Cast Selected for Human Race/Wright State Production of August: Osage County, 9/23-10/10

The cast of the historic Human Race Theatre Company/Wright State University Theatre Department collaborative production of Tracy Letts' Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, August: Osage County, is now set. The 13-member ensemble of seven professionals and six WSU students includes two performers who were understudies during the play's five-Tony-winning run on Broadway.

Playing the pivotal character of Violet, the razor-tongued matriarch of the Weston clan of Oklahoma, will be Susanne Marley, who was the understudy for Tony winner Deanna Dunagan. Marley's career has ranged from the national tour of Angels in America to an HBO - Hard Core Comedy Special to the mother in the premiere of Over the Tavern.

Violet's husband, Beverly, will be played by Human Race Resident Artist Scott Stoney, who is familiar to local audiences for dozens of major roles over the past two decades.

Playing other members of the Weston clan will be:

Chicago-based Kristie Berger, who was Frankie in the Human Race production of Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune in 2003...
Brian David Evans, who has the degree-of-separation local tie of recurring appearances on the Comedy Central show of Yellow Springs' Dave Chappelle...
Bill Simmons, a leading Indianapolis actor whose roles have ranged from Albert Einstein in Picasso at the Lapin Agile to an endocrinologist in an industrial video...
and six WSU students - Maddie Casto, Chelsey Cavender, Jason David Collins, Kelsey Hopkins, Greg Mallios, and Alex Sunderhaus.

One of the two non-Westons in the play is the maid, Johnna, who will be played by Rainbow Dickerson, who understudied the role on Broadway and who is a Blue Jacket veteran. The other is the sheriff, played by Daniel Britt, a veteran of numerous southwestern Ohio roles, including Duncan in Cincinnati Shakespeare's Macbeth.

August: Osage County, co-directed by Human Race Artistic Director Marsha Hanna and Stoney, will be presented at Wright State's Festival Playhouse September 23 - October 10. Tickets will be available in September through the WSU box office.

Sponsors include Beth & Alan Schaeffer, Morris Home Furnishings, ManagePoint, The AUGUST Angels and CELIA - Wright State's Center for Collaborative Education and the Arts.

Founded in 1986, The Human Race Theatre Company moved to the Metropolitan Arts Center in 1991, taking up residence at the 219-seat Loft Theatre. In addition to the Eichelberger Loft Season, The Human Race produces for the Victoria Theatre's Broadway Series, the Musical Theatre Workshop series, and special event programming. The Human Race, under the direction of Artistic Director Marsha Hanna and Executive Director Kevin Moore, also maintains education and outreach programs for children, teens and adults, as well as artist residencies in area schools, The Muse Machine In-School Tour, Youth Summer Stock, and The Human Race Conservatory. Human Race organizational support is provided by Culture Works, Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District, Shubert Foundation and the Ohio Arts Council. The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this organization with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

 

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