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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Since I'm such an avid fan and ardent supporter of Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre, I'd be remiss if I didn't also mention that I'm excited to see another Steppenwolf ensemble member, Martha Plimpton, in the premiere of her new FOX comedy series, "Raising Hope." Like "Detroit 1-8-7," "Raising Hope" also starts this evening.
Is there nothing Martha Plimpton cannot do? First, as the wine-swilling pontifica-ting, pompous Pope Joan and then as an English teen, both as part of Caryl Churchill's Top Girls, she was simply mindblowing.
But as Gladys Bumps in the current Broadway revival of Pal Joey, Plimpton proves nothing short of a complete revelation. We already knew this Tony-nominated actress had the dramatic chops, but who knew she also possesses such an sensational singing voice? Her "Zip" alone is worth the price of admission. Along with her sly moves, it truly does appear that there's nothing Plimpton can't do.
So why not television as a series regular?
On "Raising Hope," Plimpton stars as a new grandmother, Virginia Chance. On the TV series' official site, Plimpton answers a Q&A. In addition to rating her own parents "on a scale from Jimmy to June Cleaver," Plimpton says that if she were writing an episode of the show, she said, "I think it'll be essential that Virginia end up in sequins with dancing boys in tight thongs."
I'll be tuning in this evening for pure Plimpton, with or without those dancing boys.
"Raising Hope" premieres on FOX tonight at 9 p.m./8 p.m. Central.
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Broadway Served As Detour On Road To Detroit From Chicago
While I don't ordinarily write much about television, I'll be tuning in this evening to ABC as it premieres its gritty new cop drama "Detroit 1-8-7."
Regular readers of Steve On Broadway (SOB) probably already know my overriding reason for watching. It's because the new series stars Jon Michael Hill, a Steppenwolf ensemble member and Tony nominee earlier this year for his incredible performance in Superior Donuts. Among the many things I said in advance of his Broadway debut last fall, I advised:
Now, with the transfer of Superior Donuts, New Yorkers will get to know one of the Windy City's formerly best kept secrets. Now that the word is out that Jon Michael Hill is coming to Broadway, do yourself a favor and see him early to get those bragging rights for you'll be seeing a true star of tomorrow shine today.
Of course, by tuning in to "Detroit 1-8-7" tonight, you'll have further bragging rights for seeing this "true star of tomorrow" in his ascent, now before a national audience. Hill will be portraying Lt. Damon Washington, described by ABC as follows:
Change is coming for Damon Washington. This homegrown kid is making a career change by becoming a homicide detective and he'll be making diaper changes as a brand new daddy. He has a solid track record on the beat and brings his enthusiasm to prove his keep in homicide. Washington anxiously awaits the "baby call" during his first day chasing down killers. His spirit and eagerness serve as a nice compliment to his resourcefulness and smarts.
Washington has to quickly adapt the art of balancing his personal and professional lives. His struggles growing up in Detroit will hopefully prep him for the growing pains he'll get on the job and in his marriage.
We're confident he'll learn and mature with a little guidance. We're just wondering if that'll come from his new partner, Louis Fitch. Time will tell if Washington has what it takes to earn Fitch's respect. We'll also get to see if his positive spirit rubs off on his hardened partner.
Personally, there's no doubt in my mind that in making his auspicious television debut in such a vital, promising role, Jon Michael Hill's name is on the precipice of household status. And deservedly so.
Just remember, for many of you, you first read his name here, just over four years ago.
"Detroit 1-8-7" airs on ABC at 10 p.m./9 p.m. Central.
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Since the preview for the Chicago-based play only hints at the subject matter, here's the theatre's online description:
In 1959 Russ and Bev are selling their desirable two-bed at a knock-down price. This enables the first Black family to move into the neighbourhood, creating ripples of discontent amongst the cosy white urbanites of Clybourne Park. In 2009, the same property is being bought by Lindsey and Steve whose plans to raze the house and start again is met with a similar response. Are the issues festering beneath the floorboards actually the same fifty years on?
Bruce Norris’ (The Pain And The Itch) satirical new play explores the fault line between race and property.
