August: Osage County Notes

August: Osage County - Character Introductions and Setting

• Playwright: Tracy Letts
• The Weston Family: A dysfunctional family residing in a large country home outside Pawhuska, Oklahoma.
  • Beverly Weston: 69 years old, patriarch, an alcoholic.
  • Violet Weston: Bev's wife, 65 years old, addicted to pills, battling mouth cancer.
  • Barbara Fordham: Bev and Violet's daughter, 46 years old, married to Bill, mother to Jean.
  • Bill Fordham: Barbara's husband, 49 years old, separated from Barbara.
  • Jean Fordham: Barbara and Bill's daughter, 14 years old.
  • Ivy Weston: Bev and Violet's daughter, 44 years old.
  • Karen Weston: Bev and Violet's daughter, 40 years old, engaged to Steve.
  • Mattie Fae Aiken: Violet's sister, 57 years old, married to Charlie, mother to Little Charles.
  • Charlie Aiken: Mattie Fae's husband, 60 years old.
  • Little Charles Aiken: Mattie Fae and Charlie's son, 37 years old, unemployed.
• Others: People outside of the Weston family.
  • Johnna Monevata: 26 years old, housekeeper.
  • Steve Heidebrecht: Karen's fiancé, 50 years old.
  • Sheriff Deon Gilbeau: 47 years old.
• Setting: A rambling country house outside Pawhuska, Oklahoma, sixty miles northwest of Tulsa.
• Time: August 2007
• House Description: Over a century old, modernized until 1972 when structural care ceased. Filled with books and covered windows with cheap plastic shades sealed with black duct tape, creating a complete absence of outside light. The play has a specific focus on the first floor:
  • Dining room:
    • Mission-style table seating eight.
    • Sideboard with fine china.
    • Tatty crystal-tiered chandelier.
    • Archway to the sitting room.
  • Sitting room:
    • Rotary-dial telephone on a small side table.
    • Upholstered chair.
    • Doorway to a hallway.
  • Living room:
    • Hide-a-bed.
    • TV.
    • Hi-fi turntable.
    • Wurlitzer electric piano.
  • Study:
    • Medium-sized desk piled with books and papers.
    • Archway to the front door and stairway.
    • Partial view of the kitchen.
  • Front porch: Strewn with dead grass and newspapers.
  • The stairway arrives at a landing and hallway leading to the bedrooms.
  • Attic: Inexpensively modeled into a bedroom.

Act 1 Scene 1

• Opening Scene: Beverly interviewing Johnna for a housekeeper position. Beverly is drunk and philosophical.
• Beverly's Quotes and References:
  • T.S. Eliot: "Life is very long…"
    • Comments on Eliot's genius being recognized because he wrote it down, not because he was the first to think or feel it.
    • Speculates on Eliot's long life (76 years) and "inside dope."
    • Reflects on Eliot's ability to survive personal trials, contrasting him with suicidal poets like Hart Crane and John Berryman.
  • Eliot's first wife: lovely Viv
  • Berryman: "The world is gradually becoming a place where I do not care to be anymore."
    • Identifies more with the damaged.
• Violet's Pill Addiction: Beverly explains Violet's pill addiction and its effects on her equilibrium. He also acknowledges his drinking habits and their "cruel covenant."
  • Violet takes pills and he drinks: that's the bargain.
• Hiring Johnna: Beverly explains his decision to hire help, referring to joining the "Hiring Class" rather than dealing with household chores himself. He references Berryman again: "Something has been said for sobriety but very little."
  • Mentions burning "debris" and the insignificance of utility BILLs after someone has died.
• Interview with Johnna: Small talk with Johnna including how he knew her father and about his death including the story about wine grapes. Pays particular attention to the origin of her name.
  • Mr. Youngbird: Johnna's father, sold watermelon with a fruit stand, also sold fireworks
  • His death: Heart attack, fell into a flatbed truck full of wine grapes.
  • "Monevata": The original language name that means "young bird"
• Violet's Entrance: Violet appears disoriented, questioning Beverly about the police and a window. Her speech is slurred, and she seems confused.
  • She shows up disoriented, in wrinkled clothing, and smoking a Winston cigarette.
• Interaction with Johnna: Violet's behavior is erratic and offensive, calling Johnna an indian, asking if she thinks she's pretty, but also sweet and curtsying to show her respect.
• Beverly's Explanation: Beverly explains to Johnna that Dr. Burke recommended her and that she is qualified to handle their household needs. He asks Johnna to call him Beverly. Mentions mouth cancer and chemotherapy treatments.
  • Unusual hours and a lack of routine.
  • Very little personal attention required and he thrives without it.
  • Cancer of the mouth

