I want an August Osage County revival.- Page 2

[Globefan]

Posted: 12/17/19 at 8:27pm

Maybe Ivo van Hove can do it. 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 12/17/19 at 9:47pm

Globefan said: "Maybe Ivo van Hove can do it."

I can’t think of a worse director for this play.

[Valentina3]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 12:51am

I'm really hoping Globefan was being a troll with that Ivo suggestion. There's no way he can explore the complexity of this show without completely taking out the warmth of the characters.

If it has to be a controversial director (for purposes of discussion), John Doyle would probably make some interesting choices here. I don't see him cutting stuff either because there's no fat in this play.

I'd rather Anna D Shapiro just re-explores it, with a decade behind her.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 1:09am

I’d think a Laurie Metcalf, Joe Mantello directed revival at the Hays could be an invent.

[Globefan]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 1:09am

Valentina3 said: "I'm really hoping Globefan was being a troll with that Ivo suggestion. There's no way he can explore the complexity of this show without completely taking out the warmth of the characters.

If it has to be a controversial director (for purposes of discussion), John Doyle would probably make some interesting choices here. I don't see him cutting stuff either because there's no fat in this play.

I'd rather Anna D Shapiro just re-explores it, with a decade behind her."

I was kidding about Ivo. 

[bdn223]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 11:14am

August: Osage County is honestly one of if not my favorite play that I have reread to many times to count, and even wrote a 10 page thesis paper on in college. The prologue alone, is so dense and filled with symbolism and foreshadowing for the entire play I find something new every time I read it. 

The one problem I think any revival of the play will have when it is eventually revived is the play's run time. The official run time of the play is 3 hours and 10 minutes, but the original reviews quoted the production being 3.5 hours long. Although this is not uncommon in the list of great plays, it does effect the economics of a revival. Recent revivals of plays with running times of over 3 hours Long Day's Journey Into Night, and The Iceman Cometh , both only ran 6 or 7 performances a week, but still had the same costs of a show running 8 performances a week due to union stipulations. Its part of the reason the Nathan Lane production of The Iceman Cometh stayed at BAM, and it took a name the size of Denzel Washington to mount a Broadway revival. The original production of August: Osage County did play 8 performances a week, but had a weird 6:30 and 7:30 so the show did not run past 11pm and have to pay the crew overtime. I would love a revival of August: Osage County, but due to the economics involved because of the long run time, as well as the large ensemble cast for a play (20 cast members listed in the opening night playbill), I doubt we will see one anytime soon. The only way I see this being revived is if producers can cast A-List talent, aka a Denzel Washington or Hugh Jackman caliber actress, as the mother daughter duo of Violet and Barbra. In other words the play won't be revived unless producers are able to secure the same level of talent that with in the film.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 11:26am

Laurie Metcalf is the Streep of Broadway. She gets everything. She doesn't really sell tickets, either, so her name is not red hot even though she is an impeccable actress. 

In a better world Deidre O'Connell would be on Broadway more. She'd be an exquisite Violet. Her acting is off the charts. 

[Valentina3]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 12:02pm

bdn223 said: "The only way I see this being revived is if producers can cast A-List talent, aka a Denzel Washington or Hugh Jackman caliber actress,as the mother daughter duo of Violet and Barbra. In other words the play won't be revived unless producers are able to secure the same level of talent that with in the film."

Now I low-key wanna see Denzel and Hugh in drag playing Violet and Barbara. 

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 1:31pm

Bettyboy, how had I never considered Deirdre O’Connell?? She would be absolutely shattering as Violet. Wow.

[JVJ93]

Posted: 12/19/19 at 10:22am

Am I the only one who thinks Frances McDormand would be the definitive Violet?

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 12/19/19 at 10:45am

JVJ93 said: "Am I the only one who thinks Frances McDormand would be the definitive Violet?"

Wow. She would be even less nonsense, twice as mean, but still land every single joke but two seconds after you laugh you'd feel awful because you've laughed at something so horribly cruel. Honestly she's perfect. 

