After having begun going their own ways immediately after the explosively comedic drama earned the Tony Award for Best Play in 2008, the cast reunited less than one month ago and only resumed live performances last week. But you’d never know it.
Just like close friends who are able to pick up where they last left off, these exceptional actors -- including the mindblowing Deanna Dunagan as the drug-addled matriarch Violet Weston, the raucously funny Rondi Reed as her sister Mattie Fae Aiken, the formidible Amy Morton as Violet's take-charge daughter Barbara Fordham), along with Mariann Mayberry (Karen Weston), Sally Murphy (Ivy Weston), Jeff Perry (Bill Fordham), Kimberly Guerrero (Johnna Monevata) and Troy West (Deon Gilbeau) -- succeed in building on the dysfunctional family they created over three years ago. In finding further depths in their relationships with one another, each is giving the performance of their lives.
The result is a breathtaking blast into the stratosphere. Buckle up, because it just may be best -- and bumpiest -- theatrical ride of your life. And a spine-tingling one at that.
For me, this unforgettable experience was well worth the trip to Sydney. August: Osage County is an unmissable milestone in American theatre.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
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This evening, Tracy Letts' Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning August: Osage Countymay be opening for its second time in Australia, but this time it's doing so for the first time with most of its originalSteppenwolf (and Broadway) cast and crew from Chicago.
Recreating their stunning Tony Award-winning turns Down Under are Deanna Dunagan as Violet Weston and Rondi Reed as her sister Mattie Fae Aiken, along with their original Steppenwolf castmates Amy Morton (Tony nominated for her brilliant portrayal of Barbara Fordham), Mariann Mayberry (Karen Weston), Sally Murphy (Ivy Weston), Jeff Perry (Bill Fordham), Kimberly Guerrero (Johnna Monevata) and Troy West (Deon Gilbeau).
Other casting includes Molly Ranson (Jean Fordham) who was a Broadway replacement in the role of Jean Fordham, and three members of the London cast: Chelcie Ross (Beverly Weston), Paul Vincent O'Connor (Charlie Aiken) and Gary Cole (Steve Heidebrecht). The only truly new cast member is Gary Wilmes, who portrays Little Charles.
Once again, Tony Award-winning director Anna D. Shapiro helms this inherently American tale, and as she so eloquently told the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday, "Our company can do fraught standing on its head."
If you live anywhere near Sydney, make every effort to get tickets to see August: Osage County. Why? Because unlike any other import from the United States, this represents contemporary American drama at its absolute best. You can't afford to miss it.
In fact, I simply couldn't resist coming back to Sydney myself. Indeed, this evening, I'll once again lose myself in Letts' epic work one last time .... at least with original castmembers.
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Now it's been confirmed that Deanna Dunagan and Rondi Reed will reprise their magnificent Tony-winning turns as Violet Weston and Mattie Fae Aiken, respectively, one more time at the Sydney Theatre Company's Main Stage.
Other casting includes Molly Ranson (Jean Fordham) who was a Broadway replacement in the role of Jean Fordham, and three members of the London cast: Chelcie Ross (Beverly Weston), Paul Vincent O'Connor (Charlie Aiken) and Gary Cole (Steve Heidebrecht). As Little Charles, only Gary Wilmes is completely new to the cast.
Wilmes replaces Ian Barford, husband of August: Osage County director Anna D. Shapiro. Not only will Barford will tend to his fatherly duties back home while Shapiro once again shapes the show in Sydney, but Steppenwolf audiences will see him on their boards again this September in Detroitalongside Laurie Metcalf.
August: Osage County begins performances at the Sydney Theatre Company August 13 with previews on August 14 and 16. The play opens Down Under on August 17 and performances are currently scheduled through September 25.
SOB's Favorite Shows Of The Noughties: #1 - August: Osage County (2007, Downstairs Theatre, Steppenwolf, Chicago, IL/2008, Imperial Theatre, New York City, NY/2008, Music Box Theatre, New York City, NY/2008, Lyttelton Theatre, National Theatre, London, United Kingdom)
Introduction: Hard as it is to comprehend that we're already 119 months into this "new" millennium, we are fast approaching the end of its first decade. While we have yet to agree on what exactly we should call the '00s, I'll take a cue from the fine folks at The Times of London and the BBC and henceforth refer to them at the Noughties. With that small introduction, I'm pleased to present my list of plays and musicals that wowed me the most during that time. Out of the hundreds and hundreds of shows I've seen over the last ten years, I give you my countdown of my 25 personal favorite shows of the Noughties.
