That’s What Ensembles Do
Posted by Deanna Dunagan on 8/22/2007
Yesterday, during Act III of the final performance of the seventh week of eight show weeks, Amy Morton stumbled on a line. She foreshadowed her next line by saying, “She smuggled Darvocet into the psych ward…in her coo–vagina.” After the usual big laugh, Sally Murphy, realizing the following joke, as written, was blown, responded “Did you almost say cooch?” Huge laugh. More laughter. Hilarity.
Meanwhile, sitting up on the second floor platform staring out the window, I remembered waiting backstage during Act I telling our teenager, Fawn Johnstin, playing my granddaughter, how Amy had saved me in an earlier scene when I had flubbed several lines. As if speaking from years of experience, she replied, “That’s what ensembles do. It’s give and take.”
There has been a lot of praise for the ensemble of this play, and not only in the press. Friends have written letters and e-mails, and left messages praising the work as “honest, real and raw,” “shocking because it was so beautiful and real,” “an amazing ride,” “electrifying.” After Alan Alda (yes, Alan Alda) saw the show, he told me, “You were all so simple. It makes me want to re-examine my own work.”
People say that this play reminds them of the early shows of the Steppenwolf ensemble. Among others, Margie Marcus wrote us a letter saying, “It took me back to the good ole days of Steppenwolf doing what they did and have always done best.”
Yes, this is a real Steppenwolf play. It was written by an ensemble member and of the thirteen cast members, eight are Steppenwolf ensemble members, one (Jeff Perry) a co-founder. Of the remaining five, Troy West and I have known many of the other cast members since the 80’s, Troy having appeared in seven previous Steppenwolf shows and I in six. And Dennis Letts, the patriarch of the Weston family, is the playwright’s father. So we’re talking about real family here.
So many people have commented on how they recognized their own family members embodied on stage by the Weston family. After my sister Kathy saw the show, she told me that it was as if the audience itself was part of that family. Indeed, the audible audience response — the sighs, exclamations of shock, suprise, or disbelief, as well as the knowing laughter — become part of the play. We, the actors, react to that response, adjust our timing, our volume, even our line readings to acknowledge the participation of the audience. So in a sense the audience becomes part of our ensemble, and so part of our family. What we have experienced together will live on not only in our memories, but in our conversations, like family stories handed down from one generation to the next.
Without being too grand, I think this family that we have helped bring to life will become part of the American consciousness. My friend, Raymond Fox, sent me an e-mail saying, “It’s the only time I’ve been in the audience of a new work and felt absolutely certain it would continue to be performed and discussed long, long after we are all gon from this earth.”
August 22nd, 2007 at 1:31 pm
i totally agree with Raymond.
and yes to family.
yes yes YES!
(and thank you)
August 22nd, 2007 at 1:58 pm
Dear Ms. Dunagan,
I was thrilled to hear that you and the cast will be moving to New York this fall. I am a huge Tracy Letts fan, living in California, and saw Bug twice in NYC and Killer Joe here at the Magic Theatre. As soon as I read that “August” was scheduled I bought my plane tickets. I have to go early, while you are still in preview, but I’m sure that won’t make much difference since you are only changing locations.
I have just one question: You talk about the ensemble/audience chemistry, and how that shapes performances. I often see a play that I love twice, first to let it wash over me, second to watch how the magic happens and understand the play better. I would do that for sure with August if I lived in New York, but I only have a few days.
So, the question is: Do you think that if I saw the play two nights in a row it would be too much? I am sure that I’ll be able to get tickets Oct. 8 or 9 since I’m watching the box office every day to be first in line. If you have found that there is a nightly difference in how it all jells, I’ll do it.
Hope the question isn’t unfair–but your enthusiasm made me feel you’d be able to answer.
Thank you,
Meg Zweiback
August 24th, 2007 at 3:30 pm
PLEASE take the show to London next year… On my yearly US trip I really wanted to see the Diary Of Anne Frank and I couldn’t stay long enough to catch August: Osage County a couple of weeks later so I’m crossing my fingers you’re gonna make it to Europe next year.
Jolanda
August 26th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
Just read Chris Jones’ article in Sunday Tribune. I whooped and hollered at family members. Some were upstairs, some where downstairs, some in the kitchen. From my family to yours - knock ‘em dead on Broadway! Break a leg.
Smashingly,
Renee Mumford
August 27th, 2007 at 11:45 am
I think you might really enjoy seeing the play twice in a row — if you have
the stamina to sit that long for two consecutive nights. Each performance is
different, as I mention in my posting. You will also probably find yourself
zeroing in on different actors from one night to the next. HOWEVER, we will
not begin previews in New York until October 30, so I hope you can exchange your plane tickets!
August 29th, 2007 at 3:13 pm
Dear Ms. Dunagan,
Fortunately my dates were muddled–I meant November 8 and 9 and I will definitely be there for both performances. I saw Coast of Utopia in the marathon and then a week later over two days, so I know that when theatre is wonderful the stamina is there.
Best,
Meg
November 7th, 2007 at 1:00 am
Dear Ms Dunagan,
Just caught the Tuesday night preview (Nov/6).I know you and your fellow thespians haven’t officially opened in New York yet,but you have to start thinking right now about taking this production to London.A West End producer was sitting across the aisle from me and I know he’s more than keen to bring this production to the London stage.Tracy Letts is well known in my home city but nothing he has written before compares with August:Osage County.It’s a work of art and that art works because of a sublime ensemble.You must all go with it.Soon!Congratulations.
Baz Bamigboye,London,UK.
November 9th, 2007 at 1:02 am
Dear Ms Dunagan,
I saw the play tonight (Thursday) and loved every moment–And I did get a ticket for tomorrow night, too, so that I can appreciate you all again. Thanks so much for making theatre that matters–I sat next to a Steppenwolf subscriber who hadn’t been able to see the play in Chicago so came to New York to catch your performances, She was so proud of all of you and your ongoing work together.
I hope that you will all get to see Rock ‘n’ Roll, which is an equally enthralling family dissection in its own way–I saw that Tuesday and Wednesday, and will leave New York on Saturday feeling as if I’ve had the best of the best.
Meg Zweiback
Oakland, CA