Regular readers will know that it was Norris' excellent Purple HeartwithLaurie Metcalfthat forever won me over to the cutting-edge charms of Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre, which ironically (I'm sure) is just a stone's throw from Clybourne Avenue. Additionally, it was Norris' biting The Pain And The Itch that first exposed me to fierce acting talents offered by Steppenwolf's exceptional ensemble members Tracy Letts, Kate Arrington, Mariann Mayberry and James Vincent Meredith. Tony-winning director Anna D. Shapiro helmed both of those works, as well as the recent Steppenwolf premiere of Norris' very latest, A Parallelogram.
Clybourne Park has already received a flat-out rave from the West End Whingers. I'll be curious to hear from my other friends in London how they received Clybourne Park, which to date, has been mounted at Off-Broadway's Playwrights Horizons, but not yet on Broadway or at Steppenwolf.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Brother / Sister Plays (The SOB Review) - Upstairs Theatre, Steppenwolf, Chicago, Illinois
**** (out of ****)
Imagine my utter disappointment when I realized at the January 31 opening night celebration for Steppenwolf's production of The Brother / Sister Plays--Tarrell Alvin McCraney's excellent and deeply poetic trilogy -- that I would only see two of the three parts.
Somehow, I had neglected to read the notice that if I had wanted to seeIn The Red And Brown Waterthat same day, I needed to get there in the early afternoon. But after being completely enthralled by the lyrical power of The Brothers Size / Marcus; Or The Secret Of Sweet, there was just no way I was not going to return to see what is essentially the first act.
Standing as a towering achievement, not only for the incredibly young yet wise-beyond-his-years playwright, but also for its outstanding ensemble, The Brother / Sister Plays may ultimately prove to be the most important new work of this new decade. It's honest depiction of life as McCraney knew it in New Orleans coupled with a fanciful air provides a tremendously satisfying depth.
While director Tina Landau only helmed portions of this sweeping work prior to its Steppenwolf engagement, her singular focus here ensures that McCraney's gift for language dances just as soulfully as the beautifully choreographed In The Red And Brown Water. Each play is anchored by the impeccable K. Todd Freeman as Ogun Size, arguably the heart pulsating throughout this ambitious work; Freeman imbues Ogun with a rare level of humanity that makes him simply breathtaking to watch.
Few shows have moved me over the past year like The Brother / Sister Plays. While each segment could stand on its own, its the confluence of all three together that make this a must-see work. It's truly marvelous in every sense of the word.
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.
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.
American Buffalo (The SOB Review) – Downstairs Theatre, Steppenwolf, Chicago, Illinois
***1/2 (out of ****)
Admittedly, playwright David Mamet’s works are an acquired taste. But having acquired that taste long ago, I found Amy Morton’s retro-cool revival of his American Buffalo a veritable feast.
Not every actor possesses the required panache to effectively deliver Mamet’s rat-a-tat-tat, back-and-forth give and take. American Buffalo certainly has its share of the playwright’s coarse trademark language. It requires absolute, unmistakable precision in order to succeed. Make no mistake, this Steppenwolf production succeeds in spades.
Fortunately in this tale of amateurs planning a heist of one very expensive nickel, Morton is directing a trio of genuine pros. Steppenwolf ensemble members Francis Guinan as Don and Tracy Letts as Teach are both in prime (and even primal) form, while relative newcomer Patrick Andrews more than holds his own as the dim Bob.
From 2001-2007, you almost could not see a Steppenwolf production without witnessing Letts’ personal metamorphoses, losing himself completely in each dramatically different role. Despite a two and a half year absence from being on stage, Letts never misses a beat and brilliantly masters Mamet’s rat-a-tat-tat banter. He finds all the subtle shadings of this most shady character -- enough, that you can’t help but feel a twinge of regret for Teach during his pivotal moment of truth in the second act.
These days at Steppenwolf, it’s Guinan who’s in practically every Steppenwolf production. Like Letts, this exceptional ensemble player lends such an amazing air of authenticity, including here, that you can practically smell him from your seat. No wonder Guinan has been Steppenwolf’s go-to-guy in recent years. He’s just that great.
In his first Steppenwolf role -- which is unlikely to be is last -- young Andrews goes toe-to-toe with Letts and Guinan. He delivers his own nuanced performance that’s a revelation.