Was there any doubt that August: Osage Countywould ranks as my favorite show of the decade?
Since first being blown away in the Windy City by Tracy Letts' Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece back in (appropriately enough) August 2007, I've devoted considerable space to the best-written, best-acted play I've ever seen at Chicago's Steppenwolf, and that's no small feat.
In August: Osage County, Letts has constructed an absolutely brilliant, riotous script that provided for one stellar performance after another by its excellent ensemble. During its acclaimed Broadway run, the play ran even deeper, packing a more lethal, visceral punch than what I saw in Chicago, hitting even harder with greater precision that I would not have even thought possible. Credit Anna D. Shapiro for sharpening this play into a razor-sharp, whip-smart American classic. It was even funnier, too. In London, it took on additional shadings for me as an indictment on American society for the many grievances that came to roost as our economy went over a cliff.
Deanna Dunagan (Violet) delivered a bravura performance for the ages as the matriarch of the Weston clan. But she was matched by an equally stunning ensemble, with Amy Morton giving as good as she got, and even better, as Violet's daughter Barbara; Rondi Reed's Mattie Fae was likely to remind you of your favorite, if she wasn't so crazy, aunt; and Francis Guinan as Mattie Fae's long-suffering husband Charlie offered a sweet dignity to the proceedings, especially when tempered by one of the play's many revelations exposing the startling truth about his own son.
Since first seeing the show in Chicago, I've known that I had witnessed something very, very special in the world of live theatre. Upon considerable reflection, I can attest that this is the best new theatrical work I've seen over the last ten years. It most certainly was almost my personal favorite of the decade.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post. I paid my own way for each of these performances.
SOB's Theatrical Firsts Of The Noughties: My First Tonys
Over the course of the last decade, I’ve been truly fortunate to enjoy a number of enlightening firsts in my personal theatergoing that have only served to increase my deep and abiding love for the art form known as live theatre. What follows is one of my ten favorite experiences of the last ten years.
If you’ve ever looked at that little photo of me on the right hand side of this page, you’ll know that my eyes are peeking out from above one of those lovely little awards that American Theatre Wing' and Broadway League jointly use to honor Broadway’s best each year.
It is an Antoinette Perry or Tony Award, and I first came face to face with one when my dear friend and exceptional photographer Stephen Mosher offered an impromptu photo shoot as part of a much larger series of images he created with Tony Awards in his custody. After the death of celebrated costume designer Florence Klotz, her Tonys -- including the one I’m holding -- were placed in his care. With Klotz’s Tony for her work on Pacific Overtures and a few clicks of Stephen’s camera, he helped me live up to the moniker Steve On Broadway.
Attending the Tonys was another story. I’ll never forget the thrill of attending the 2008 ceremony at Radio City Music Hall since it was the year Tracy Letts’ August: Osage County was the major contender among straight plays. Hosted by the wonderful and appropriately funny Whoopi Goldberg, the Tony experience gave me many insights that I would never have known from watching it at home.
I learned so much, not only about all the behind-the-scenes work that goes into this production, but also just how much more fun actually being there can be. It's not just seeing the nominees and presenters in person, but the chance to see those amazing performances live on stage yet again, including Patti LuPone’s “Everything’s Coming Up Roses.” It's also the nonstop buzz you feel from the moment you step onto the red carpet right up until you receive your Tony swag bag upon departure from the Gala.
Among all the new plays, August: Osage County was the big winner, not only as Best Play, but also for director Anna D. Shapiro, scenic designer Todd Rosenthal and actresses Deanna Dunagan and Rondi Reed. My Love Of My Life (LOML) and I were up on our feet for each of those wins, and curiously, upon a later viewing of a recording of the televised ceremony, we were pleasantly surprised to see us right over the top of Reed’s shoulder offering her our standing ovation just after she had been named Best Featured Actress in a Play.
Among the new musicals, we may have been cheering for Passing Strange, but our seats were immediately behind the contingent from In The Heights. So when their wins were announced from the stage, it was hard not to get caught up in the excitement of the moment for them.
