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The Fun Part

Posted by Martha Lavey on 12/08/2008

I was fortunate to be able to make the trip to London to see the opening of our production of August: Osage County. August opened at the Royal National Theatre on Wednesday, 26 November in the Lyttelton Theatre. (The Lyttelton is one of the three theaters of the National, a 900-seat proscenium theater). Our production of The Grapes of Wrath played in the Lyttelton Theatre twenty years ago and like The Grapes of Wrath, August opened to glorious reviews in the British press. In both cases, Steppenwolf was able to bring a big American play to the National, animated by our ensemble actors and directed by a Steppenwolf artist. David Hawkanson, our Executive Director, and I felt tremendous pride to represent our theater with August: Osage County to British audiences.

You know the fun part? Coming back to Chicago and watching the final run-through in the rehearsal room of The Seafarer on Friday. Reading the show reports for Dublin Carol, playing in our Upstairs Theatre. Continuing our season-planning for next season. The fun part is that our theater continues to do its work for our Chicago audiences. We are thrilled to have our work received by a larger audience–in New York, in London. But the best part is that we have all of you here, at home, watching plays in your theater and continuing to encourage and support the on-going life of Steppenwolf. Many thanks for that.

Feel free to post a hello to our folks in London. We’ll make sure they get them.

This entry was posted by Martha Lavey on Monday, December 8th, 2008 at 6:48 am and is filed under August: Osage County, The Seafarer, Dublin Carol. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

3 Responses to “The Fun Part”

  1. Patrick Schley Says:
    December 8th, 2008 at 8:07 am

    I was in London this past week and saw the show… what a thrilling performance. It was my first time seeing it and I was absolutely floored by the quality of the production as a whole– writing, acting, design.

    So funny to think that a year and a half ago I could have walked a few blocks south of where I live to see it, but instead I traveled 4000 miles!

    –Patrick Schley
    BFA Theatre Management Student
    The Theatre School at DePaul University

  2. Marja Wilkens Says:
    December 8th, 2008 at 11:56 am

    Unlike Patrick before me I had to fly 4000 miles a year and a half ago to catch ‘August’ in it’s original run in Chicago!, so I for one am very happy that on occasion Steppenwolf travels because now I can see it again a bit closer to home.

    I’ve heard the show has changed quite a bit since the first previews in Chicago so in London I’ll sit back and let myself be surprised all over again. I was already floored by the first preview in Chicago, can’t wait to see it again on dec 31st.

    Congrats to all involved with the London production on the great reviews!

    -Marja Wilkens
    The Netherlands

  3. Jolanda van Huizen Says:
    December 8th, 2008 at 1:49 pm

    Usually I catch a play at Step once a year. I was hoping to catch August this year but unfortunately wasn’t able to. I’m so happy it’s now running at London, only a 1 hour flight away.
    I’m going to see them on the 20th and I’m really looking forward to it.

    Marja, good to see another Dutchie posting in here, thought I was the only one in this country who knows Step :)

    Jolanda

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