"Do we have to [go to Broadway]?" August: Osage County article

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 2/24/08 at 4:14pm

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/magazine/chi-mxa0224magmainfeb24,0,3363329.story?page=1

Great article on August: Osage County in the Chicago Tribune Magazine today. I'll scan pictures from the article (since they're not online) when I get a chance.

[sidneybruhl]

Posted: 2/24/08 at 7:50pm

Loved the play and loved the article. Thanks for posting.

[george95]

Posted: 2/24/08 at 8:59pm

You know, Chicago has got to stop trying to compete with New York. I was born and raised in Chicago, so don't think I hate the town or anything, but New York and London are just on a completely different level than Chicago (or LA or San Fran or any other English-speaking city).

The article claimed that New York theater is only got for overblown musicals (hmmm like Wicked? oh wait Chicago has its own company of Wicked) and if you want anything other than a Times Square tourist tramp experience at a theater, then you need to come to Chicago.

Is this writer really going to dismiss the entire off-broadway and off-off Broadway theater scene? and all the theater in Brooklyn? Chicago has its 3 Broadway-in-Chicago theaters, which are there only to show those "overblown times square musicals" and then the rest of the theater scene is all just off-broadway type of local theater. The only difference is that New York has about 800billion more theaters and theater companies than Chicago.

Why is it necessary for the Second City to always try and claim to be number one?

[scaryclowns223]

Posted: 2/24/08 at 9:54pm

I don't think Chicago is as much trying to compete as it is trying to get some respect for producing good theatre.

Also, Second City was one of the original Improv troupes in America and has a storied history of excellence in Improvisational Theatre. I don't blame it for trying to claim its the best. (Just look at the talent its pumped out...more stars and comedy geniuses than I can even mention.)

[george95]

Posted: 2/24/08 at 10:03pm

My usage of "Second City" referred to Chicago's nickname, not to the comedy troupe.

I don't blame Chicago theater for trying to get a little respect, but the writer flat out says that New York theater is ONLY good for Times Square tourist traps/musicals and for dumb plays that are only there to show off Hollywood actors with bad acting skills. He said you have to go to Chicago to see any other type of theater.

Chicago does produce good theater of course. But, New York is just better. Whenever I'm back home in Chicago, I always have to be very careful how I word anything that I say about New York, whether its the arts, architecture, restaurants, museums, sports, you name it---if I try to even suggest that anything about New York is better than Chicago, everybody gets mad!

[george95]

Posted: 2/24/08 at 10:03pm

Updated On: 2/24/08 at 10:03 PM

[scaryclowns223]

Posted: 2/24/08 at 10:22pm

My bad, I didn't notice the article before "second city."

And I see what you mean, it is probably unfair to label New York as a city of only musicals, especially considering the extended runs that WIcked and Jersey Boys are enjoying in Chicago.

Both definitely have produced some excellent theatre, and that seems to be the bottom line.

[A Director]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 2:03am

It's an interesting article. The author does not dismiss all theatre in New York City. Sad to say, but Broadway has become a tourist trap for musicals and vanity productions. If all the Broadway musicals closed, there wouldn't be much to see on Broadway. When most tourists think theatre in New York City, they think Broadway. During the recent strike, there were articles about tourists who didn't know about Off-Broadway, Off-Off Broadway,etc.

A major point in the article is most of Osage County cast have successful theatre careers in Chicago and were not eager to move to NYC. This probably comes as a big shock to most people who post here. If you want to have a career doing musicals, you have to come to NYC; this is no longer true for actors who aren't interested in being in musicals.

[winston89]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 2:44am

The way it has been and the way it is going to be for a good long while is this. That if your a film actor and you want to be in movies you go to Hollywood. The same is with NYC and theatre. There are countles theatre companes and the like. NYC is the mecca for theatre in this country.

Yes theatre is known for being a tourist destenation. There is nothing wrong with that. But, you have to realize that theatre is considered to be a much bigger deal in NYC then in any other city in the country. And even though you might not live in NYC do theatre in another city it is still considred an honor to work on Broadway.