While I didn’t enjoy a repeat appearance at this year’s Tony Awards, my LOML and I were absolutely delighted to receive an invitation to attend the 75th AnnualDrama League Awards, which honor the best on Broadway as well as off and off-off.
If the Tony Awards are Broadway's equivalent to the Academy Awards, then the Drama League Awards are, as Shrek The Musical star Christopher Sieber quipped to me, “like the Golden Globes for theatre!" Sieber, by the way, was one of the 71 nominees for distinguished performance from New York theatre. And so it was with nearly all of the nominees assembled for a wine-filled luncheon on a three-tiered dais that reminded one nominee of a large "Match Game" set (it looked more to me like a celebrity telethon minus the telephones).
The glory of the Drama League Awards is that while there are all those nominees ranging from the famousOscar-winning stars to the actors who've just experienced their first major breaks Off-Off-Broadway, they all have an equal opportunity to say a few words. And many do it with such a welcome flourish.Despite the fact they were all vying for one award, the sense of community they shared as actors was palpable. It was truly incredible and one of the best celebrations of the theatrical art form I've ever enjoyed.
Just as my LOML and I mingled with the stars at the Tony Awards and the ensuing Tony Gala and August: Osage County party that followed, we found ourselves in the midst of a galaxy of stars at the Drama League reception immediately prior to the lunch. At one point, we found ourselves surrounded by Angela Lansbury, Cynthia Nixon, Jeremy Irons and the three Billys from Billy Elliot. With so many actors packed into one tight space, it was no wonder we were asked more than once if we were among the nominees.
Would I go back to the Tony and Drama League Awards? Are you kidding? Absolutely.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post. I paid my own way for both awards shows and my friend Stephen Mosher graciously took a photo for me out of the goodness of his own heart.
Theatre history was made last week as the six year old smash hit musical Wickedbecame Broadway's first show ever to earn more than $2 million in a single week.
While Wicked has long been Rialto's reigning box office champ, even after first debuting to mixed reviews at best on October 30, 2003, it has never been more popular than it was last week as it enjoyed performance #2518. When the grosses were tallied for Thanksgiving week, the sold-out musical earned a whopping $2,086,135 as it played to an audience of 14,472.
Additionally, Wicked eclipsed A Steady Rainas the toughest ticket on the Great White Way. Make that the Great Green Way, since the average price of a ticket for the showwas a staggering $144.15. That's attributable to an unusually high number of premium tickets -- costing as much as $300 apiece -- that were sold for last week's performances, including five shows over the weekend alone.
If you're among those who read Steve On Broadway (SOB) on a regular basis, you know that I'm not one to let the F-Bombs drop on this site. So perhaps you've wondered whether I was intentionally trying to titillate with that title.
While "effable" is no longer commonly used in Americanized English, the word actually means "Capable of being uttered or explained; utterable."
There's an organization straddling Manhattan and Brooklyn that seeks to capitalize on theatrical expressibility called Effable Arts. They've just announced their premiere production Stop, Collaborate & Listen: 20Nothings. With a nod and a wink to what you may have thought effable meant, they're promising, "A cherry-popping weekend of twentysomethings and celebrity 'survivors.'" With a title inadvertently inspired by William H. Macy, the production will play in two parts on September 5 and 6 at The Producer’s Club Grand Theater at 358 West 44th Street in New York.
Stop, Collaborate & Listen: 20Nothings is billed as "a collection of original one-acts, monologues, dance, music and art depicting the hilarity and horrors of twentysomething-ness in 2009. Presented in two parts by artists age 23-27, this collaborative production throws a spotlight on mid-twenties purgatory with riotous, touching and insightful results."
Part One on September 5 will begin at 8 p.m. EDT. "Audiences discover the true meaning of the term 20Nothings through a vibrant cast of characters, including a writer who must choose between his art or Snakes on a Plane: The Musical!, an urban warrior trapped on the losing end of a battle with vermin, a young woman racing the hourglass of chronic illness, a pair of foul-mouthed sisters smacked in the face by formal 'adulthood,' two singles attempting to mate in the Facebook era and a set of friends who may have accidentally crossed from twentysomething purgatory right into Hell."