Act 1 Scene 2

• Mattie Fae and Charlie's Conversation: Mattie Fae and Charlie discuss Beverly's disappearance and Violet's behavior. Reveals tension within their marriage.
  • They talk about Beverly's disappearance and his tendency to leave and return. This time is different because "they were trying."
• Clapton Album: Violet being a fan is questioned about why, suggesting it couldn't have been Beverly because they were more of a teacher kind of person and Charlie had never seen them read a book.
• Sheriff Gilbeau: Deon Gilbeau, the sheriff is C.J. Gilbeau's boy. C.J. Gilbeau killed a boxers dog and went to the penitentiary.
• Missing Boat: As the conversation evolves it is revealed that both Beverly and is pontoon boat are missing.
• Johnna's Interaction: Mattie Fae and Charlie in their respective ways treat Johnna with disrespect, but she is kind toward them.
• Calling Barb: Barb is called to tell her that Dad is missing 5 day's and she just said that she was on her way.
• Violet's Distrust: The scene transitions focusing on Violet's disorientation and reliance on pills. She expresses distrust of Johnna. The talk transitions to Ivy's hair and her dating life, calling her a lesbian.
• Eric Clapton: Vi likes him because he has a good beat. Claims to have had the album forever.
• Colorado: Colorado is referenced for being one of the reasons that the family moved out there. Bill got offered twice as much as he was making, and they were willing to hire Barb too.
• Barbara and Bill's Arrival: Barbara and Bill arrive from Colorado and talk about the extreme heat. They discuss Violet's past experience with patakeets that died from the heat because these are tropical birds.
• The Plains: Barbara describes the plains as "a state of mind, right, some spiritual affliction, like the Blues."
• Jean's Arrival: Jean arrives on the porch and is mocked by Mattie Fae and Charlie. They stare at her boobs and how big they have gotten.
• Violet's Entrance: Violet appears on the stairway, followed by Ivy, cries, and rushes to Barbara.
• Family Dynamic: The family dynamic is clear with the arrival, Violet being in disarray, Barbara taking charge and Mattie Fae teasing the family members.
• Departure: Mattie Fae and Charlie decide to head back because they have to take care of the dogs.
• Jean and Johnna's Interaction: Jean asked if Johnna lives in the attic, and Violet confirms that it's the Indian who lives in her Attic. Johnna introduces herself and says, "Welcome home."

Act 1 Scene 3

• Saturday: Saturday morning, the morning before and the last day Vi saw her husband. Violet went to bed Saturday night and woke on Sunday morning with still no sign of Beverly.
• Safety Deposit Box: Violet explains her and her husband's arrangement that if something were to happen to one of them, the other one would go empty that safety deposit box. Lots of money and a diamond ring was in the case.
• Time Discrepancy: Barbara is missing something because something doesn't add up. Vi didn't want to worry Barb, but she had Ivy call her 5 days later.
• Unfathomable Dad: Barb comments on how dad was sexy because of his mystery. He would know what to say, but would sit in silence with a little smile on his face.
• Indian Woman (Native American): Beverly hired a woman to come and live in their house, and didn't even ask Vi. Vi comments that it is stranger because there's an Indian in the house.
• Native Americans: Bill asks if Vi has a problem with Indians? And Barb comments that they are called "Native Americans now, Mom"
• Food: Johnna makes some amazing food, such as biscuits and gravy, but the stove in their house is never turned on.
• Not Dutiful: Barb calls often, writes, and sends presents on Birthday's and Mothers day out of being "dutiful."
• Tough Luck: Barb is grown and goes where she wants and wants to have some gratitude from her mother and also thinks it is unfair to say that she Broke Beverly's heart when she moved away.
• Colorado: Barb and her husband got offered double the money, and academia jobs were tough to find.
• Blessing: Beverly gave his Blessing for them to move, but Vi says Its what he told her.
• Settled: Barb thinks that he has a talent in writing, and Beverly is disappointed that she settled for a beautiful family and a teaching career. Barb is tired of hearing this and calls all of this "horseshit."
• Pills: Barb asks if she has taken something and says that she will not go through this again with the psych ward at three A.M., and calls about people in your backyard. Calls the pills a muscle relaxer and says its not the same because she didn't have a reason and she has gotten cancer now and that is the reason.
• Chemotherapy: Vi says is burns like Bullshit when she has Chemo theeaa hh.
• Missing: Barb realizes that she came home after Beverly disappeared, not after her mother got cancer.
• Reassurance: Barb tries to reassure her with a hypothetical story that he's on the boat with whiskey, cigarettes and spy novels drinking fishing and writing, and doesn't want bad.
• Pot: Johnna and Jeans conversation evolves with jean coming over to smoke a bowell.
• The Split: Jeans mom and dad are split which has put mom on hymen control and she doesn't understand
• Wedding Picture: Johnna shares their wedding picture of mom and dad in their halloween customs
• Hymens: Some reason moms on hymen patrol since the parents split
• Ewww: johnna gives her umbilical cord and jean reacts in a way that is unhygienic
• Poet: Bill finds Beverly's first edition poetry book dedicated to Vi and starts feeling pressure of the awards Beverly has. It was mint condition, and was published in hardback.
• Sissy: Sissy comforts Bill, reassure you: "No, Billy, you haven't done anything."
• Cindy: Bill is fucking Cindy and says there's a difference on what you say there is or isn't to make people feel like they're not demeaning someone. A way of putting you in attack mode.
• What does she love: Bill says what does she love that deserves care, and patience and respect and barb just wants love.
• Dead: Barb is under the belief and just makes the statement that he is dead and it is what it is no sugar coating.

