Providence Players present ‘August: Osage County’
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| Providence Players in rehearsal for “August: Osage County”: Beth Gilles Whitehead as Barbara Fordham and Clint Bagwell as Bill Fordham. [Chip Gertzog/Providence Players] |
By David Siegel
“August: Osage County,” a play with plenty of wit and toughness and
winner of the Pulitzer Prize and multiple Tony Awards, opens tomorrow at the
James Lee Community Center in Falls Church.
winner of the Pulitzer Prize and multiple Tony Awards, opens tomorrow at the
James Lee Community Center in Falls Church.
This may be one of the best American plays of our time, says David
Whitehead, a member of the board of Providence Players of Fairfax. “Its
portrayal of the collapse of the nuclear family brings to the fore societal
changes that have happened over time and across cultures.”
Whitehead, a member of the board of Providence Players of Fairfax. “Its
portrayal of the collapse of the nuclear family brings to the fore societal
changes that have happened over time and across cultures.”
Written by Tracy Letts, “August: Osage County” centers on a missing
father, a mother with a pill habit, and three sisters with their own share of
little secrets. When the larger family has to unexpectedly reunite after Dad
disappears, their Oklahoma family homestead becomes a place full of tumult and
unsettling mysteries with plenty of scathingly acidic and uproarious dialogue.
The play is about “a family and all of the complex relationships and
secrets that lurk beneath told with a sense of dark humor,” says director
Michael Donahue. “I love to direct theatrically challenging and complex plays …
to bring to life these characters with all of their flaws so that the audience
will have empathy for these people while laughing at the dark humor.”
secrets that lurk beneath told with a sense of dark humor,” says director
Michael Donahue. “I love to direct theatrically challenging and complex plays …
to bring to life these characters with all of their flaws so that the audience
will have empathy for these people while laughing at the dark humor.”
The cast includes seasoned members of Providence Players members along
with new talent.
with new talent.
“We all know a family, group of people that are what we consider a
‘train wreck,’ but we fail to realize that those train wrecks are fully
functioning families with ups and downs, with good and bad times, just like
everyone else,” says David S. Rawlings who plays Steve Heidebrecht.
‘train wreck,’ but we fail to realize that those train wrecks are fully
functioning families with ups and downs, with good and bad times, just like
everyone else,” says David S. Rawlings who plays Steve Heidebrecht.
“I wanted the opportunity to dig deep and find the crevices of my
character, Barbara Fordham, the joys, the struggles, the pain, what twists and
turns she emotionally encounters and how she prevails,” says Beth Gilles
Whitehead.
character, Barbara Fordham, the joys, the struggles, the pain, what twists and
turns she emotionally encounters and how she prevails,” says Beth Gilles
Whitehead.
“This show will engage you. You will see your own family in many
ways, and in many other ways, you will be grateful to note the differences! You
will be thoroughly entertained,” says Mary Zuzik Andrechik who plays Karen
Weston.
ways, and in many other ways, you will be grateful to note the differences! You
will be thoroughly entertained,” says Mary Zuzik Andrechik who plays Karen
Weston.
Where and when: Providence Players presents “August: Osage County”
at the James Lee Community Center Theater, 2855 Annandale Road, Falls Church.
Performances run from March 29 to April 13 – Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays
at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees March 31 and April 7 at 2 p.m. Tickets: General
admission $20, seniors (62+) and students $17. All seating reserved. Order tickets online or call
703-425-6782.
at the James Lee Community Center Theater, 2855 Annandale Road, Falls Church.
Performances run from March 29 to April 13 – Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays
at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees March 31 and April 7 at 2 p.m. Tickets: General
admission $20, seniors (62+) and students $17. All seating reserved. Order tickets online or call
703-425-6782.
This article is based on a piece by David Siegel in The Connection Newspapers.
One response to “Providence Players present ‘August: Osage County’”
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A fabulous show which grabs you from the start!