AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY sy TRACY LETTSAUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY premiered in June 2007 at Theatre Company (Martha Lavey, Aristic Directors David Hawkanson, Executive Director) in Chicago lies. Ie was directed by Anna D. Shapiro; che we design was by Todd Rosenthal, the costume design was by Ana Kazmank the Fighting design was Aas ania ee ‘original music was by David Singer the fight choreography was mrodecouisaetgeaipenatecieteerte Edward Sobel the dialect cosch was Cecile O'Reilly: the sage manager was Deb Soyer; and che assieane stage manager was Michelle Medvin. The cast was a follows BEVERLY WESTON, .- Dennis Lens VIOLET WESTON ‘Deanna Dunagan BARBARA FORD! vane Amy Metta BILL FORDHAM ven JF Perry JEAN FORDHAM... ‘Fawn Johnstin IWY WESTON ...- “= Sally Murphy KAREN WESTON, ina Mayberry ‘MATTIE FAE AIKEN CHARLIE AIKEN ... LITTLE CHARLES AIKEN JOHNNA MONENATA .. ‘STEVE HEIDEBRECHT.,. SHERIFF DEON GILBEAL » Rick Snyder Troy West ‘The Steppenwolf production of AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY ‘opened on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre on December 4, 2007. Iewas produced by Jeffrey Richards, Jean Doumanian, Steve “Traxes, Jery Frankel, Osar Productions, Jennifer Manccherian, ‘The Weinstsin Company, Debra Black/Daryl Roch, Ronald 6 Mare Frankel/Barbava Freitag, and Rick Seciner/Seaton Bell Group. "The case and artic team were the tame, excepe for the following changes: addiional cating was provided by Stuart Howard, Amy Schecter and Paul Hardt. The casting changes were as follows JEAN FORDHAM ‘STEVE HEIDEBRECHT Madeline Martin Brian Kerwin(CHARACTERS ‘THE WESTON FAMILY: BEVERLY WESTON, sixty-nine yeas old VIOLET WESTON, evs wif, sixty-five years old ‘BARBARA FORDHAM, Bev and Viet daughes, forse years old BILL FORDHAM, her husband, forty-nine years old JEAN FORDHAM, their daughter, fourteen years old IVY WESTON, Ber and Violet's daughter, forty-four years old KAREN WESTON, Bev and Viclet daughter forty years old ‘MATTIE FAY AIKEN, Violet’ sists, fifty-seven years old (CHARLIE AIKEN, Matte Fay husband, sixty years old LITTLE CHARLES AIKEN, their son, thiny-seven year old OTHERS: JOHNNA MONEVATA, housekeeper, wwenty-sx years old ‘STEVE HEIDEBRECHT, Karers fiancé, fifty years old ‘SHERIFF DEON GILBEAU, forty-seven years old PLACE A large country home outside Pawhuska, Oklahoma, sixty miles ‘northwest of Tul TIME Aue 2007,AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY PROLOGUE A rambling country bows oxtride Pawirusha, Oklahoma, sixty ‘miles norusst of Tulsa. More than a century old the howe twas probably buile by a clan of succes Irith homesteaden. ‘Additions, renovtions and repairs have esentialy modernized ‘the house until 1972 ors, when all sructurdl care ceased. Tels ae The three main playing areas are spar Sage igi, the dining rtm. The Mision sable eas ight: the matching sideboard holds she fine china A tatty onptaltired chandelier bangs over the table and casts a ghomy yellow light. An archway upitage leads to a sting room. A rotaryedial tdephone rows on a small side table, beside an uphotsered char, Further upstage, & deoruay leads ‘oa halves off conte the living room. Hide-abed, TV, bi.ft turntable Wurlitzer electri: piano, Left the study A mitted desk i pied vith books, legal pedi, manila folder, notepaper. An archway upstage leads to ‘the host front doer, landing, and a stairway 1 the second “floor. Buches upstage, a dovrcay opens onto partial view of ‘he kitchen. Fer loft. the