Act 1 Scene 4

• Police Arrive: Red and blue police flashers bounce across the exterior of the house, and the sheriff has arrived.
• The News: Mr. Weston was found dead. The sheriff says Mr. Weston's boat was found washed up on a sandbar. Couple of old boys running jug lines in the cove hooked Mr. Weston, and pulled him up.
• Identifying: The wife cannot identfy, but a relative can go do it.
• Jean Goes: Jean wants to identify with mom. They want to give her some rest it is too much this evening.
• Suicide: The sheriff seems to think it was suicide, but no one does that unless they really mean it and choose to not swim.
• What to Do: The sheriff tells Barbara they need to stop there on the way and tell them, and it may be suicide and not an accident.
• Prom Date: Barb tells Jean that she used to go out with that Deon, the young boy and Jean finds this very cool.
• Izza Story: Violet thinks she says Barely is back, and she is offered a cig, and is all over the place.
• Lay Down, Sally: She puts this random song one and all over the place saying Barb'ra, is Barb'ra here.
• End of Act One: The character are all in disarray.

Act 2 Scene 1

• The new look: The house has been refreshed by Johnna's hands.
• August: In the desk with Beverly's wife as Emily Dickinson's words is shared.
• The present: Karen is focused that she looks at the past and how everything didn't go her way, but she needs to move to the present and not plan the future.
• Honey Moon: The honey moon is gonna be in Belize in March. With family as they grow. But what what people say should not impact there current life.
• You are What: A very pretty, table which the mom makes.
• New York: Little Charles speaks about moving somewhere in another state with the women.
• What's Morbid: A change of scene of a brother and one who died as they discuss with there wives on when to celebrate and grieve.
• Mom Why: There is mom why do you feel it's so appropriate to have her feel as if she is always with here, for a sense of not having people feel.
• New woman: A very beautiful and a great item but what it's not is there heart desires, with someone she does know, for better or worse.

Act 2 Scene 2

• Offshore: She wanted to see where everyone want to hide there money, as her husband and her brother in law did with themselves.
• Business trip: A very scary situation when money is involved.
• Hurry Home: It's an interesting situation for here to have that happen so soon.
• Muthalicka: That's where she lives everyone but barb.
  Awe and respect: Awe a scene that is played out with such passion and a heartless thought to be had.
• You have What!: You have that moment in the show where
• Back: You know, as the director intended.
• Don't touch me: He knows he did it and he is doing it to be a bother to barb he is not taking it with respect to there history.
• Sry I need just, can happen is what happened and that is her own mind control.

Act 2 Scene 3

• Apologies: Not gonna happen as she seems. Not in any soon day, on this stage of grief and time.
• I loved So: Its almost, so the power is going, in some other way as they walk out on the porch for fun. Okay:
• Things that didn't matter: That will keep on that's right and that is how you get done.
• You didn't want me: She had already stated it in how everyone was before, which wasn't even fun.

Act 2 Scene 4

• Red and blue police flashes- the story.
• That happened, happened before what you are for.
• Mmm, what!: It has happened what is and then. The show and they start out great
• In this Story: So, in the play, and that's really great.

Act 3 Scene 1

• What just came**: The three sisters share, In what just what did to them a great place to talk about them.
• If it has happened, they would still want the same outcome with the doctor.
• With, did not really want one she didn't like in general."