While American Buffalo is strictly a three-hander, another star of the production is Kevin Depinet’s ingenious scenic design, perfectly capturing Don’s junk dealer shop. And you have to give props to the prop master, for without those perfectly placed props, watching Letts’ second act meltdown certainly would not have had the same visceral punch. Letts doesn’t so much as chew the scenery as much as he begins to physically destroy some of it.
Regrettably, I have no idea how well-acted the recent Broadway revival of Mamet’s play was just two short years ago, missing it due to its premature closing. But after devouring every last, tasty morsel of Steppenwolf’s American Buffalo with relish, it’s hard to imagine any other version being more satisfying.
This one is worth every pretty penny.
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 this performance.
SOB's Theatrical Firsts Of The Noughties: My Steppenwolf Love Affair
Over the course of the last decade, I’ve been truly fortunate to enjoy a never-ending number of enlightening firsts in my personal theatregoing. Each has 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.
While Time magazine may have dubbed the Noughties as “the decade from hell” with myriad reasons to support that claim, I’ll always remember the last ten years for my introduction to the two great loves of my life.
Aside from The Love Of My Life, who has been my soul mate and partner in crime around the world for the last two-thirds of the decade, my other noteworthy love affair that continues to flourish is with a Chicago-based non-profit that has been providing me with nearly ten years of intellectual stimulation since I first laid eyes on its breathtaking work.
Back in 2001, prior to the horrific attacks of 9/11 that forever altered our outlook on life, I had the opportunity to take in an excellent revival of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest at Broadway’s then Royale Theatre. The Terry Kinney-helmed play had just won the Tony for Best Revival, so I was buzzing with anticipation. As only a budding theatre aficionado at that time, I was still unfamiliar with Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre or its stellar reputation. But as the curtain fell on that show, I was already blown away by the likes of Steppenwolf co-founder Gary Sinise as Randle P. McMurphy and ensemble member Amy Morton as the notorious Nurse Ratched. With an indelible impression made, I wanted to know more about this theatre company. Steppenwolf was forever on my personal radar.
Fast forward to the summer of 2002 when one of my close friends from Australia was visiting the United States. Paul Battye had a very limited itinerary, but one of the places on it was Chicago. Since I had pledged I’d meet up with him somewhere during the course of his trip, I decided that I’d make my way to the Windy City. Once there, I learned that near the top of his to-do list was taking in a production at Steppenwolf. While our other local friends passed on the opportunity, I said I was in.
He told me that the production currently playing was something called Purple Heart. To be honest, I could have cared less what it was since I was excited I’d have a chance to see a Steppenwolf production on its own home turf. Little did I know that my captivation from seeing Bruce Norris’ compelling play starring Christopher Evan Welch, Rosemary Prinz and Laurie Metcalf would make a devoted personal involvement with Steppenwolf inevitable.
Less than three years later, I took a position with a major PR firm in Chicago, of all places (where, among other things, I learned about the increasingly vital role that blogging would play in mass media and a burgeoning social networking). Because another friend of mine was already involved in Steppenwolf’s Auxiliary Council’s Board of Governors and recognized my deep-seated love for live theatre as well as my enormous respect for this Chicago institution, he asked if I had any interest in joining that group. I didn’t even hesitate in saying “yes.”
By the time I left Chicago barely a year later for other professional opportunities, I had become deeply immersed in the Steppenwolf culture. Talk about a tight knit organization. I had seen almost every show their three stages offered, and I had become acquainted with so many exceptional people behind the scenes that I simply could not let go. Icing on the cake was having one opportunity after another in meeting many of the exceptional array of ensemble actors.
Because moving away from Chicago presented its own challenges in my ability in providing a minimum level of commitment I believed necessary toward contributing as a solid member of the Board of Governors, I ultimately resigned from the body sometime in 2006, but pledged my support via the next best means: financially. I am proud to say I’m a member of Steppenwolf’s Director’s Circle of donors. I believe so wholeheartedly in this extraordinary theatre company that I am pleased to lend it my financial support.
