Closing Time for August: Osage County

August: Osage County closed last weekend after two weeks and multiple sold out performances. After it opened, word quickly spread that this production was special and not to be missed. On opening night, as I stood in the lobby hanging up production photos, the cast crowded around, examining the photos and trying to persuade me to choose theirs. On the afternoon of the closing performance, I stood in the lobby again, listening to the excited chatter of soon-to-be audience members. Later, after the show finished and the actors emerged from backstage, I heard loud congratulatory cheers from family and friends eager to greet the cast.

For senior members of the cast and crew, this was a powerful note to end on; a story everyone can learn something from and feel connected to. All of the students involved were happy to be part of such a challenging show, though at least one of the actors mentioned she was glad to be done portraying such an unlikeable character. For the audiences who made the performances so popular (even during the night of Michigan Basketball's Final Four game!), this was a story to get caught up in--a drama guaranteed to take you away from your own life for a few hours, even if it involved a cast of mostly unpleasant characters.

In the end, both cast and audience united to celebrate the Weston family in all its dysfunction. I'm so glad to have followed such a remarkable show and wish the best to senior members of the cast and crew. In the words of Violet Weston, "and then you're gone..."

Photo by Peter Smith Photography/SMTD

Rehearsal in Perspective

Tuesday, March 19^th 2013

Setting the scene while setting the table

At this point, the actors are really coming into their own. Watching them rehearse, I’m developing an ever-increasing respect for the emotional strength it requires to convincingly portray such complex characters. It’s not giving anything away to say that few of the show’s characters aren't terribly likeable (some more so than others), so it can’t be easy to bring them to life. There are also small details being added to the show to create moments exemplifying each character’s individual flaws. Look for a scene in Act Two when sisters Barbara and Karen are setting the table for a family dinner, and each manages to undo the other’s work. Not only is such a battle immediately recognizable to many of us in the audience, it beautifully underscores the ongoing tensions mounting throughout the show.

The family united...briefly

In fact, this is how much of August: Osage County plays out. Scene after scorching scene resonates with non-cast members, whether we’re willing to admit it or not. Although the family’s arguments are (hopefully) more extreme than those we’re likely to encounter in daily life, the underlying problems in all of the character’s relationships are still terribly familiar. Sisters accuse each other of being “the favorite,” wives needlessly harry husbands and children, and a large gathering becomes a stage for family drama played out by all of the relatives in turn. The barrage of truths the play delivers in rapid-fire succession illuminates both the production and the kind of real life American family the Westons represent. Watching the show just might teach you something new about the way your own family operates. Find out soon; the show opens on April 4!

View from the Rehearsal Room

Tuesday, March 12^th 2013

This week director John Neville-Andrews is starting to add blocking the show, which means telling the actors where and when to move throughout the course of the scenes. Rehearsal today focused on the first half of Act Two, and later this week they’ll take a look at Act Three and parts of Act One. Deciding what order to work on the parts of the show is the director’s choice, so it varies from show to show based on what kind of work the text calls for. Some of the scenes in August: Osage County are very emotional, so it can be difficult for the actors to jump in and connect with their characters right away. Since they’re still in the early stages of rehearsals, many of the characters are being portrayed very broadly, and will become more nuanced as the actors get more comfortable with their parts. One of the big challenges of the very emotional scenes in August is how heavily they rely on dialogue, meaning that the actors need to be very comfortable with their lines in order to keep things moving.

ASMs Rachel and Miriam clean up during a break

The show is also very reliant on props, so the actors work with “rehearsal props” now and will get much nicer, stage-ready versions during the final week of rehearsals in the Arthur Miller Theatre.  Props from past shows are sometimes repurposed as rehearsal props, so there are many elements in the August rehearsal room that you might recognize from other U-M productions. See if you can spot one from the 2011 production of Trumpets and Raspberries.