front porch. srewn with dead gras and 2 foo relled up smal-coura newspapers. The Second Foor: ‘The stainvay arrives at a landing (above the siting room on 9the fis floor). A ewioned window sat, a ballcy leading to the bedrvoms, off: and another stairway leading to. The Atte: A single chamber, center, with peaked roof and daned wal, inexpensively modeled into a bedroom. ‘The house isfilled with books Al the windowsin the house have ‘een covered with cheap plstic shades Black duct tape seas te edge of the shade, effecting a complete absence of vutide ight, At rive: Lit dimly by his desk lamp, Beserly Weston, drunk, tures a has of whisky as he nerves” Jobnna Meena, ‘hes given credit fr it because he both- cred to write ie down. Hes not the firs person to say it... certainly not che fist person wo think it. Fel ie But he wrote the words on a shect of paper and signed itand the foureyed pri so if you sy it, you have to say his name after it a este eee : Absolutely goddamn right. Especially in his case, since he lived to be seventy-six or something a very long life, especial those days. And he was only in his thires when be wrote itso he ‘must've had some inside dope. Give the devil his due. Very few poets could've made it his... his al and come out on the other side, briliantined and double-breasted and Anglican. Not hard wo imagine, faced with, Elie fire wife, lovely Vi, how Hart Crane or John Berryman Volgepee O Suicidhliss. Not Eliot: following ‘of ecclesiastical he aeieceeeee mand rh bday Co fright You have amie the pty of he uv stint, ‘Berryman, che old goat: “The world is gradually becoming a freabsogtyfoclspas > oo oneal about me that Ihave a greateraffinity with the damaged. Probably lee —o sane L can VIOLET. ‘oping co sonvofearbiteh 10Pcie orale ea many. ‘+. among other things, her equilibrium. Fortunately the plls she takes eliminate her need for equilibrium. ‘So she alls when she rambk .. bt she doesnt ramble much. My wife takes pills and 1 drink. That’ the bargain we've struck ... one of che bargains, just onc paragraph of our mariage contract. crud coverant. She takes pills and I drink. 1 done drink because she takes pill. As to whether she takes pills because dlink ...Teamed long ago not to speak for my wile. The reasons ‘why we partake are anymore inconsequential. The facts are: My wife rakes pillsand I drink. And these facts have over time made but- dlersome the maintenance of tational American routine: paying of bills purchase of goods, cleaning of clothes or carpets of rappers, Ratherthan once more assume the martle of guilt... vow abstinence with my Finges crossed in the query hope of righting ou sip, I've chesen to run my life over toa Higher Power... (iss bis glass) «and join the ranks of che Hiring Chis fs noc a decision with which I'm entirely comfortable. 1 know how co launder my ditty undies... done ial my life. me oc my wife, but T'm finding ies getting in the way of my deinkin "Soong as een el fr tbvity bur ory de” Berga again.) And now you are here. “The place isin such bad shape, not yet. ve done all I've managed. And just last night, I burned an awful loc of debris... ‘iknow ... simple uty bill can mean so much co living enon. Once they've passed, though ... afcr they've passed, the words and numbers just seem like ... otherworldly symbole, Tes ‘only paper. Worse. Worse than blank papex. (oma wipes sueat from her brows Beverly tates «folded handlerchief rom his pocket and ‘hands it tober) This is dean JOHNNA. (Wiping her foreberd.) Thank you. BEVERLY. Japp forthe tmperstc