One of the benefits of being a Director’s Circle donor is that I regularly attend nearly all of the opening nights of Steppenwolf’s seasons. While I can’t say that I’ve seen each and every production with the same level of enjoyment, I profess that each has challenged me in profound ways I could never have anticipated.
Despite my ongoing support, I have not shied away from telling you how I really feel about productions I have reviewed in this space. However, it probably goes without saying that the majority of Steppenwolf’s productions have made me enormously proud to be counted as one of its supporters -- otherwise, why would I continue to support it?
Certainly the best of those productions I’ve seen is a little Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play you may have heard of: August: Osage County. Due to an unfortunate scheduling conflict, I was unable to get back to Chicago for its opening night, but when I hit the Windy City just a couple weeks later and took in the production, I was simply blown away by its depth and breadth.
All my pride in Steppenwolf came gushing out in ways it never had before. I suddenly found myself championing a Broadway transfer for Tracy Letts’ superb work. I even mentioned in my SOB Review that this play deserved Pulitzer Prize buzz.
While I wasn’t able to get to the delayed August: Osage County’s opening night on Broadway due to major upheavals in my professional life (which ultimately worked out for the best), I did manage to see the show threetimes on the Great White Way. I also had the rare opportunity to personally cheer it on in live at the 2008 Tony Awards and afterwards at the show’s very own Tony party, and even finally saw an opening night when most of the original cast transferred to London’s National Theatre a year ago last Thanksgiving.
Now, I’ve begun contemplating a journey Down Under for this play’s mounting at the Sydney Theatre Company with many of its original cast, but in the meantime, I can’t wait to see it again next spring as it tours the United States.
As for Steppenwolf itself, it’s been an honor and quite a thrill to continue supporting this vital organization and take in each new play that opens there. But to bring this post full circle, I have to thank Steppenwolf’s Director of Development Sandy Karuschak. You see, I recently regaled her on how it was love at first sight with Steppenwolf by taking in One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest. And you know what? Barely a week later, she graciously sent me an exquisite poster from the show autographed by the entire cast – a keepsake of my ongoing love affair that I’ll forever treasure.
So, I'll close out this first post of my decade's worth of personal firsts by saying, if you’ve never been to Steppenwolf in Chicago, you haven’t seen live theatre.
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 more than paid my own way for each of the performances outlined, although as noted above, the theatre was kind enough to recognize my love for it by sending me a poster. Eat your heart out, FTC.
SOB's Favorite Shows Of The Noughties: #24 - Superior Donuts (2008, Downstairs Theatre, Chicago, Illinois/2009, Music Box Theatre, New York, New York)
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.
Tracy Letts' profoundly moving Superior Donuts intelligently combats some urban myths about race. Thanks in large measure to Tina Landau's loving direction and outstanding, memorable performances from a superb ensemble led by Michael McKean and Jon Michael Hill, Superior Donuts feels genuine, gritty and real, right down to its climactic brawl.
Losing himself in a most unglamorous role, McKean anchored both the premiere production and its subsequent Great White Way outing with amazing humility. Hill provided one of the most memorable Broadway debuts in recent memory. With plenty of humanity and heart to be found deep inside of this thoughtful and entertaining play, I dare anyone not to be touched.
If you still haven't seen this show that closes January 3, 2010, it really is time to make the Donuts.
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 performance.
If you've been a longtime reader of Steve On Broadway, the name Jon Michael Hill is not new to you. In fact, I first wrote about this gifted young actor in this space on July 10, 2006 when he was performing in the excellent Bruce Norris play, The Unmentionables.
Even as the booming off-stage voice instructs the audience to silence their cell phones, a menacing, cocky young man named Etienne (Jon Hill) saunters down the aisle looking as if he might not belong before finally calling out to the audience that they should not bother staying for this show. Of course, it's all a ruse, but it's clearly designed to set the stage for the play and challenge some preconceived notions about race and appearance even before the performance begins.
More recently, I provided many of you with your more recent introduction to his talents when I wrote this past July 16:
Take a close look at the smiling face to the left. Examine it very carefully. Because this is the exciting face of tomorrow's Broadway.