Part Two on September 6 begins at 7 p.m. EDT; it "explores the deeper side of Generation Y, showcasing the hope, fear, hurt and pride of an age-group just beginning to recognize its power. Through dance and song, artists remember the historic Stonewall Riots while emphasizing the fight is not yet over, examine the unstable nature of young relationships, use Dante’s famed Inferno as a metaphor for life’s daily struggles and remind everyone that even the bleakest of days can be cured with peanut butter and a little hope."
Both performances will feature letters and advice from the successful artists outlined above who also reflect on their own "youthful missteps."
Tickets for Stop, Collaborate & Listen: 20Nothings are $15 each or $25 for a two-night pass. Please call the Effable Arts box office at 917.576.4149 to reserve seats; note that tickets must be paid in cash only at the door.
Since Effable Arts is a non-profit organization, they'll gladly accept your tax-deductible donations when you click here like I just did. And you know what? For the first time in my life, I'm feeling a little effable.
My dear friend Kevin Daly at Theatre Aficianado At Large was there for the closing performance, which had its own surprise before it even began. Kevin looked at the board next to the ticket counter and saw that Rondi Reed was back for the final performance. It wasn't long before he was tweeting about it to let the whole world know.
Meanwhile, back at Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre last evening, Bridget Carpenter's Up was enjoying its opening night. This is the latest play to be helmed by Shapiro and it features her husband Ian Barford (the original Little Charles from August: Osage County) in the lead. Other noteworthy alums from August: Osage County were on hand, including Tony winner Deanna Dunagan (the original Violet Weston) and Francis Guinan (the original Charlie Aiken). Both were clearly thrilled to hear that Reed had returned for that final performance. Guinan will return to the Steppenwolf stage in Fakebeginning in September.
While dignitaries like Illinois Governor Pat Quinn were on hand to witness the troupe's latest treasure, the symmetry of Steppenwolf's sweet serendipitous Sunday in New York and Chicago rounded out with actor Jon Michael Hill of Lett's Superior Donuts being in the Windy City house. While I can't say whether he'll be part of the transfer to Broadway this fall, I expect great things from this incredible young talent and believe Great White Way audiences will celebrate his name sometime soon.
And once again thanks to Steppenwolf, I'll have bragging rights not unlike those when I was among the first to see August: Osage County nearly two years ago.
Back on June 28, 2007, Letts' sprawling, searing masterpiece began previews at its original Windy City home with a sizeable cross-section of talent from the company's estimable ensemble. As an enthusiastic and proud Steppenwolf supporter, I was disappointed to miss the original opening night in July of that year. But after seeing it one August night, I was enthralled as I found myself completely sucked in on one side and blown out the other.
Mind you, I'm blown away more often than not when I attend Steppenwolf's carefully selected plays. It's one of the reasons why I have become such an ardent supporter and fan. But the feeling I had after seeing August: Osage County the first time was something way beyond anything I typically experience. I knew I was witnessing something truly extraordinary and rare in the annals of theatre history.
Of course, by the time I saw it, word had already reached New York and beyond. In my initial review, I summed up by stating:
I've already heard rumor that this Steppenwolf world premiere play is already being touted for consideration by the Pulitzer Prize committee and that a Broadway transfer may be a real possibility. However, my strong recommendation is to do everything you can to see this modern-day, sure-to-be classic with its impeccable current cast.
Little did I realize then that nearly everyone from that original Chicago cast would make their way to New York for the initial Broadway run, which began previews on October 30, 2007. Nor did I realize quite the way they'd take New York by storm, conquering the hearts and minds of theatregoers who hungered for something exciting and new. It mattered little that the running time was nearly three and a half hours because as one of my favorite Steppenwolf friends once told me before I ever saw the work, "This is the fastest three and a half hours you'll ever spend inside a theatre."
Plans for August: Osage County's opening night were scuttled thanks to the stagehands strike in the fall of 2007 (yours truly had been thrilled to be invited to attend as it was to be my first opening night of any Broadway show). Shortly after the strike was settled, opening night performances for a slew of shows was hastily arranged, and just my luck, my work prevented me from attended the rescheduled opening on December 4, 2007, for August. Nevertheless, the play never got lost in the shuffle as it opened to rave reviews.