in he: My wie cold-blooded and not justia the metaphorieal sense: She doesnot believe in air-conditioning ... as iit & a thing wo be dicelieved. JOHNNA. My daddy was the same way. Vn used to it BEVERLY. I knew Me. Youngbind, you know. JOHNNA. You knew Daddy? BEVERLY. Small town. Bought many a watermelon from his fruit seand. Some summers he sold fireworks 190, right? uJOHNNA. Yes, siz. BEVERLY. I bought Roman candles for my children. He did pass. didnt he JOHNNA. Yes sit BEVERLY, May Task how? JOHNNA. He hal a hesre stack. Fell imo 3 farbed trick Fall of wine grapes BEVERLY. Wine grapes. In Oklahoma, Tm sory. JOHNNA. Thank you. (He finishes his drink, pours another) BEVERLY. Mey I ask about che name? JOHNNA. Hm? BEVERLY. He was Youngbied and you are. JOHNNA. Monevats BEVERLY. “Monevata.” JOHNNA. I vent back w the orginal language BEVERLY. And doesie mean “young bird"? JOHNNA. Yes BEVERLY. And taking the name, that wes your choice? JOHINNA. Mavhm, BEVERLY. (Raizng his glass) Cheers. (Vale cal from afftage.) VIOLET. (Ofuage) Bew...? BEVERLY. (a hime’) By night wichin thar ancient house Immense, black, damned, anonymous. (Lighns up, dims, on the seconde floor landing. Just ou of ed, wear- ing wrinkled ebes, smoking a Wiser, Vielet sguints dewn the darkened seirway) VIOLET. Be! BEVERLY. Yes? VIOLET, Did you pullish...2 BEVERLY. What? VIOLET. Did you ... (Long pauce. Violet sara, waiting for an answer. Beverly mars, waiting for her to complae ber quesion) BEVERLY, What, dear? VIOLET. ‘Oh, goddamn BEVERLY. No. VIOLET. Is this a window? Am I looking through window? A window? BEVERLY. Can you come here? (Violet considers then clomps dwn ‘the stairs ins the study nnpussed by Joba.) I You. Are he police here? 2VIOLET, Oh. (Wagueh) Hello, JOHNNA. Hello. VIOLET. (Ta Reve didnt know you wer entetaaaaaining. BEVERL, This is John, the young woman I old you about. VIOLET. You're tell mea woman, BEVERLY. Pandos? VIOLET. A woman. Wo-man. Whoa-man. BEVERLY, Yes, dea, che young woman Tim hiring.‘To watch the place. VIOLET, Ob! Youre hiring womens now the thing | thought you meant the other woman, BEVERLY. What other woman? VIOLET. (Pawe: then, wey.) Hah?! BEVERLY. [hope co hire her o cook and dean and take you to the dlnicand to the — ee steal AHO YIOUET Cempingw rari) nin vi action «.- your particulars ways of speakcking, I chought you Gaeent You bad though a whoc-ste tn be FERED! BEVERLY. I dont understand you. VIOLET. (Suddenly winsome, to Johnna.) Fillo. JOHNNA. Helo, VIOLET, Tim sorry. (Curtis) Like this. JOHNNA. Yes, mam. VIOLET. Ym Violet. Wha’ your same? JOHNNA. Johnna. VIOLET, You're very prey: JOHNNA. Thank yo. VIOLET, Are you an Indian? JOHNNA. Yes, miam. VIOLET. What kind? JOHNNA. Cheyeane ‘VIOLET. Do you think I'm prety? JOLINNA. Yes, mam. VIOLET. (Curses again.) Like .o. chisd (Curties again.) Like this... (Curses lower soumbles, catches herself) BEVERLY, Careful. VIOLET. (Gill 0 fobuna.) You'e the house nov. Tim sorry L.-T took some medicine for my muss... mascala BEVERLY, Why dont: you go back to bed, sweetheart? VIOLET. ‘Why dont you go fuck 2 fucking sows asst 13BEVERLY, All ight. VIOLET. (7o Joba) I'ma sorry. Il be sickly sweet. Fm sooo0a- 000000 sweet. In-el-abrially sweet. (She subs out her cigarete on Bere deka eae fhnna wife might say bing ces then suddenly ie.) BEVERLY, Tchinkel mentioned on the phone tha: Dr, Barke ree. ‘ommended you, He feels youre qualified to handle the needs of ‘our household. JOHNNA. [have a year rowan! my nursing cerficate at Tuba ‘Comuntunity College, bat Lhad to drop