Ever since Hill made his impressive Broadway debut in the superb Superior Donutsthat opened October 1, he's been the subject of a lot of good buzz that amounts to so much more than just a sugar rush. Flush with great reviews and even some well-deserved Tony talk, Hill is making a name for himself on the Great White Way.
It may be a month overdue, but The New York Times is finally sitting up and taking notice. In a terrific story by Patrick Healy, Hill is profiled and assessed by his peers, including director Tina Landau, who states:
“Jon was one reason I said, ‘Count me in,’ ” said Tina Landau, a Steppenwolf ensemble member who directed the play in Chicago and New York. “He’s completely mercurial. He can do everything and its opposite. That’s so exciting to see in a young actor.”
Like I've said before, keep your eye on this exciting young actor. By swinging by the Music Box Theatre and seeing him perform this fall, I have no doubt that you'll have bragging rights in someday saying -- when he's a major star -- that you saw him when.
Yesterday, I took note of the regularity with which David Mamet plays have been mounted on Broadway over the past five years. Add to that his upcoming Race and you have a total of six shows, old and new, that will have been staged on the Main Stem during that time.
Proving that she's really running things now is estimable actress, director and Steppenwolf Ensemble member Amy Morton. While New York audiences may only know her for her dramatic chops, she's a force at the helm as well, as she demonstrated again just a year ago in directing Steppenwolf's acclaimed production of Conor McPherson's Dublin Carol.
This marks Tracy Letts' return to the boards after a two and a half year absence during which a little show called August: Osage Countyrocked the theatre establishment and cemented his reputation as a powerful playwright. I would argue that to fully appreciate Letts, you must witness his astounding talent on-stage as well as off. He's that good.
Then there's Fran Guinan, who is without a doubt, one of the most gifted contemporary actors in Chicago or anywhere else. While Broadway audiences will fondly recall his Charlie Aiken as the only August: Osage County character displaying any real heart, Chicago audiences have come to revere him for his breathtaking versatility in playing everyone from Colonel Sanders to Johnny Walker to Arthur Conan Doyle.
The enormous range and capabilities of the Morton/Letts/Guinan triumvirate are making this American Buffalo the one show of the year I've been waiting for most. Something tells me that it will definitely be well worth the coin.
American Buffalo begins previews at Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre on December 3 and opens December 13. I'll be there for its opening and will have a full report shortly thereafter.
Superior Donuts (The SOB Review)– Music Box Theatre, New York, New York
**** (out of ****)
With nary an empty calorie in sight, Tracy Letts' tasty and satisfying Superior Donuts possesses a filling center that is at once enthralling and profoundly moving. Its shop sits precisely where the American dream -- and all its endless possibilities -- intersects with fears of America lost.
Despite a bit of a makeover from the initial Chicago premiere last year (which I reviewed), including new set design from James Schuette, the essential ingredients Letts has baked into this dramatic comedy are as sweet and savory as ever.
If anything, Tina Landau's sharpened direction enables each of Letts' wide assortment of characters -- each of whom defy any tidy stereotype -- to rise to perfection. As you'd expect from Letts, none of them are wafer-thin, whether it's the sage bag Lady Boyle (Jane Alderman), the rough-edged flirt in Officer Randy Osteen (Kate Buddeke), the seriously serious beam-me-up-fetishist Officer James Hailey (James Vincent Meredith) or the budding Russian tycoon with a soft spot Max Tarasov (Yasen Peyankov). Each of these secondary roles, not to mention the leads, is multi-layered, adding exquisite depth to Letts' overarching effort.
Now make no mistake, if you’re going into Broadway’s Music Box Theatre intent on seeing another August: Osage County, you’re in the wrong place. No one backs Letts into a corner. That doesn't mean he's lost his penchant for fully realized characters. Sure, Superior Donuts has plenty of his trademark ribald barbs, including a sly yet stinging commentary on the status of today’s America that is becoming his signature. Yes, Letts once again explores familial fissures that lead to a breaking point -- a point so bleak that once again one of his principals escapes via self-medication.
Yet in many more ways, Superior Donuts is the antithesis of August: Osage County. His latest work ostensibly leaves its audience with hope rather than despair, a challenge to wake up to the world around us rather than to shut it out. To give a damn and take a stand.
