The Official August: Osage County Love Thread

[broadwayman17]

Posted: 8/22/08 at 10:28pm

I felt that a show as hilarious, haunting, and brilliant as August deserves its own love thread

Updated On: 8/23/08 at 10:28 PM

[glitterandjazzhands]

Posted: 8/22/08 at 10:37pm

YAY AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY!!!!!! Loved this show. The three acts just flew by. Really an incredible piece of theater. Everyone should go see it.

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 8/22/08 at 10:45pm

Aside from the monotonous monologue in the beginning and the fact that Act III dragged on a bit, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Excellent performances from most of the cast.

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 8/22/08 at 10:47pm

LOVED this show so much!

[rio197]

Posted: 8/22/08 at 11:21pm

you know it. my favorite part is the curtain dropper of Act I. i call it the "roof-burner". Amy Morton's amazing.

[broadway86]

Posted: 8/22/08 at 11:23pm

Truly one of the best things I've ever seen onstage. I saw the replacement cast, with stunning work from Estelle Parsons and Amy Morton. I didn't see Dunagan, but she must have been pretty ****ing special to beat Morton for the Tony.

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 8/22/08 at 11:43pm

One of my favorite parts of the August: Osage County experience is right after "I'm running things now!!," the lights go out, and the audience is screaming. Seriously. People are actually cheering, clapping and screaming.

[glitterandjazzhands]

Posted: 8/23/08 at 12:16am

"One of my favorite parts of the August: Osage County experience is right after "I'm running things now!!," the lights go out, and the audience is screaming. Seriously. People are actually cheering, clapping and screaming."

Word. Amy Morton and Estelle Parsons gave me chills.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 8/23/08 at 12:45am

When the lights go out after Morton screams "I'm running things now!" I didn't scream, clap, or laugh. I just sat there for a good five minutes completely mesmerized and in shock by what I had just seen. It was one of the most intense moments I've seen in theatre. After the five minutes, I ran down the stairs to have a cigarette (and I rarely smoke). It was just brilliant.

[johnsons]

Posted: 8/23/08 at 1:12am

I saw it with the orignal cast and LOVED it. Does anybody have an opinion of how Estelle Parsons compares to Deanna?

[LadyRosecoe]

Posted: 8/23/08 at 3:27am

I saw the production back in March and re-read the text last week. I was shocked at reading the "claw hammer" bit because her line deliveries in that scene came back to me as I read it and I teared up again just as I did when watching her.

When I went, Mariann was out and an understudy was on for Karen and her portrayal was very smiley and quite whimsical. Thusly SPOILER, her pseudo-breakdown/semi-denial was very tragic and that actually moved me more than any of the other scenes, apart from the ending. The actress covering the role played it in a way that I wouldn't have necessarily derived from just reading the text, but the effect was so startling that I feel it must be intentionally done for that disturbing turnover. Can anybody attest to the way Mariann played the role and if she performs it similarly to what the understudy was doing?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/23/08 at 2:46pm

I was, indeed, mesmorized by the piece of art. I loved how funny it was (which was unexpected...I knew to expect the dysfunction and mayhem...just not the humor) and how I was never "safe" in the audience. Just when you thought you knew where things were headed; they'd pull the rug out from under you.

(there were a couple of performances that I thought were lesser, but it didn't interfere with my awe and delight.)

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 8/23/08 at 2:52pm

"Just when you thought you knew where things were headed;"

Really? People gasped audibly at one of the big reveals and I wanted to say out loud: "Seriously? You haven't seen this coming for the last 45 minutes?" I was disappointed that I knew exactly where it was going.

[ahmelie]

Posted: 8/23/08 at 4:28pm

I saw it in May, and it was UNBELIEVABLE. I couldn't stand up at the end of the show because I was crying so hard, I honestly think I haven't cried that hard since I was an infant. It was beautiful.

I'm seeing it again with the different cast in October.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 8/23/08 at 4:45pm

When I saw it, I had so wet myself in my seat that I was literally stuck to it. Two super nice ushers were more than happy to ring up some overtime pay as they waited for the 8th Ave firefighters to extract me from my seat. I offered to pay to have the seat replaced, since repair was totally out of the question. But the Imperial management would not hear of it. "Happens all the time," they assured me, "since 'August' opened."

[Patash]

Posted: 8/23/08 at 7:55pm

Forgive me if I said this on another post, but I can't find it. We saw August... on a Saturday matinee. I was mesmerized and wiped out by the experience. On Sunday evening we stopped at Joe Allen to sit at the bar and have a drink before going to Forbidden Broadway. Amy Morton and a couple "friends" were sitting next to us at the bar with Ms. Morton around the end sort of facing us. Clearly it was just after the Sunday performance. I am not a stage door person or an autograph seeker. But as we left, they were also leaving. I stopped her and said, "Yesterday we saw the show. I am still exhausted. When I think that you have all done that entire show TWICE MORE since we saw it yesterday, it's simply mind-boggling." She looked at me as if she never thought of it before and then said, "Yes, it is, isn't it?" I thanked her for one of the greatest days in the theatre I've ever had. She was kind. Then as they left I realized the other three people were cast members as well, and I felt SO guilty for slighting them.

[Broadwayboy2631]

Posted: 8/23/08 at 10:25pm

Wow this is actually the first and only love thread for this show? That's sad, but I love this show. It's a completely captivating theatrical experience.

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 8/24/08 at 9:03am

Yesterday as they were leaving the theatre someone said "Well, I no longer trust the Tonys." I died a little inside.

It's so good.

[njohn]

Posted: 8/25/08 at 1:36am

^ It seems there's not enough love for straight plays.

A:OC for the gold medal.

[Ryan4]

Posted: 8/25/08 at 3:06pm

And a lot of people with bad..erm...differing taste. I was baffled by how the ITH audience went beserk for what I considered a pretty mediocre piece of theater.

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 8/25/08 at 3:10pm

Haha

[njohn]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 1:04am

It's emotions over intellect that decides what is quality. Then again it's art, which is subjective.

[fosca3]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 11:02am

I finally saw it this past weekend. And while I liked it, I did not love it

To me, it has no heart. I did get very involved, but I found it hard to care about any of the characters

I'm sure it's just me, cuz I seem to be in a VERY small minority on this one

I've felt like I was missing something all this time whenever I read these boards, so now I've seen it for myself

I need to feel moved to love a play, and I just wasn't moved

I'm not bashing it at all, please don't be offended

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 11:20am

"I finally saw it this past weekend. And while I liked it, I did not love it .... I'm sure it's just me ...."

Nope.

[uncageg]

Posted: 9/16/08 at 3:18pm

Denver Center Attractions just announced the 2009 season and August: Osage County is scheduled to launch its national tour here next July.