SHSU Dramaturgy Almond

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Dramaturg's Statement

August:Osage County is a new play that opened last year and received rave reviews plus gaining numerous awards. Working with such a new play can certainly be a challenge for the dramaturge. There is not a lot of history to date on this production. It is important to understand the world that Letts created and stay true to the script in upcoming performances. This is a heavy plot driven show where events just keep piling up. The audience definitely should be relieved to watch another family’s problems. They should identify but not get bogged down in the emotions until leaving the theatre.

With that being said it is important for the production team to understand the concept of how this family functions. The audience is not given a lot of physiological depth as to why these characters behave in the manner they do. This can be a problem when portraying a dysfunctional family that is confronted with issues like: suicide, divorce, alcoholism, drug addiction, incest and pedophilia. There is not a lot of background that causes their monstrous behavior. We get a small glimpse about Violet when she briefly talks about her childhood but not near enough to explain her meanness. For the most part there is not background given on the characters and the audience is forced to accept their actions and motivations on what is on stage. The roles are rich and meaty for the actors and director but when dealing with such raw emotions of highs and lows the production team needs to understand how a dysfunctional family functions.

The action in the play is fast, probably faster than anything in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. There a several scenes that involves the actors arguing and talking over one another. Once the play has reached its climax the actor are left to improvise lines at the close of a scene. This can be problematic if the research and ensemble is not close. There also are scenes where they might all be talking simultaneously at different parts of the house. This is another reason to understand the family dynamics so it will make sense to the audience. The fourth wall is truly removed and the audience is invited into the Westons home. They must remain engaged during their 3 hour and 20 minute visit to view this reunion. If the production team does not have a clear understanding of how they existed on the plains in remote Pawhuska there could be a tendency to comment on the characters. If this is done by the cast it could result for a very boring evening of theatre for the audience. They most likely would leave with a feeling that these eccentric characters are shallow and have no need for them.

The setting is in their rural home that happens to be a three story home. This can be problematic depending on the auditorium because scenes are played all over the house. Like a family lives all throughout a house and traditions are conducted in certain rooms. The structure of the house is important to the structure of the family and should not be adjusted to any great extreme. This actually lends to the craziness and how they attempt to hide issues from one another. You can see the layering and complexity of this family sense there is not a lot given to the audience.

Having the play set in rural Oklahoma brings a realness and understanding to their madness. They are intellectuals! Beverly a poet and professor, Barbara also a professor at University of Colorado, Karen practices real estate and Ivy a librarian at University of Tulsa. Violet even in her drugged state of mind has a sharp wit and the mental capacity to argue with the best of them. Her favorite song is Lay Down Sally by Eric Clapton. This is not the image one might conjure up of a traditional family in Pawhuska. Understanding life in Pawhuska is important and what it was like to grow up there. Although a dysfunctional family can be placed anywhere, knowing the environment that helped shape who they have become is important since in the script there is not a lot of information given. One can’t go on assumption.

There also is much reference to poetry and poets.Often the family quotes various poems. This is a major part of their culture knowing what they are referencing to is valuable and should be included in the program and lobby display to aid the audience. There is an excerpt from Robert Penn Warren, All the King’s Men and it talks of families and how a family reunion can be compared to diving into an octopus tank. This is a wonderful image for all involved and understanding the dynamics of this particular reunion. One must also look at Of Hollow Men by T.S. Eliot. Beverly quotes him and discusses his life. Johnna and Violet end the play with a stanza from the poem. By understanding the references and poem can greatly assist in the design element and character development.

Another aspect to note is no modern updates have been done to the house since 1972 and this is when Beverly was at his writing peak and has produced nothing memorable since then. Time has stood still for them. The kids started getting older and what is to be left for the parents except to fill themselves with pills and alcohol. There is a haunting feeling to this family and the plains in Oklahoma are said to get in your head and create a haunting feeling.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Resources and Links

The following links and resources are beneficial for the production team:

August:Osage County

· The official site for August: Osage County this contains reviews, behind the scene photos, television interview and productions photos. There also is a great game called “Pill Raid” and you try to find where Violet hides around the house. I feel this game gives a humorous approach to her addiction and also a feel for the pace of the play. http://www.augustonbroadway.com/

Steppenwolf Theatre

· The official site for Steppenwolf Theatre. This is where August: Osage County was developed into a play and where it made its debut. This also provides you with more information about the author Tracy Letts with more interviews and insights of the play. http://www.steppenwolf.org/

Pawhuska Chamber of Commerce

· The official for the Pawhuska Chamber of Commerce provides a wealth of information about the lifestyle, climate, and community events. This allows one to get a glimpse of life there. I would highly suggest this since most people have never visited nor intended to. http://www.pawhuskachamber.com/

Dysfuntional Families

· Dysfunctional Families, this is a great site to learn about growing up in a dysfunctional family the different types of dysfunction. The roles the children and adults take on in this environment and how it makes an impact on the choices people make. The Weston’s are bit dysfunctional and this can shed light on the different components during the play since the author does not give us too much in the script. www.mudrashram.com/dysfunctionalfamily2.html

Wikipedia-The Hollow Men

· The Hollow Men on Wikipedia’s site it gives a background to the poem and other links. This is so important to the production team because the tone of this play has to be based on this poem. There are too many references and an underlying tone exist in this play and by making everyone familiar with this poem can also give reason to the tone and action. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hollow_Men

Saturday, August 2, 2008

"The Hollow Men" vs "The Hollow Westons"

In August Osage County Beverly and Violet quote verses from “The Hollow Men” by T.S. Eliot. It would be necessary for the two cast members to read and understand the history of the poem. The whole cast should read the poem aloud and discuss the relevance of their life to what Eliot is conveying in this poem. There is such a sense of despair in this piece of work. The first stanza evokes images of the straw man in the Wizard of Oz, desperately seeking a brain, not realizing just how dangerous, and useless, a brain might be.http://www.lorenwebster.net/ The stanzas in the poem have also been association with people whispering meaningless phrases and because they don’t have a brain or do they think too much and have too little faith? Those who have died in the poem if they look back perhaps might see them lacking the passion to live. The narrator in the poem seems to be reaching for death as is Beverly. They long for a peaceful death away from voices. Violet is at times nothing but a loud voice and is driven out of fear from living. The stanza “Here we go round the prickly pear” is a substitution of a cactus for the mulberry bush suggest that the upcoming activities are as dry as desert. This is how Beverly ends the prologue and sets the stage for the next three act in the play. There are references to The Lord’s Prayer in “The Hollow Men” and Charlie stammers his way through this as he blesses the food before the family eats after the funeral. The last line “This is the way the world end? Not with a bang but a whimper” is said to suggest man’s inability to confront life. The whole Weston is afraid to confront life at various levels and this is what causes the dysfunction in their lives. Almost ironic of how one envisions the life of an artist. There is a specific reason Letts chose this poem and each cast member should read and draw an analogy with their character and why they are afraid to live life or what they are hiding from.