An "Osage" Longshot

[Sondheim_Geek]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 9:13am

As of prior to the Tonys last night, both Deanna Dunagan and Rondi Reed had played their final performances in August: Osage County. However, after both of them winning the female actress categories, would it be a possibility that either they/the producers would make them extend for at least a few weeks?

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 9:16am

No way. Not after they've already announced that movie stars will be replacing them on Tuesday.

Deanna and Rondi may be Tony winners now, but the movie stars are bigger than they are, Tonys or no Tonys.

If they had wanted to stay longer, I'm sure they would have planned differently in advance.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 9:19am

What movie stars?

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 9:23am

Academy Award Winner Estelle Parsons and Molly Regan ("The Emporer's Club").

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 9:25am

You've got to be kidding. Both are theater actors. Estelle Parsons is no Julia Roberts.
Updated On: 6/16/08 at 09:25 AM

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 9:26am

Honestly, I had never heard of either of them until the announcement that they were the replacements, but I've had three separate friends tell me that they were suddenly interested in seeing AUGUST now that Estelle Parsons was in it.

Updated On: 6/16/08 at 09:26 AM

[Smaxie]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 9:35am

Well, Estelle Parsons has numerous theatre credits going back to the 1956 Ethel Merman musical, Happy Hunting. She was pretty great in Miss Margarida's Way, Pirates of Penzance (though Patricia Routledge was better!) and Morning's at Seven, more recently. I would think that she would be a good match for that role in August.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 9:58am

Parsons is most famous for her turn as the mom in ROSEANNE.

But, still, a brilliant actress. Far from a movie star, though.

[Patash]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 10:04am

I guess TV makes a person more famous than films, but I always think of Estelle Parson's Oscar winning performance in Bonnie and Clyde.

I'm still looking forward to seeing August/Osage next week WITH the new cast.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 10:08am

Patash, yes, I'm sure a lot of us do, but I think that people outside of theater/film/the arts, associate her with ROSEANNE. Ya know?

[Jon]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 11:03am

Molly Regan is a member of the Steppenwolf ensemble. She is no more a movie star than Sally Murphy or Jeff Perry.

[Calvin]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 11:08am

Estelle Parsons has four Tony nominations and a pretty extensive list of Broadway credits (acting and directing) dating back to the 50s under her belt. Take a look at her ibdb page.

[DBillyP]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 1:11pm

As wonderful as their replacements may be, I, for one, am not amused that I will not be seeing Reed and Dunagan on Saturday night.

[Calvin]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 1:19pm

That is a shame!

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 1:27pm

Estelle Parsons is 81!
Good for her, I bet she'll be terrific.

The WICKED producers would be smart to put Rondi in the Broadway production, and soon.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 2:09pm

Parsons was stunning in the revival of "The Shadow Box" working with Marlo Thomas...and there aint nothing wrong with her portrayal of Bev Harris on Roseanne...I think she deserved emmy consideration for that role.

Does anyone remember that Rondi Reed played Laurie Metcalf's therapist on an eppie of "Roseanne"?

[lovepuppy]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 3:36pm

Aww man, are you kidding? Rondi Reed is done with Osage? Bummer! I'm visiting later this week and am organizing my theatre-viewing schedule, and was so excited for my hometown girl Rondi last night! I was considering seeing Osage because of her (and, well, it does look like a fantastic work). Should I get tickets? There's so much to choose from.

Sigh. Can't decide.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 3:38pm

I'm really glad I was able to see AUGUST OSAGE COUNTY again last week before everybody left. Such a great evening in the theatre, even better in the Music Box. It just all came together in a way that made me so very glad that live theatre still exists.

[ragg_ballad]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 3:55pm

about Rondi, I think she actually wants to return to Wicked in Chicago. After all, she never wanted to leave, but David Stone actually had to talk her into going to August, a decision which clearly payed off. She has stated "I'm getting back to it[Madame Morrible], right after the Tonys." But now..who knows where she'll go.

Posted: 6/16/08 at 4:01pm

She's back in Wicked till it closes in January. And according to the Chicago Tribune:

So here's your news. The entire original cast of "August: Osage County" (minus Dennis Letts, of course) is headed to London's National Theatre. So says Reed and Shapiro. Wow. You read it here first.


The Theater Loop

[winston89]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 4:35pm

my guess is that Reed will stay with Wicked in Chicago until it closes. I know that as per the Playbill article talking about a possible production of August in London she had expressed interest in doing that. Maybe she will stay with Wicked in Chicago until it closes and then do August in London.

[Patash]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 4:39pm

"As wonderful as their replacements may be, I, for one, am not amused that I will not be seeing Reed and Dunagan on Saturday night."

I'm curious why that is. Are these two actresses you've been wanting to see for a long time? Have you seen them before? Someone else mentioned one was a "hometown" girl, so that I understand. Or is it just a matter that you want to see the "originals" and not replacements?

[DBillyP]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 5:07pm

Well, I bought the tickets expecting to see the original cast, minus Dennis Letts, of course, and the dynamics that the company as a whole brought to the piece. This group of people has been together for some time, and there will no doubt be a shift with the substitution of two, albeit greatly talented, actors to the ensemble. While, ultimately, it may be every bit as good as it was before, I am a wee bit nervous about seeing the show five days after they arrive.

Plus, you know they both won Tonys for their work, and I really was looking forward to seeing what made them so great.

[uncageg]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 5:11pm

I saw the play in December and wanted to see it again. I really want to see it again with Ms. Parsons in the cast.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 5:12pm

Would anyone care to tell me why they are leaving?