Hilarious Article Regarding AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY

Wow.

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And besides that HE DOESN'T EVEN LIVE IN NEW YORK!

Hmmm. So people from OTHER cities might have valid opinions? Weird. I'm not really sure about that. If I read this whole article, I might find statements that are valid, a new perspective and a fresh take on the situation. That just scares me. I'd rather stay in my upper west side mileau, talking to the same six or eight people, never being confronted by a new idea. People with diferent ideas are just icky! I'm certainly never going to read this Chris Jones again! His Blog is way too thought-provoking.

When I start to think too much, my head hurts. So I just go see "Legally Blond" again! Oh My God!

WannaBe,
You're usually one of the few posters on this board that I read with any interest as you seem to have a good amount of intelligence. But your reading of this article seems so inept, I wonder did you actually read the entire thing? Or are you aware that all that's going on here is a little hometown pride being extolled by Chicago's local theatre critic (who perpetually writes more intelligent reviews than Brantley for most broadway shows) Chris Jones. And even if you can't see that, his bold opinions are probably correct as, for as brilliant a show as this was, without its current cast of Chicago actors, the majority of whom are brand new to New York, I doubt this would have made it all the way to Broadway. Do yourself a favor and try not to overreact so harshly to a critics online blog.

Updated On: 4/26/08 at 06:15 PM

ok ill give you that, but i still stand by my (now edited) sentiments.

Isn't the author just stating a truism - that plays only seem Pulitzer-worthy if an excellent cast works their theatrical magic with the text? Or to ask it another way, has an unperformed play ever captured a Pulitzer?

"And even if you can't see that, his bold opinions are probably correct as, for as brilliant a show as this was, without its current cast of Chicago actors, the majority of whom are brand new to New York, I doubt this would have made it all the way to Broadway."

What bold opinions? He merely states the obvious: theater is convergence. One could say the same about any play that we now consider a classic; for a script to get recognized, it takes the proper director, the proper cast. Have you seen the Cat on a Hot Tin Roof revival? Somehow I think that production would have not had the same success as the original; people might not have thought of it as Pulitzer-worthy. But the text still is (and that's what the Pulitzer is awarded for), as is the text of August: Osage County. Morton and her fellow cast mates are not compensating for a deficient text; they are merely allowing it to shine and live on stage as the playwright intended. Of course actors and directors who aren't as smart or skilled who take this on in the future can fail to do so. Such is the case with any great play. To make a case against August alone for something that would be true for any play seems awfully ignorant.

Updated On: 4/27/08 at 11:44 AM