out whea Daddy died. And sew my mom and grandma through bad mes BEVERLY. Dr. Burke says youve been serugging for work, JOHNNA. Ive been deaning houses and babysiting. BEVERLY. He did tell you we wanted alive JOHNNA. Yes, se BEVERLY. We keep unusual hours here. Try not co differentiate bbeewecn night and day. I doube youll be able vo maintain any sort of t healthy routine JOHNNA 1 ned ine wrk BEVERLY. The work its. prety mundane. | myself requice very litle pesonal atenion. Tive without fn fc, sor of & hhuman cactus. My wif¢has been diagnosed with a touch of cancer, 30 shell need to be driven to Tala forher final chemotherapy eat. ments. You're welcome to we that American-made behemoth parked in the carport. Youre welcome to make wse of anything, ‘everything, al this parbage we've acquired, our life's work. Ifyou going co live here, Fwant you to live here. You understand? JOHINNA. Yes, si BEVERLY. Plewe call me Beverly. Do you have any questions? JOHNNA. What kind of cancer! BEVERLY di a7? My God, 1 nay ngested che punch ine: mouth cancer. JOHNNA. What pls does she ake? BEVERLY, Valium. Vicodin. Darvon, Darvocet. Pereodan, Percocet. Xanax for fan. OxyContin in «pinch. Some Black Mollie once, just, to make sure | was sill paying attention. And of course Dilaudid. 1 shouldat foget Dilaudid. (Beverly studies her. Fics his drink.) My wife, Violet. Violet, my wife, doesnt believe she needs treatment for her habit. She has been down that road once befor, and came out of clean asa whistle... then chose for hersel this “4vealty instead Yu were about to ask why she isnt currently seeking ceat- iment. Wereit you? JOHINNA. (No, si BEVERLY. Oh, good, that relcves me. Now hold on a cond... (Bevery webbe te bis foe uateadily a much from weariness drink cals hs bnkshf) My lt fig, my banks: imple pees like finding wild onions by the side ofa toad, or requited love. (He take a book from bis bookselfand give it 0 Johnna.) JOHNNA.“IS. Biot. BEVERLY. Read oF noc. ieisnt a job requirement."Thar’sjus for your enjoyment. Fee Fice to read any of my books. ere we go round the prickly pear Triekly pear prickly pear ‘Here we go round the prickly pear ... End of Prologue ¢ 15ACT ONE. Scene 1 ‘oy Mattie Fae and Charlie are in the ving room Mattie ‘Fae drinks a sass of icotch. Charlie has the TV tuned to a buccal game, she sowud lous and he keeps an eye on che scare ashe nurses 1 bottle of ber Elsewhere in the house: Violet calls onthe telephone int sit ‘ting room: Joba cooks ana cleans inthe kichen. MATTIE FAR. Bevetlys done this before. IVY. know. MATTIE FAE. You remember he used co just take off, no eal, nothing, You remember, Charlie? CHARLIE. They're always hid trouble — MATTIE FAE. One time, this one ime he jue up and left with- ‘outa word, I fold Vi, Ussid, "You pace chat son-afa bites and have them wating for him on the font porch.” And you know always liked your futher. IVY. I know. MATTIE FAE. No, | always liked your fither, you know that Tinwoduced Vi and Bey, for Gods soe. CHARLIE. You did not introduce chem. MATTIE FAE, The hell | didnt CHARLIE. You had 2 date with him and stood him up and sent yoursister instead. MATTIE AE, Tht am iroducton. That's what an introduction is. CHARLIE, I just dont think ite accurate w say — MATTIE FAR. He was too old for me and anyway, Violed “Shrinking Violee” She couldaé mect a man on her own, CHARLIE. No one ever called ber “Shrinking Violee" — MATTIE EAE. And Charlie and your father always got on real 16‘well They sed to go on fishing trips eogether. IVY. Lknow. MATTIE FAE. But when