8/12/2019 Summary (Director) - August Osage County

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Ben DeaneAugust: Osage County

Written by Tracy Letts

Cast: 13 Named Characters - 5 Men, 8 Women (Sheriff Deon could be doubled bySteve or Charles)

Special Considerations: Native-American actress.

Synopsis:

The play takes place in Osage County, Oklahoma in August, over the space of a fewweeks. The plot revolves around the disappearance of Beverly Weston, and the reaction(and subsequent disintegration) of his family in his absence. Living with him were hiswife Violet, who has a serious drug problem, and is often high and absent-minded,

along with one of their daughters Ivy, and a newly-hired Native-American housekeepercalled Johnna. When Beverly goes missing, his other daughter Barbara comes to town,along with her husband (separated/divorced) Bill and their teenage daughter Jean. Billhas left Barbara for one of his college students. Also visiting are Violets sister Mattie-Fae, and her husband Charlie. As Jean and Johnna grow close, the Sheriff Deon comesto the house, telling them Beverlys body has been found in a nearby lake (suicide). Thenext Act takes place after Beverlys funeral. Karen and her fianc Steve are now here.Little Charles (Mattie Fae and Charlies son) eventually shows up, and it is revealed thathe is in a relationship with Ivy. As everyone settles down for dinner, Violet comesdownstairs in a heavily drug-induced state. She starts aggravating Barbara, whoengages in a physical fight with her mother, before subsequently ordering a pill-raid on

the house and declaring herself in charge of things now. The third Act begins with Ivytelling her sisters about her relationship with Charles, and that they are planning onrunning away to New York. Barbara then finds out from Mattie-Fae that Charles isactually Beverlys son, making him and Ivy half-siblings. This is the reason for her dislikeof Charles. Later, Steve attempts to molest Jean, and Johnna begins attacking him, dueto her earlier established closeness with Jean. Karen is furious at everyone for gangingup on Steve, and tells herself that he is good for her, deciding to leave with him and goto Belize (her dream). Bill takes Jean home with him, refusing to stay with Barbara anylonger. Later, Ivy tries to tell her mother of her relationship with Charles, while Barbaratries to stop it. However, Violet surprises them both by revealing she always knew thatCharles was Beverlys illegitimate child. Ivy is upset but decides to go with himanyways, leaving Violet behind. Barbara and Violet have another argument, which leadsto Barbara leaving, due to the fact that Violet had an idea that Beverly was planning onkilling himself. In the end, Violet has gone too far with her drugs, and is left with onlyJohnna in the house, who is hired to stay there.

The Essential Beauty: One has to work hard at family, but it is as important to knowwhen to quit and leave them behind, when they are beyond helping and holding oneback.

8/12/2019 Summary (Director) - August Osage County

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Metaphor for the Production:

Little Bird - Imogen Heap (song)Hiding something. Trying to hard. A family wiped up, J cloth cleaned.

Unsaid festers in the throws of the sofa...

Little bird, how are you feeling? Like Ive been quarantined...we smell rats in the kitchen...little bird where have you gone?

The song is Violets shattered mind in her drug-induced state. The little bird is Barbara.