Every family has its quirks, but the Westons? Their secrets and grudges could fill three acts, and then some. You might shake your head at their mess, but you’ll end up laughing right along with them.
Starting Friday, Nov. 20, Venice Theatre’s Stage 2 Series brings Tracy Letts’ award-winning dark comedy, “August: Osage County,” to the Pinkerton Theatre. It runs through Sunday, Dec. 13, 2026. The curtain goes up at 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday (yes, that’s earlier than usual), and 2 p.m. on Sundays. For Saturday, Dec. 5, plan on a 2 p.m. show, thanks to the Venice Boat Parade later that night. Jim Amling and Redenta and Steve Picazio are generously backing this production.
Artistic Director Murray Chase still remembers seeing “August: Osage County” on Broadway back in 2008. The experience stuck with him.
“It was the shortest three hours I’ve ever spent in a theater,” he says. “Even with its dark themes, it’s one of the funniest plays I know. It shines a light on all our families, especially in hard times. Sure, maybe this play is rougher or more brutally honest than what we’re used to at home, but the pain and the laughs and the crazy love? We all know those.”
Letts pulls off a tricky feat here, as he blends heartbreak and hilarity without missing a beat. The Westons are smart, armed with sharp wit, and never miss a chance to land a verbal jab. Their exchanges cut deep and draw laughs, often in the same breath.
The story kicks off when Beverly Weston, the family’s poet-patriarch, vanishes without warning. Left behind is Violet, his wife, and her grip on reality isn’t exactly firm, and prescription drugs don’t help. Soon, their three daughters and the rest of the clan descend on the Oklahoma homestead. Old wounds rip open, alliances shift, secrets surface. The audience gets a raw, unvarnished look at what keeps a family together or tears it apart.
Letts wrote from experience. He drew inspiration from his own childhood in Oklahoma, echoing shadows of family tragedy, including his grandfather’s suicide. Those echoes give the play its bite, and its truth.
After its original run with Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre, “August: Osage County” conquered Broadway, picking up five Tony Awards (Best Play among them) and the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Letts himself adapted it for the 2013 film, which starred Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, and Sam Shepard.
Chase feels thrilled to present this play at Venice Theatre finally, a show he has admired for years. In the 90-seat Pinkerton Theatre, the action will play out almost on your lap; you’re practically in the living room with the Westons.
The cast mixes local talent, Venice Theatre regulars, new arrivals, and folks who’ve come up through the theatre’s education programs. Lynne Doyle (fresh from “Agnes of God”) takes on the force-of-nature role of Violet Weston. Chicago transplant Meredith Templeton makes her Venice Theatre debut as Barbara Fordham, the eldest daughter. You’ll also spot veterans Neil Kasanofsky, Natalia Mock, Eddie Edenfield, Jim Parise, Michael Onori, and Laurie Colton; newcomers Nancy Huffaker, Richard Lambert, and Claire Alfree; Venice Theatre alumnus Andrew Morgan Larkin; and current student Delaney Lockwood.
Venice Theatre hopes you’ll spend a night this holiday season with a family that might make yours look easy. Hang around after the matinee on Sunday, Dec. 6 when director Murray Chase and some of the cast will be there for a talk-back, and everyone’s invited, even if you didn’t see that day’s show.
Tickets are $40 for adults and seniors, $30 for college students and current educators, and $19 for youth. Note: the play’s strong language and mature themes aren’t for kids or younger teens. Adults, check out the content first before bringing anyone under 18. For tickets and all the details, visit VeniceTheatre.org or call the box office at 941-488-1115.
