AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY Comes To The Cleveland Stage

August: Osage County, the 2008 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play that tells the bitingly funny and sensationally entertaining tale of the Weston family of Pawhuska, Oklahoma, is coming to CLEVELAND from APRIL 13 - 25 for 16 performances only.

The play stars Academy Award-winner Estelle Parsons in the role of the family matriarch, Violet. Ms. Parsons played Violet in the Broadway production of August: Osage County from June 2008-May 2009, where The New York Times raved, "Estelle Parsons gives a superb performance...sends chills down your spine. It may prove to be a crowning moment in an illustrious career."

Joining Ms. Parsons are Shannon Cochran as Barbara Fordham, Jon Devries as Beverly Weston, Libby George as Mattie Fae Aiken, Steve Key as Little Charles, Emily Kinney as Jean Fordham, Laurence Lau as Steve Heidebrecht, Marcus Nelson as Sheriff Deon Gilbeau and understudying Bill and Steve, Paul Vincent O'Connor as Charlie Aiken, Jeff Still as Bill Fordham, DeLanna Studi as Johnna Monevata, Angelica Torn as Ivy Weston, Amy Warren as Karen Weston, Avia Bushyhead, understudying Johnna, Jean, Ivy and Karen, Stephen D'Ambrose, understudying Beverly and Charlie, Barbara Kingsley, understudying Violet and Mattie Fae, Bryn Magnus, understudying Little Charles and the Sherriff and Kim Martin-Cotten, understudying Barbara, Karen and Ivy.

Written by 2008 Pulitzer Prize-winner Tracy Letts (Superior Donuts, Man From Nebraska, Killer Joe, Bug), this grand and gripping new play tells the story of the Westons, a large extended clan that comes together at their rural Oklahoma homestead after the alcoholic patriarch disappears. Forced to confront unspoken truths and astonishing secrets, the family must also contend with Violet, a pill-popping, deeply unsettled woman at the center of the storm.

Directed by 2008 Tony Award-winner Anna D. Shapiro, August: Osage County is a rare theatrical event: a large-scale work filled with 13 unforgettable characters, a powerful tragicomedy told with unflinching honesty and the unforgettable breakthrough of a major American playwright. August: Osage County premiered and was produced at Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago in 2007.

Nominated for seven Tony Awards and winning five, including Tony Awards for Best Play and Best Director, along with Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and New York Drama Critics Circle Awards, including Best Play, Best Director and Best Scenic Design, August: Osage County opened at the Imperial Theatre Broadway on December 4, 2007, to wide critical acclaim. The New York Times called August: Osage County "The most exciting new American play Broadway has seen in years," and it was voted The #1 Play of the Year by Time, The Associated Press, Entertainment Weekly, and TimeOut New York. After a sold-out engagement at the Imperial Theatre, the show re-opened at the Music Box Theatre on April 29th, 2008. August: Osage County closed on Broadway on June 28, 2009 after 648 performances and 18 previews, surpassing The Heidi Chronicles, Master Class, The Real Thing, and Doubt, among many others, to become one of the longest running plays in Broadway history.

The show, which the London critics hailed as "the must-see play of the year - possibly a lifetime," opened to rave reviews at The National Theatre on November 26, 2008, where it played a limited eight-week engagement featuring members of the original Broadway company. The London production was nominated for four Olivier Awards, winning one (Best Scenic Design).

The show's creative team includes Tony Award winner Todd Rosenthal (sets), Ana Kuzmanic (costumes), Ann G. Wrightson (lights), Richard Woodbury (sound) and David Singer (original music).

August: Osage County is produced by Jeffrey Richards, Jean Doumanian, Steve Traxler and Jerry Frankel.

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY will play April 13 through 25 in the Palace Theatre at PlayhouseSquare. Performances are Tuesday - Friday evenings at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 1:00 and 6:30 p.m. Ticket prices range from $10 to $65, and are currently on sale at The PlayhouseSquare Ticket Office (1519 Euclid Avenue in downtown Cleveland), online at playhousesquare.org or by calling 216-241-6000. Group orders for 15 or more may be placed by calling 216-664-6050.

The Cleveland engagement of AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY is part of the KeyBank Broadway Series at PlayhouseSquare. KeyBank is the title sponsor of the KeyBank Broadway Series at PlayhouseSquare. For information, visit www.key.com.

This performance engagement is a part of the Smart Seats program at PlayhouseSquare that offers smart entertainment at a smart price. For more information on Smart Seats, visit playhousesquare.org/smartseats.

To enrich the experience of the theatergoers, The PlayhouseSquare Community Engagement & Education Department presents free Broadway Buzz events to complement KeyBank Broadway Series shows. Broadway Buzz Pre-Show Talks will be held in the Idea Center at PlayhouseSquare one hour prior to each performance of AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY. Pre-show talks provide behind-the-scenes insight into Broadway series shows. On Thursday evenings, guests are invited to stay in the theater for a post-show chat with members of the cast. Broadway Buzz events are made possible by the generous donors and sponsors that support PlayhouseSquare's not-for-profit mission. More information about Broadway Buzz events and activities can be found online at playhousesquare.org/broadwaybuzz.

PlayhouseSquare encourages all guests to "Plan Your Visit" ahead of time by visiting playhousesquare.org and clicking the "Plan Your Visit" tab where directions, parking information, dining options, lodging, ticketing policies and other useful information designed to enhance guest experiences at PlayhouseSquare exist. Whether their visit is the first or one hundred and first, PlayhouseSquare is committed to making guest experiences both as memorable and hassle free as possible.

www.augustonbroadway.com

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