Posts Tagged ‘tracy letts’

“The Minutes” At SDT is Chilling, Timely, Darkly Comic Look at Politics, Authority, and the Meaning of History

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , on October 3, 2025| Leave a Comment »

The Minutes
by Tracy Letts
Directed by Justin Been
Stray Dog Theatre
October 1, 2025

Tawaine Noah, Nick Freed, John Reidy, Gerry Love
Photo: Stray Dog Theatre

Tracy Letts’s The Minutes is a dark comedy that gets darker minute by minute. The Pulitzer-nominated show is an incisive, even brutal critique of small-town American politics that has a lot to say for today’s audiences, especially concerning the concepts of history, tradition, and the pressure to tow the “official” line. At Stray Dog Theatre, this play has been brought to the stage under the direction of Justin Been, featuring a fantastic cast and pacing that works to tell the story in an unrelenting and riveting fashion.

The “world” of this play is fully realized onstage at SDT’s Tower Grove Abbey through means of Been’s painstakingly realistic set, bringing a small-town council chamber to life with meticulous detail. At first, I’m reminded a bit of the modern classic sitcom Parks and Recreation, which also lampoons the minutiae and particularity of small town politics, but Letts’s take in this play is a lot darker, and even–dare I say–meaner. It starts out as something familiar, and anyone who has been in a council or board meeting of any kind will find some issues with which to relate, but there’s more going on here at a City Council meeting for the town of Big Cherry. The people are familiar “types”, as well, and a degree of secrecy from the start, but the evasiveness of these seemingly harmless bureaucrats has a deeper, much more unsettling purpose that unfolds as the story plays out. I don’t want to spoil much, but I will say that it’s especially timely considering a lot of events and discussions going on in our country right now, especially considering the purpose of history, and who gets to decide what the “official story” is.

The story follows newest council member Mr. Peel (Nick Freed) as he arrives for his first meeting as a member, having missed the previous week’s meeting due to a death in the family. As Peel shows up on a stormy night in Big Cherry and the rest of the council members begin to assemble along with clerk Ms. Johnson (Rachel Hanks), Peel is made aware early on that things aren’t as he expected. Most notably, one council member that Peel seems to have been already acquainted with, Mr. Carp (Stephen Peirick), is missing, and Peel is soon told that Carp is no longer a member of the council. It’s also made relatively clear that there was a disagreement of some sort at the prior meeting, although Mayor Superba (Gerry Love) and the rest of the board are insistently evasive about what happened, even going so far as to seemingly suppress the minutes from that meeting, saying they’re not “ready” to be reviewed yet. The meeting then progresses with various topics and arguments over issues of an accessible fountain in a prominent park championed by Mr. Hanratty (Patrick Canute), Mr. Blake’s (Tawaine Noah) insistence on promoting his unconventional crowd-drawing idea for the upcoming (and revered) Big Cherry Heritage Festival. There’s also an ongoing issue of what do with some confiscated bicycles–an issue that was apparently important to Mr. Carp, as well as the evasive and increasingly aggressive Mr. Assalone (Jonathan Hey), who had apparently clashed with Carp. 

Gradually, the issue of the previous meeting keeps being brought up, as does the town’s devotion to its celebrated Heritage Festival and the folkloric story behind it, involving a locally famous 18th Century “battle”, a seemingly heroic Army sergeant, and a clash with a local Native American tribe. As the meeting goes on, the issues get more and more personal and the truth of the previous meeting is finally revealed, uncovering issues that challenge the very soul of the town and the council members, and their vision of the past and how that shapes their goals for the town and hopes for the future. It also presents a dilemma for Peel, who is essentially the stand-in for the audience. 

The script is at turns humorous, witty, sharp, challenging, and has occasional forays into sheer horror, especially at the end, in a change of tone that, while effective, strikes me as a bit “too much”, to the point of potentially distracting from the point the show is trying to make. Still, it’s all acted and staged remarkably well, with riveting performances from all involved, especially standouts Freed as initially idealistic newbie Peel, Peirick as  the passionate, insistent Carp, Hey as the increasingly shady Assalone, Love as the initially affable but somewhat cryptic Mayor, and Hanks as Ms. Johnson, whose sing-song voice and insistently upbeat tone seems to battle with an also obvious sense of resignation. There are also strong performances from the rest of the ensemble, including the aforementioned Reidy, Canute, and Noah, along with Jan Niehoff as the forgetful Ms. Matz, Will Shaw as the board’s senior Member, Mr. Oldfield, and Lavonne Byers as the second most-senior member, Ms. Innes. The interplay and energy between the performers lends a lot to the sense of tension, along with with the humor, drama, and unfolding suspense. 

The excellent set also works as something of a character in the show, aided by fantastically tuned lighting and sound effects by Tyler Duenow and Been, respectively. There’s also a chillingly effective use of music to underscore the action. Colleen Michelson’s costumes are also memorable, crafted with detail to fit the personalities and quirks of the individual characters while also fitting in with the overall “small town” vibe. 