By now, you know that the accolades didn't stop there. On April 7, 2008, Tracy Letts was honored with a Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Nominations for all the major theatrical awards came shortly thereafter with the Tonys providing the cherry on top. On June 15, 2008, August: Osage County won five Tony Awards for Best Play, Best Actress in a Play (Deanna Dunagan for her bravura performance as Violet Weston), Best Director (Anna D. Shapiro), Best Featured Actress in a Play (Rondi Reed for her stellar turn as Aunt Mattie Fae Aiken) and Best Scenic Design (Todd Rosenthal).
I managed to see August: Osage County three times during its Broadway run -- once at the Imperial Theatre with everyone from the original Main Stem cast except, sadly, Dennis Letts, the playwright's father who was nearing the end of his valiant battle with cancer, and twice at the Music Box, which provided a much more intimate experience for taking in this larger than life drama.
Third time, by the way, was the charm when it came to my attending opening nights. It was a complete joy to be in London last November when most of the cast reassembled for the opening of August: Osage County at the National Theatre.
So while I'm a little melancholy today that the play is closing, it's hard to feel too sad when you consider that it's doing so after 648 remarkable performances -- longer than any other current play on Broadway and the longest run for a play since David Auburn's Pulitzer Prize/Tony-winning Proof enjoyed 917 performances from 2000-2003. It's been an amazing run. I continue to marvel how this work has reconfirmed the theatre world's interest in Steppenwolf and made a star out of Tracy Letts' breathtaking writing.
As one door closes, certainly another one opens. As noted in January, the North American tour of August: Osage County kicks off next month on July 24 in Denver at the lovely Ellie Caulkins Opera House before going on to San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, Toronto, Hartford, Washington DC, Tempe and Dallas, among many other cities. For a production that originally clicked its heels with a tagline, "There’s No Place Like Home," the tour will really come home to roost when it lands in Oklahoma on January 26, 2010 at the Tulsa PAC - Chapman Music Hall.
Another door that will soon open is for Tracy Letts' latest play, Superior Donuts. I loved this surprisingly tender show when I saw it last summer at Steppenwolf and understand that Letts has been reworking the script and preparing it for its October 1 opening on Broadway.
Perhaps the biggest door of all to open may in fact be for the silver screen incarnation of August: Osage County film. It was confirmed last August that the work would be transformed into a feature film. You have to bet that Hollywood's hottest actors are vying for the opportunity to try on the Weston Family for size.
But something tells me that you haven't heard the last of the original cast of August: Osage County. And with that, I'll just say so long for now.
Rondi Reed: The Yellow Brick Road From Wicked To August: Osage County
For those of you whom have wondered aloud about my admitted fixation with the wildly disparate Wicked and August: Osage County, I give you quotes from the Tony-winning actress who successfully straddles and connects the two divergent productions.
In a Chicago Sun-Times story on the close of the Windy City's sitdown staging of Wicked, after its sold-out 1500th performance, Rondi Reed -- the Steppenwolf ensemble member who originated the role of Madame Morrible there, but who is best known to Broadway audiences as Aunt Mattie Fae Aiken in August: Osage County -- had this to say:
Wicked has been unlike anything else I have experienced in my career so far -- one of the best things that ever happened to me.... It is, of course, a project of huge proportions and big budgets. And I learned so much, about so many things, in ways I never dreamed possible. To be a part of that theatrical juggernaut is something that comes along once in a blue moon. I had never done such a long run before, either -- never been asked to be so consistent, so disciplined, have the kind of stamina and heart it takes to play on that level. You are responsible not just to yourself, but to the other 125 people who show up for each performance behind the scenes -- in the orchestra pit, the wardrobe room, the sound board, the management office, the ones pulling the ropes, making it all happen and making it seem like magic in the process.
To the audience -- and odds are there is someone out there who has never seen a live show before -- this is the moment it happens. A husband who said he hated musicals and was dragged along got swept up in the story. Or four generations of one family who came to see the show together for Christmas used it to celebrate their mom's victory over cancer. And oddly enough, doing Wicked in the 2,200-seat Oriental prepared me for August, so that a Broadway theater didn't overwhelm me. It taught me about the size of performance needed to reach the back rows and still maintain integrity.