Set amidst an oxymoronically named doughnut and coffee shop in Chicago's timeworn Uptown neighborhood, Letts caffeinates his latest play with an abundance of jolts, literally and figuratively.
On the literal side, you’ll no doubt hear more than you’ll want to know about the show’s pivotal fight scene. Mind you, the contenders are both well past their prime.
In one corner is the nearly sixty year old Arthur Przybyszewski (a breathtaking, brilliant Michael McKean), who has ducked from battles his entire life, whether dodging the Vietnam draft or his own late father who labeled him a coward because he went AWOL. There’s no reason to assume he’d even know how to throw a decent punch. Yet, the young, aspiring writer Franco Wicks (Jon Michael Hill in one of the most astonishing Broadway debuts I've ever seen) has not only helped bring the doughnut shop back to life, but he's also awakened Arthur's soul enough to rejoin the human race and, consequently, to finally take a stand.
In the other corner is Luther Flynn (the aptly named Robert Maffia), a middle-aged hood afflicted by a painful ulcer. As menacing as he'd like to be, he's almost as likely to ask for a drink of milk as he is to ask his minion to do his bidding. It’s no wonder he initially laughs off Arthur’s challenge to fight, perhaps thinking that if even one punch landed in his stomach, he’d be down for the count.
There’s an enormous ineptitude about this fight. It’s not at all in the way that it's staged, but very much in the gritty reality of what you’d expect from two such men. I posit that real fights don’t happen the way they do in movies. Genuine brawls look an awful lot like the clumsy one in Superior Donuts.
As for the figurative jolts, they are liberally scattered throughout. They're not so much like the tiny, inconsequential sprinkles that merely decorate a doughnut top, but more they're a much more richly satisfying food for thought, as well as for the soul.
Having evaded the draft 40 years earlier, Arthur has inadvertently been waging another, longer battle in both his mind and his heart. He wrestles the demons of never having had the opportunity to make peace with his now deceased father. Once he returned to the United States from Canada, Arthur essentially checked out, losing himself in his pot, even as he checked back into the business his father created. He doesn't even seem to notice or care when his shop has been broken into.
But he receives a major jolt when Franco Wicks walks into Superior Donuts. Heavy on dreams and loaded with his foot-thick "Great American Novel," Franco triggers something in Arthur's heart and soul. With remarkable finesse, due in large part to the charming Hill's nuanced performance, Franco challenges him as few have, reawakening his spirit and making him care.
To witness Jon Michael Hill spar with Michael McKean is a theatrical joy to behold -- a pleasure that comes along on the stage all too infrequently. Of course, Letts' superb gift for delivering the goods via perfect-pitched dialogue comes through yet again, and fortunately, Hill and McKean powerfully imbue their roles with emotional honesty. There's nothing treacly about them or Superior Donuts.
As I've said before, there's plenty of humanity and heart to be found deep inside of this intelligent and entertaining play. I absolutely love this courageous show and the fact it truly lives up to its name.
Way back in July, I first reported that the originalAugust: Osage County would be trekking Down Under to Sydney, Australia. Now, the Sydney Theatre Company (STC) has made it truly official.
This monster of a production from Steppenwolf cleaned up at last year’s Tony Awards, taking five gongs including Best Play, Best Direction of a Play, Best Leading Actress and Best Featured Actress. This is a unique opportunity to see the legendary American ensemble deliver what might well be the next American classic.
While casting is yet to be announced (more on that in a moment), the original stateside creative team will be Australia bound. The limited run is now slated to begin previews on August 13, 2010, with an opening scheduled for August 17. August: Osage County will run through September 25, 2010.
As for the cast, in addition to the above notes from Blanchett and Upton, the official STC Web site adds that this production will be "Featuring Steppenwolf ensemble members from the Chicago and Broadway companies." Expect to see most of the familiar names you know and love recreating their roles in Sydney.
I'll reiterate my question from nearly four months ago: Anyone game for going Down Under?
I first saw what is now the Great White Way's longest running show in London in 1988, as well as during its 1998 Los Angeles run when I was provided a free ticket.