[The Other One]

Posted: 12/19/19 at 10:55am

JVJ93 said: "Am I the only one who thinks Frances McDormand would be the definitive Violet?"

Brilliant casting.  I hope she would want to do it.

 

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 12/19/19 at 2:26pm

JVJ93 said: "Am I the only one who thinks Frances McDormand would be the definitive Violet?"

I don't really think there is a such a thing as a definitive Violet. Dunagan created the role. She was iconic, terrifying, heartbreaking and unmissable. I truly thought, "who could top that?" Then I saw Estelle Parsons who shattered my heart in a very different way. Equally moving. When Meryl was cast I rolled my eyes. However, when I saw her interpretation, I sobbed like I hadn't before. 

I don't think this is a part that one actress owns. If the label definitive is available for Violet, it surely would be given to Dunagan who originated the role. 

Actually, I think McDormand reads too robust and young for Violet, even now. I still think she could be cast as Barbara. 

 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 12/19/19 at 2:41pm

Amy Morton would also make an amazing Violet one day. I really wanted her to win a Tony for her performance as Barbara.

[A Director]

Posted: 12/19/19 at 10:12pm

The play ins overrated!  But, if it's revived, all the female roles should be played by Drag Queens.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 12/20/19 at 12:00am

I just can't see why they screwed this movie up. Such a great cast, but damn, it's not good. I remember thinking "I cannot wait for the "eat the ****ing fish" scene" and then ... letdown. 

I saw it twice in my first month in NYC with Parsons and Rashaad, and loved it both times. 

Metcalf, I think, would make a killer Barbara, I don't see her as a Violet just yet. 

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 12/20/19 at 9:50am

RippedMan said: "I just can't see why they screwed this movie up. Such a great cast, but damn, it's not good. I remember thinking "I cannot wait for the "eat the ****ing fish" scene" and then ... letdown.

I saw it twice in my first month in NYC with Parsons and Rashaad, and loved it both times.

Metcalf, I think, would make a killer Barbara, I don't see her as a Violet just yet."

I agree Metcalf, like McDormand reads young and robust. She'd be a dazzling Barbara. As for the film, it was stripped of the play's humor which gave it a very different tone. I still appreciated it though. 

 

Updated On: 12/20/19 at 09:50 AM

[uncageg]

Posted: 12/20/19 at 12:08pm

I was praying they would bring Metcalf in on Broadway. I saw it early on and as I left the theater Metcalf kept running through my mind as Barb.

As for the movie, I enjoyed it more than I expected. Did not care for Streep's performance but was pleasantly surprised by Roberts.

f there were a revival any time soon, I think I would only see it if Metcalf was in it. JMO

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 12/20/19 at 1:11pm

TotallyEffed said: "Amy Morton would also make an amazing Violet one day. I really wanted her to win a Tony for her performance as Barbara."

I for sure see her playing it one day. OR she'll direct a revival at Steppenwolf or elsewhere.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 12/20/19 at 8:50pm

Judith Light would also kill as Violet. I love when she plays against type.

[Valentina3]

Posted: 10/22/20 at 4:59pm

To add on to my Nina Arianda as Barbara suggestion - Cherry Jones would be my ideal Violet, (some great ideas on this thread, but I still think Cherry Jones would be best), with Lily Rabe as Ivy (which was also a great suggestion from someone else up in the discussion, but I think they meant her to play a different part than Ivy).

Although, I'll admit it will be hard to accept Arianda is Rabe's older sister on stage, even though they're only a couple years apart.

Updated On: 10/22/20 at 04:59 PM

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 10/22/20 at 5:39pm

No reason to doubt she’d be a swell Violet, but it would be easy to believe Letts wrote Barbara for Metcalf. The synergy between character and actor is palpable.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 10/22/20 at 5:43pm

I can think of three directors who I think would fit this show
David Cromer, Joe Mantello, or Tina Landau