The message of The Minutes is profound and important while also being surprisingly of-the-moment. Small-town politics as well as overall attitudes toward authority and the meaning of history and controlling narratives, are all effectively brought up here in an increasingly brutal satirical manner. There’s a lot to think and talk about here, and SDT has brought this story to the stage with energy, emotion, and theatrical expertise. 

Cast of The Minutes
Photo: Stray Dog Theatre

Stray Dog Theatre is presenting The Minutes at Tower Grove Abbey until October 18, 2025

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Outstanding Performances, Raw Emotion Highlight the Rep’s Intense “August”

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , on March 27, 2024| Leave a Comment »

August: Osage County
by Tracy Letts
Directed by Amelia Acosta Powell
Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
March 22, 2024

Claire Karpen, Yvonne Woods, Henny Russell, Ellen McLaughlin
Photo by Jon Gitchoff
Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

The Pulitzer Prize-winning caustic comedy-drama August: Osage County is the latest offering from the Rep, and it’s a stunning one. Already a well-known play, this intense portrait of a dysfunctional family in crisis is full of biting humor, over-the-top emotions, and deep tragedy, all brought to the staging with crisp pacing and excellent direction by Amelia Acosta Powell, and featuring a truly stellar cast with no weak links. It also features some truly dazzling production values, including a house you may even want to live in.

This is a story a lot of people can relate to, I think, because all families have their drama and tensions, even if they are not necessarily as extreme as those of the Westons, the large, frequently contentious Oklahoma family featured in this story. As the play begins, celebrated poet and aging patriarch Beverly Weston (Joneal Joplin) is explaining his situation to Johnna (Shyla Lefner), a young, even-tempered Cheyenne woman that he is hiring to be the family housekeeper and caretaker, against the wishes of his ailing and volatile wife, Violet (Ellen McLaughlin), who is suffering from mouth cancer and is also addicted to various painkillers. Soon, Beverly goes missing, and the family is forced to come together, including their three adult daughters, including the eldest, Barbara (Henny Russell), who travels from Colorado with her professor husband, Bill (Michael James Reed) and moody teenage daughter, Jean (Isa Venere). Middle daughter Ivy (Claire Karpen) lives locally but feels neglected and demeaned by her caustic mother, and youngest daughter Karen (Yvonne Woods) shows up later along with her creepy fiancé, Steve (Brian Slaten), seemingly ignoring his increasingly suspicious behavior. Also in the mix are Violet’s opinionated sister, Mattie Fae (Astrid Van Wieren) and her affable husband, Charlie (Alan Knoll), along with their son Little Charles (Sean Wiberg), who is constantly berated and belittled by his mother. The local sheriff, Deon (David Wassilak) is leading the search for Beverly, and brings back memories for former high school prom date Barbara. What ensues is a tale of remembrance, regret, dysfunctional relationships, crushed hopes and dreams, substance abuse, and occasional violence and inappropriate behavior on a multitude of levels. 

Very few of the characters are truly likable, but some are more sympathetic than others, and anyone who has had family drama will likely find something to relate to. What rings the most true in this production is the relationship between the three very different adult sisters, and their love-hate relationship with their often sharp-tongued mother. There’s also a believable build-up of tension as the family assembles and attempts to have a formal dinner, with many harsh revelations to follow. The pacing is brisk, even for this especially long play, so that there are no dull moments, and the cast is energetic with impressive cohesion and sometimes combative chemistry.

McLaughlin as Violet gives a powerhouse performance, making this difficult character compelling even as she is unapologetically vicious and caustic. Still, the depth is there, as with most of the characterizations here. Nothing is too over-the-top, even with a larger-than-life character like Violet, and with the also excellent Russell as Barbara, who finds herself matching wits with Violet and holding her own. There are also strong turns form Karpen as the often-overlooked Ivy, and Woods as the somewhat clueless, defensive Karen. Venere as the sometimes surly Jean, and Reed as the exasperated Bill are also impressive, as are Van Wieren and Knoll as the somewhat mismatched Mattie Fae and Charlie, along with Wiberg as the browbeaten but well-meaning Little Charles. Slaten, as the sleazy Steve, and Wassilak, as the helpful Deon, round out the superlative cast that brings every bit of energy and emotion to this intensely dramatic and sometimes wickedly funny script.

In a technical sense, the Rep always has great production values, but they take them to the next level this time, with a set by Regina Garcia that represents a large, well-furnished house to the point where it seems invitingly real. There’s also excellent, detailed costuming by Sonia Álvarez that suits the characters well in keeping with the setting and tone of the show. The lighting by Xavier Pierce and sound by Amanda Werre, along with  music composed by Avi Amon, also adds to the overall atmosphere of the play.

This is a highly emotional, precisely directed, superbly acted production of August: Osage County that makes the most of its three-and-a-half hour running time. With some unsettling and difficult subject matter, it’s not for all ages, but it’s a challenging and remarkable work of theatre. In terms of sheer dramatic quality, it’s the Rep at its best.