So for all you naysayers out there, I couldn't be happier that this actor's actor has such affection for Wicked. No wonder she'll be returning to Broadway this spring as Madame Morrible in the tuner that's not only defying gravity, but also defying the odds at the otherwise dismal Great White Way box office (hat tip to Gratuitous Violins).
Great Reason To Return To Osage County In February
According to Playbill, Tony Award winning actress Elizabeth Ashley is now set to tackle the plum dramatic role of Broadway's favorite wacky Aunt Mattie Fae Aiken in August: Osage County.
While I've had two opportunities to see Ashley tread the boards of Broadway -- in 2003's Enchanted April and in the excellent 2000 revival of Gore Vidal's The Best Man -- my biggest regret of this year has been my inability to see Ashley perform in Horton Foote's Dividing The Estate.
Given how much I admire her tremendous body of work, I just may opt to see August: Osage County for my fifth time. I can only imagine how delicious it would be to see her opposite Estelle Parsons.
August: Osage County (The SOB Revisit) - Lyttelton Theatre, National Theatre, London, United Kingdom
**** (out of ****)
From the moment Weston family patriarch Beverly (Chelcie Ross) delivers the first lines of Tracy Letts'August: Osage Countyduring its November-January detour through London, it was clear that the pinpoint precision of Anna D. Shapiro's direction of her excellent ensemble could not be any finer.
In fact, not since first seeing the play at Chicago's Steppenwolf a year ago last August with the original Beverly -- the late Dennis Letts, father of the now Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright -- have I witnessed his opening monologue on marriage, drinking, pill-popping and sheer Americanism delivered so potently or ominously.
While Broadway audiences roared with laughter a bit more indiscriminately than their Chicago counterparts who were more rapt with attention, the London audience was surprisingly somewhere in between. Letts, Shapiro & Co. have succeeded in getting the Brits to let down their guard.
If there was one surprise for me, it was the fresh perspective I gained in seeing this decidedly American play outside the United States. Beyond Letts' direct references to the so-called "Greatest Generation" came his own State of the Union address. Given the ongoing economic crisis, his summation of how America is faring now seems rather prescient in retrospect.
It's that extra nuance that imbues August: Osage County with a sobering accounting of the American lifestyle itself that somehow eluded me on my three earlier viewings. It's also what makes this theatrical masterpiece even more vital today than it was when it won five Tony Awards six short months ago.
Right about now, I'm somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean en route to my second favorite city for seeing great theatre: London.
With the value of the dollar markedly better than it was a mere six months ago (essentially $1.54 per £1, versus the $2.05 I paid last April), I'm defying conventional wisdom that suggests no one is traveling far from home during this time of economic uncertainty.
My reason for going? Not only have I spent the majority of my Thanksgivings in London over the last 14 years, making this my own little holiday tradition, but this year, there's an extraordinary excuse. I'm flying to London so I can finally take in an opening night for Steppenwolf's August: Osage County. Barring any emergency, my third time attempt should prove to be the charm.
You see, even though I had tickets for the production's Chicago premiere a year ago last July, I found myself unable to attend, ironically due to a family function. But of course, once I caught Tracy Letts' modern masterpiece in early August 2007, I was effusive in my praise.
So taken was I with the show that I arranged to take in the transfer's opening night on Broadway. But a funny thing happened on the way to that auspicious occasion: the stagehands were striking, causing the Great White Way opening for August: Osage County to be postponed to a date when I was unavailable. Nevertheless, I managed to see what would become both a Pulitzer Prize and Tony-winning Best Play, first at its original Rialto home in the Imperial Theatre, and then again during its Tony-winning weekend at its current Music Box Theatre home.
While August: Osage County is still playing there, albeit to capacity crowds of just under 60%, the original cast -- including Tony winners Deanna Dunagan and Rondi Reed -- has moved on. But now, if you're willing to travel across the pond to London, you can see most of them recreate their roles one more time at the National Theatre, once again under the brilliant Tony-winning direction of Anna D. Shapiro.
In a recent What's On Stage story, Shapiro finally explains the etymology of the play's unusual title:
"August" means the end of something, while "Osage" is an indigenous people’s term for the place where they live and "County" stands for the colonial assignment by the other people who displaced them. This play had been stewing in Tracy Letts’ mind for years and by the time we got to workshops with the company -- we had two of those -- the whole process evolved organically and fairly straightforwardly.