As I've said before, I've never truly understood the lasting appeal of The Phantom Of The Opera. Some have said that it has essentially become a tourist attraction, while I view it as the very first entry level Broadway or West End show for the tens of millions who have seen one incarnation or another.
So in order to say I saw the show before it hits that magic 9,000 number tonight, as well as to finally scratch the last Broadway theatre off my list of venues I've never visited, I'm taking in today's matinee, which happens to be its 8,999th performance.
And as POTO fans gather for the evening's milestone performance, I'll be just a block away ... toasting the very first preview of Tracy Letts' Superior Donuts. While this latest import from Chicago's Steppenwolf most certainly won't go the distance of 9,000 performance, something tells me that it will be a whole lot more satisfying.
UPDATE (9.17.09):Imagine my surprise at yesterday's matinee for The Phantom Of The Opera when it was announced immediately prior to the performance that this would mark the 9,000th record setting milestone. I had read elsewhere, earlier, that #9,000 would occur that same evening.
Immediately after yesterday's matinee, countless television cameras and still photographers filled the aisles to capture the celebration as Andrew Lloyd Webber, Harold Prince and Gillian Lynne all appeared on stage to join in the festivities, with each delivering remarks. For his part, Webber announced that the sequel, Phantom: Love Never Dies will debut in London next spring and land on the Great White Way in November 2010.
Now that the dust has settled on yesterday's momentous occasion, I did some additional research. According to the Internet Broadway Database (IBDB), The Phantom Of The Opera had played 8,995 performances as of this last Sunday. Although the show is one of the few Broadway shows with a Monday performance, that one added to Tuesday's and the two on Wednesday only add up to 8,999, so my title of this piece is inaccurate as well.
Webber's Really Useful Productions indicates that the actual 9,000th performance comes this evening, but for some reason, the powers that be decided to celebrate at Wednesday's matinee.
So even though I got the photo opp yesterday, if you're seeing The Phantom Of The Opera at the Majestic on Thursday, September 17, you truly have the bragging rights to #9,000!
Take a close look at the smiling face to the left. Examine it very carefully. Because this is the exciting face of tomorrow's Broadway.
Actor Jon Michael Hill has been a Steppenwolf ensemble member for a mere three years, but as one of the estimable troupe's youngest actors, he's quickly become one of its most awe-inspiring contemporary stars. And now, Jon Michael Hill is heading to the Music Box Theatre for his Broadway debut. Watch out!
Earlier this afternoon, the full casting for Steppenwolf's Broadway transfer of Tracy Letts' Superior Donuts was announced. The best part of the announcement was that the entire Chicago cast, including Hill, will be reassembled under Tina Landau's brilliant direction.
Even as the booming off-stage voice instructs the audience to silence their cell phones, a menacing, cocky young man named Etienne (Hill) saunters down the aisle looking as if he might not belong before finally calling out to the audience that they should not bother staying for this show. Of course, it's all a ruse, but it's clearly designed to set the stage for the play and challenge some pre-conceived notions about race and appearance even before the performance begins.
Nobody knew who this guy was as he toyed with the audience on his way to the stage. Hill ended up with them in the palm of his hand. No wonder that right around the same time, Steppenwolf announced that this gifted young actor was becoming part of its increasingly eclectic ensemble and summarily infused it with no-holds-barred excitement.
McKean has clearly lost himself in this most unglamorous of roles, but the audience wins as a result. Equally excellent is Hill's Franco, whose tremendous zest for living is infectious, and whose woes make us actually give a damn.
Since last summer, Steppenwolf fans have had two additional opportunities to see Hill further burnish his credentials with seemingly little effort in Kafka on the Shore (2008) and earlier this year as he more than held his own alongside Frank Galati and Lois Smith in The Tempest, another Landau-helmed triumph.
Now, with the transfer of Superior Donuts, New Yorkers will get to know one of the Windy City's formerly best kept secrets. Now that the word is out that Jon Michael Hill is coming to Broadway, do yourself a favor and see him early to get those bragging rights for you'll be seeing a true star of tomorrow shine today.
Unless you're a new Steve On Broadway (SOB) reader, you already know how much I absolutely adore Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company, along with all the incredible individuals behind the scenes who make it all come together.