Bevetly just took off ike that, without saying anything, without a note evens my fist cbligation was to loole afer my siter, doritcha knows CHARLIE. You dont have an obligation 10 do anything. MATTIE FAE. T have an tolook after my sister. (CHARLIE, You're no: obliged 10 ge involved in somebody ese’ marriage, MATTIE PAE. Nec any marriage, but when theyre maried w my big ster, I sure as hell do. Ivy bas sisters, she knows what I mean. old hex said, “Vi, you pack thas son-of-a-biee's bags and pat them on che front porch. You take all chose goddamn books he’ so fond of and you make a big pile in ehe font yard and you have yourself 2 bonfire. Take all his papers too, just eveything and ‘thiow icin —" CHARLIE. You don't burn s man’s books, MATTIE FAE_ Will you stop? You keep contradicting — CHARLIE, The man’ bok’ didnt do ahi. His pasesions arent responsible. MATTIE FAE. Well, she didnt do it, it doestc make any — CHARLIE. Of course she didnt doit. MATTIE FAE. Let me tell you something, Chatle Aikes: You rer fet any ideas about just up ane eng of you berer believe — ‘CHARLIE. T’m noe going anywhere — ‘MATTIE FAE. I'm saying if you di, you better belive im gonna five you about three days co gee your head straight and then is all going up ina blaze of glory. CHARLIE. T'm noe going anywhere MATTIE EAE. Ifyou did! CHARLIE. I'm next MATTIE FAE, Not that Chaulie has any books lying around. T dont think Ive ever seen Charlie read a book in my life. CHARLIE, Is thar eritcism? Does that bother your ‘MATTIE FAE. Wall | havent. What’ the las book you read? CHARLIE. Goddams it — MATTIE FAR. Just tll me the lasebook you read, CHARLIE, Bevesy wa a tacher: eather rd Boks, iin he Lupholitery basiness, people in the upholstery business — MATTIEGAE Youll me dete ok yu ead "7(CHARLIE. This gi is concerned about her daddy's wheresbouts, She doesst need eo sit here and lisen to as — ‘MATTIE PAE. I think were all concerned about Bevery. CHARLIE. Then what the hell are you needling. me for? MATTIE FAB. He came back though, you know, and they worked things Ou, and he'll come back again, I know he wil. IVY. [think this time i different MATTIE PAE. T think so coo. CHARLIE. Why? MATTIE PAE, Because buck then — CHARLIE. T'm noc asking you. (To fox) Why do you think this time is differen? TVY. Because I think back then they were ering. MATTIE FAE. (To Charli.) Which is what I was gonna say. (To ‘y) Beverly was avery complicated man. IVY. know. CHARLIE. Stop saying “was” MATTIE PAE, Well, he was. He i, very complicated. CHARLIE. Burin kindy quiee way. IVY. Kind of like Chatls. CHARLIE. Yes, like Little Charles. Exactly — MATTIE FAE. Oh, Hes nothing like Litle Charles. (CHARLIE, She justmeans in thei sorcof quiet complicated ways — ‘MATTIE FAE. Licle Charles isnt complicaed. CHARLIE. I chink — MATTIE PAB. No, Little Charles ‘unemployed. CHARLIE. He’ an obser. MATTIE FAE. All he observes is the television. CHARLIE, So you cant even see Ivys point? MATTIE FAE. No. CHARLIE. That Litle Charles and Beveiy share some kind of complication. MATTIE FAB. Honey, you have to be smar co be complicated CHARLIE. Thar our bos. Ave you saying our boy isnt smare MATTIE FAB. Yes chat’ what I'm saying, CHARLIE. Whats the mactee with you’ (To Jey) Your cousin is MATTIE FAE, 'm sweating. Are you sweating? CHARLIE, Hell, yes, Pm sweating, ib ninety degrees in here. complicated, hes just 18MATTIE FAE. Feel my back. CHARLIE. 1 dont want to feel your back. MATTIE AE, Fee it, Sweat is just dripping down my back. CHARLIE. 