August: Osage County

After we got back from California, I was anxious not to miss this much-acclaimed Steppenwolf production, which is due to have a limited run in New York this fall. When I called Steppenwolf for tickets, though, I found that they were sold out. I asked whether 20 for 20 remained in operation for sold-out shows. The answer was affirmative.

So Victor and I stood in line outside Steppenwolf along with a few dozen other people at around 10:30 in the morning, waiting for the box office to open. A staffer came by a few times to offer the odd full-price ticket that had just become available, but most of us elected to take our chances and try to get the $20 tix. As it turned out, V and I scored the last two tix available for the matinée show, and felt very lucky.

The play was rightly praised, being full of sharp writing and excellent performances. Much in the tradition of vicious family plays, such as Hellman's Little Foxes, though I heard or saw author Tracy Letts say somewhere that he had not read it. My opinion of him was rather lowered as a result. (Something like a filmmaker saying he'd never seen Citizen Kane.)

Not that my opinion of the narrowness of Tracy Letts' reading matters a damn. It's a good play, and I wish it the best on Broadway in October.

Filed in: Theater