As with many maturing theatre organizations, Steppenwolf takes enormous pride in championing tomorrow's creative stage visionaries today. Each year, Steppenwolf provides a select group of talented young men and women with the opportunity to intern and learn the ropes, often quite literally.
During my visits through the last several years, one highlight for me has been getting to know many of these incredibly gifted individuals. When one of them, a remarkably self-assured David Perez, happened to tell me that he was starting a theatre company with two of his peers from the Steppenwolf Theatre Apprentice Program (Brittany Barnes and Julia Dossett), I was intrigued. Being regaled by Perez's fearless determination and sheer grit, I just knew that this was someone to watch -- no matter that he may have been serving me a drink as part of his apprenticeship duties.
Perez, Barnes and Dossett, along with Tim Schoen, formed Pavement Group "with the endeavor to provide bold artistic opportunities for emerging playwrights, designers, directors, and arts managers." I love the fact that the vision of these Steppenwolf graduates is to serve as a test-kitchen for new plays and playwrights alike.
To date, I've had the good fortune of seeing two incredibly well-acted and directed plays, fracture/mechanics and Lipstick Traces - A Secret History Of The 20th Century. Mind you, since I'm a generation older than these brilliant twenty-somethings, I know I'm not exactly their target audience. But no matter. They are striking a powerful chord by providing riveting entertainment geared toward weaning a whole new generation on the joys of live theatre.
Pavement Group has taken a very important step forward in their evolution. In addition to producing many plays, they have jumped through the necessary hoops to become a bona fide 501(c)(3) organization. And with that, they're able to accept your tax-deductible donations. I hope you'll consider giving to this fledgling and immensely exciting theatre company.
Who knows? Pavement Group could very well be the Steppenwolf of tomorrow. But you can get those early bragging rights by supporting it today.
Up (The SOB Review) – Downstairs Theatre, Steppenwolf, Chicago, Illinois
***1/2 (out of ****)
Maybe it’s that the title is exactly the same as the current Disney/Pixar hit.
You know the one. The film out a pie-in-the-sky dreamer who yearns to be lifted from an ordinary life and uses balloons to take flight from the comfort of his own surroundings. Oh wait, that also neatly summarizes Bridget Carpenter’s stirring and tender Up as well. Funny though how dissimilar these two takes on the same essential theme can be.
After being lulled into a false sense that the only way is up during the first act, Carpenter’s emotionally satisfying play about a wide-eyed visionary named Walter Griffin (a remarkable Ian Barford) really takes off, even if against any predictable prevailing winds.
With Anna D. Shapiro’s marvelous direction providing appropriately measured ballast and pitch, Up is nothing short of a lofty, ambitious play about hope and capacity for discovery, including those of a decidedly introspective nature. And it works.
Years after Walter has succeeded in raising his personal stature by floating three miles high on his own lawn chair, he continues -- perhaps vainly -- in pursuit of the next big thing. He remains undaunted, even as others beat him to the punch.
But there’s a cost to these ongoing pipedreams. Patience is wearing thin at home.
His desperate non-house wife Helen (a beautifully raw Lauren Katz) is tiring of being the lone family breadwinner and implores Walter to go out and find a real job, even if it means giving up on his dreams. Their emotionally awkward high school son Mikey (a brilliant Jake Cohen) believes so strongly in his father that he lacks any faith in his own capabilities.
That is, until he meets Maria, a chatty pregnant classmate (the tremendously talented Rachel Brosnahan), who not becomes his first real friend, but also provides him with an introduction to a new self-awareness wakened by her free-spirited Aunt Chris (Martha Lavey in one of her two deliciously funny roles from each end of an amazingly wide spectrum).
There is so much to recommend this heartfelt production. However, I’d be remiss if I didn’t add that the penultimate scene was what ultimately had my trio of friends and I arguing long and hard afterward about what had just transpired and all it symbolized.
Far be it from me to even allude to what we discussed, but our strikingly disparate conclusions and our eagerness to vociferously debate points to the true genius in Carpenter’s brilliant writing. There aren’t many shows I experience where I’m passionately discussing it long after.
But Carpenter’s work, inspired by true events, is nothing short of inspirational.
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!