I'm looking forward to being part of this next, exciting chapter in the continuing organic evolution of August: Osage County. Even more than being able to cheer the show on at June's Tony ceremonies, there's no place I'm more looking forward to being this year than Wednesday evening's first night performance of August in London.
August: Osage County - Coming To A Movie Theatre Near You
On Tuesday, Variety confirmed that Tracy Letts' August: Osage Countywill be transformed into a film with the Tony-winner author writing the screenplay. Hallelujah for that!
August: Osage County not only earned the Tony for Best Play, but it also earned Letts a well-deserved Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
You can bet that the all-out campaigning for each of its juicy, fully-realized roles has already begun among Hollywood's biggest stars. Indeed, producer Jean Doumanian is quoted in the Variety piece, noting:
So many actors and stars have come to see it on Broadway, and we've gotten inquiries. People are enthusiastic about the film version.
While I personally would love to see every last one of the original cast recreate their indelible character images for the film version, the realist in me fully appreciates that the stakes are so high that few, if any, will be invited to participate.
The fantasy casting for a bigscreen version of August: Osage County began in earnest in January as Chicago Tribune's Chris Jones shared his early picks.
Yesterday, our dear Modern Fabulousity offered his own wagers, including his bet that the role of Violet would go to either the 59 year old Meryl Streep or the 63 year old Helen Mirren. I do adore Meryl Streep, but given that her facial characteristics may be difficult to match up with supposed members of her family, I'd give it to Mirren by a nose.
Personally, I thought the most inspired comment ModFab received was from ShoNuff of Fo' Sho', who proffered that Kathy Bates would be perfect for Mattie Fae -- I'd agree completely, but only if I knew Rondi Reed wasn't available.
So, dear readers, two questions. First, who would you most like to see in each of the coveted roles, and second, who do you believe is most likely to be cast?
Rondi Reed Helps Make Chicago Wicked A Gas This Summer
Rondi Reed Helps Make Chicago Wicked A Gas This Summer
Less than two weeks ago, August: Osage County's Rondi Reed (pictured) was honored with a Tony Award for her stellar performance as Mattie Fae Aiken.
The Steppenwolf ensemble member has since returned home to Chicago, but it's not to take on a role in Tracy Letts' new play Superior Donuts, which opens this Sunday. No, on that very same day, this amazing actress is returning to a role she originated in the Windy City just over three years ago to the day. Once again, she'll become Madame Morrible in Chicago's sitdown production of Wicked. Reed will join fellow Steppenwolf ensemble member K. Todd Freeman, who portrays Doctor Dillamond.
Certainly, her reappearance in the production should be more than enough to entice Midwesterners to make tracks to the city's Oriental Theatre. But wait! There's more!
For performances from July 1 though 6, those who purchase two tickets (with the exception of lowest priced seating) are eligible to receive one $50 gas card. The offer's fine print states:
Valid only for July 1- 6, 2008 performances. Must use code "GAS" when ordering. Not valid on lowest price seating. Gas cards will be distributed at the orchestra level bar on the night of the performance when you present your coded ticket. Subject to availability. Limited number of seats per performance and price level. Not valid in conjunction with any other offer. Regular ticketing and handling fees will apply. Other restrictions may apply. Not available at outlets.
While the Chicago sitdown production of Wicked is now due to close on January 25, 2009 after 1500 performances and grossing more than $200 million, I would strongly suggest that anyone hoping to see Rondi Reed perform best get there over the next few months. After all, August: Osage County is due to begin performances in London with most of its original cast come November, and I'd say it's a good bet that Reed will be returning to the role that earned her that well-deserved Tony.
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: OsageCounty. 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.
Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles Limited run extended through May 31, 2011 (Show will go on hiatus starting January 15 and reopen at Brooks Atkinson Theatre on February 8)
Rock Of Ages - Open-ended run (Show will go on hiatus starting January 9 and reopen at Helen Hayes Theatre in March)
As someone who has been involved in both politics and public relations, it's no wonder I love watching theatre. Good or bad, it's the raw energy of seeing a live performance that gets my adrenaline pumping. From the moment I saw my very first Broadway show ("Annie" in London in 1979), I was hooked. Now I see as many as 70 shows each year ranging from soaring musicals to two-hander plays. And these eyes just may be in an audience near you!