Cast of August: Osage County
Photo by Jon Gitchoff
Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is presenting August: Osage County until April 7, 2024

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Caustic Family Drama is Front and Center In STLAS’s “August: Osage County”

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , on April 22, 2017| Leave a Comment »

August: Osage County
by Tracy Letts
Directed by Wayne Salomon
St. Louis Actors’ Studio
April 14, 2017

Cast of August: Osage County
Photo by John Lamb

St. Louis Actors’ Studio

August:Osage County at St. Louis Actors’ Studio runs about three and a half hours and serves up some intense and even brutal situations in the life of an Oklahoma family. It may seem like a difficult play to watch, and in ways it is, but with the superb,Pulitzer Prize-wining script, excellent direction and stellar cast, it’s a fascinating, riveting experience that’s sure to hold the audience’s attention from start to stunning finish.

This is a large-cast play, filling STLAS’s small stage at the Gaslight Theatre and bringing out all the sharpness, drama and caustic wit of Tracy Letts’s script. The action centers around Violet Weston (Kari Ely), the sharp-tongued, drug-addicted matriarch, whose poet husband, Beverly (Larry Dell) disappears, bringing the family together and revealing the dynamics and relationships between the various members, including the Westons’ three daughters–Barbara (Meghan Baker), the “responsible” eldest; Ivy (Emily Baker), who still lives nearby and is berated by her mother for not being able to find a lasting romantic relations; and Karen (Rachel Fenton), the youngest who has spent a lot of time in Florida out of touch with the family, only to return at a crisis point with smarmy fiance’ Steve (Drew Battles) in tow. It’s a complicated family, including Violet’s cheerful but pushy sister Mattie Fae (Kim Furlow), her affable husband Charlie (William Roth), and socially awkward son Little Charles (Stephen Peirick), as well as Barbara’s seemingly “perfect” husband, Bill (David Wassilak) and surly teenage daughter Jean (Bridgette Bassa). There’s also Johnna (Wendy Renee Farmer), a young Cheyenne woman who has been hired by Bev against Violet’s wishes to be a housekeeper and caretaker for the family, and who Violet frequently badmouths and berates. The family and interpersonal dynamic is the source of much of the drama and biting humor here, with various revelations and ensuing emotional outbursts as part of the territory. It’s a richly portrayed portrait of a family of “big” personalities that don’t come across as caricatures and, while the situations and characters may be extreme at times, there’s something about the various family dynamics that provides much with which viewers can relate. Even if we don’t have relatives exactly like this, there are things here that most families will be able to recognize to one degree or another.

The language, rhythm and pace of this script is expertly represented here in director Wayne Salomon’s “master class” level of a production. The cast is positively stellar, led by the remarkably complex and multi-layered performance of Ely as Violet. While Violet is not a likable character, Ely does an admirable job of making her fascinating, and even sympathetic at times. Her mood swings, her deep-seated resentment of the life she has led and even the members of her own family, and a dual sense of desperation and resignation are brought to the stage in this incredible portrayal. Ely’s is well-matched by the rest of the cast, as well, especially by Meghan Baker as the “responsible” Barbara whose own life isn’t what it seems and shows her own degree of desperation as life continues to spin out of control; and also by Emily Baker as the sometimes neglected, sometimes bullied middle child Ivy, whose quest for personal happiness and fulfillment takes on its own level of desperation. There are also strong performances from Fenton as the seemingly clueless Karen, Bassa as the conflicted and rebellious Jean, Peirick as the much-maligned (by his own mother) Little Charles, and Roth as Charlie, who is even-keeled until his wife–the also excellent Furlow–reveals his breaking point. Farmer is also memorable as Johnna, who admirably manages to help mitigate the chaos around her. Battles, as the outgoing and decidedly creepy Steve, and Dell as the well-meaning but overwhelmed Bev also turn in excellent performances. This is an excellent ensemble, giving well-pitched performances that do justice to the challenging and sometimes explosive script.

Also impressive are the production values here. The multi-level set by Patrick Huber is something of a wonder, representing the large, well-appointed Weston house with remarkably vivid detail on the Gaslight Theatre’s small stage. Carla Landis Evans’s excellent costumes and props also contribute well to the overall atmosphere of this play, as does Dalton Robinson’s effective lighting. The staging of such a large-cast play on such a small stage could easily seem cluttered, but here, everyone fits, and the small stage actually works well for helping to achieve a claustrophobic effect when that is needed, especially in the revelatory family scenes.

This is a wondrous production. It’s uncomfortable to watch at times, and it runs three and a half hours, but it is never, ever boring. This lucid, intense script is brought to life in such a challenging and stunning way. It’s a truly great production, not to be missed.

Emily Baker, Meghan Baker, Kari Ely
Photo by John Lamb
St. Louis Actors’ Studio

St. Louis Actors’ Studio is presenting August: Osage County at the Gaslight Theatre until April 30, 2017.

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