1 believe you. MATTIE FAR. Feel CHARLIE. No. MATTIE FAE, Come on, put your hand here — CHARLIE. Goddamn i ‘MATTIE PAE. Sweats just dripping — ‘CHARLIE, Ivy. Let me ask you something, When did this stare ‘This business with che shades, aping the shades? IVY. Thats bean a couple of years now. MATTIE FAE. My gosh ha it been that langsince we've been hese? CHARLIE. Do you know its purpose? MATTIE FAE. You cant tel fits night or day. IVY. I think that’ the purpase. CHARLIE. Wall, I don't know, but I dont think that’s healehy. MATTIE PAE. Its not. You need sunlight. CHARLIE. Do you know which onc of them decided on this? IVY. [can really ce Dad coking the iniative. CHARLIE. No, I suppose not. I don't know about you, bue I find this whole setup depressing, Yknow, a penions environment .. (Peints to tbe sterea.) And winat the hell, is that an Eric Clapron album? Vis 2 Clapton fan? (Mati Fae starts oped the tape from one of the shade.) Doni do that. MATTIE FAE, The body needs CHARLIE, Its nighttime. And this iste your place, you cane come into somebody dact home and wart changing — MATTIE FAE. Do you believe we havent been here in evo yean? (Violet enters) VIGLET. He sid they checked the hospitals but no Bevery, MATTIE FAE, This isthe highway patrlz VIOLET. No, noc the highway pavol, the sherf, che Gilbeau boy. MATTIE FAB, Gilbeau, Dent tll me C. J. Gilbesa is the sherft here now VIOLET. Nor G. |. his boy Deon. MATTIE FAE, was gonna say — VIOLET. He wen to school with the gils, Deon did, Was he in your dass, Iyy? IVY. Baibaras dass, think.MATTIE FAE. Is that right? CHARLIE. Who's this now? MATTIE FAE. CC. J. Gilbeau was a boy we grew up with. Mean litle son-of -bith, juvenile delinquent — VIOLET. His boy Deou’s the sheriff nome MATTIE PAE. C. J. was the preachers san and you know — CHARLIE. Say no more. MATTIE FAE, —and you know how they ate. VIOLET. You remember he went to the penitentiary MATTIE PAE, Yes, U remember that, for killing whac was it VIOLET. Aboxer. MATTIE FAE. Right for killing chs man’s boxer dog. VIOLET. His boy Dean’ the sheriff. I sent you thar subscription to the Pawhuska fowrnal-Cepital. Dont you read ie MATTIE PAE, No, I dont read it, VIOLET. So you Tulsabig shors could keep up with us small-town folks. MATTIE PAE, No, I dont read it VIOLET. Well, ifyou read it you'd know that his boy Deon is the sheriff here now. IVY. What hospital eli they check? VIOLET. He retled off a burch of chem. IVY. What dse did he say? VIOLET. ‘The boats missing (Pawe,) IVY. Mom? VIOLET, He sent a patolman our to the dock to check if any~ body had seen him and Beverly pontoon boat it gone- MATTIE PAE. Oh, no. VIOLET. He sti they've had a couple of boats stolen in the last lice while o he didnt think it proved anything, but he was wor- ried about it. (Volt stars 1» axend she stairs.) CHARLIE. Vi, you think there's « chance Bev loaded that boat ‘onto his trailer and took it out of there? I mean if he was going somewhere’ else MATTIE FAE. Trailers out by the shed, I sow it when we pulled up (Violet ext. ly follows ber Johnna enters ocaupied with bowse- swork, Charlie bold up bis empty becr bore) CHARLIE. ‘Scuse me, dear... could I trouble you for another beer? MATTIE FAB. Goddamn, she’ noc a wairress. CHARLIE. Tknow that. 20MATTIE FAE, ‘Then get your own beer. (Johnna cress, takes the emp.) JOHINNA. TH ger in... nd goes) MATTIE PAE, “T dont believe you. Watchia’ the baseball game and drinkin’ heers. Dorit you have any sense of what's going. on around you? This situation is fraught. CHARLIE, Am I supposed to sit here like staue? You're drink- ingwhiser