"August: Osage County"
joins Manoa Valley Theatre's lineup for its
2010-11 Season!

by Tracy Letts

HONOLULU (December 1, 2009) - "This is fantastic news for Manoa Valley Theatre," MVT producing director Dwight Martin exclaimed upon obtaining confirmation that MVT has been successful in obtaining production licensing for the multiple award-winning August: Osage County. This acclaimed "dark comedy" by Tracy Letts will be presented in MVT's 2010-11 Season.

The plot centers on a reunion of the Weston family, living in the state of Oklahoma; the play's title refers to Osage County, which lies northwest of Tulsa. The three-act play, which runs for about 3 hours, 20 minutes including two intermissions, deals with such issues as drug abuse, alcoholism, suicide, death, family dysfunction, sexual harassment, pedophilia, aging, generational change, racism, incest, infidelity, and ultimately love.

"I had the privilege of seeing the touring production of this magnificent play at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC four nights ago," Martin continued. "It is, without a doubt, an extraordinary evening of theatre. The privilege continues with Manoa Valley Theatre being granted the rights for the play's Hawaii premiere next season". MVT's production is scheduled for May 2011.

August: Osage County received its world premiere at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois. Its Broadway debut was at the Imperial Theater in December 2007 after which it transferred to the Music Box Theatre in April 2008. The Broadway show closed on June 28, 2009 after 648 performances and 18 previews.

The play has received the following awards:

• 2008 Drama Desk Award for Best New Play
• 2008 Drama League Award for Distinguished Production of a Play
• 2008 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play
• 2008 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Broadway Play
• 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
• 2008 Tony Award for Best Play