Haven’t seen Osage yet, but read the reviews. Obviously, there’s no female actor in the Bay Area who could have played Violet. They had to go outside for Estelle Parsons (who, I must say, was one of the best things about Bonnie and Clyde.) Sorry, all you Bay Area actresses of a certain age, when push comes to shove, the producers go for a bankable name. (And you thought it only happened in Hollywood.) Maybe Michael Wayne Rice is onto something (see previous blog) – since commerce tends to trump art and talent. Rice’s counter-proposal is probably extreme, but it does speak to the ugly truth that art is, for the most part, governed by the marketplace. Would that it were otherwise, but c’est la vie.
There's a lot to be said for casting locally, Gary, but this is a weird time to say it. National touring productions don't tend to cast new leads locally for each stop on their tours.
Don't know what you saw in SF that baffled you, or who's in the touring cast other than Estelle, but it's one of the best shows I've seen on Broadway recently. Did something about the production keep you from being drawn into the story? Were you expecting a life-altering experience? It's not Angels in America but I thought it was damn good theatre.
I don't know either. And I saw a very good production of it with a totally brilliant performance of Violet. People here loved it, but I still think it a very ordinary play.
5 Comments:
I second that emotion.
By
Freeman, At
August 14, 2009 at 10:50 AM
Haven’t seen Osage yet, but read the reviews. Obviously, there’s no female actor in the Bay Area who could have played Violet. They had to go outside for Estelle Parsons (who, I must say, was one of the best things about Bonnie and Clyde.) Sorry, all you Bay Area actresses of a certain age, when push comes to shove, the producers go for a bankable name. (And you thought it only happened in Hollywood.) Maybe Michael Wayne Rice is onto something (see previous blog) – since commerce tends to trump art and talent. Rice’s counter-proposal is probably extreme, but it does speak to the ugly truth that art is, for the most part, governed by the marketplace. Would that it were otherwise, but c’est la vie.
By
Gary Carr, At
August 15, 2009 at 8:56 PM
There's a lot to be said for casting locally, Gary, but this is a weird time to say it. National touring productions don't tend to cast new leads locally for each stop on their tours.
By
Sam Hurwitt, At
August 17, 2009 at 1:13 PM
Don't know what you saw in SF that baffled you, or who's in the touring cast other than Estelle, but it's one of the best shows I've seen on Broadway recently. Did something about the production keep you from being drawn into the story? Were you expecting a life-altering experience? It's not Angels in America but I thought it was damn good theatre.
By
Tom, At
August 17, 2009 at 9:07 PM
I don't know either. And I saw a very good production of it with a totally brilliant performance of Violet. People here loved it, but I still think it a very ordinary play.
By
Alison Croggon, At
August 22, 2009 at 1:27 AM
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