'Osage County' gets 7 Tony nominations

The folks at Steppenwolf Theatre had to figure their chances of earning Tony Award nominations for the much-heralded dysfunctional family drama "August: Osage County" were pretty good.

Last month Tracy Letts' play won the Pulitzer Prize for drama. Over the last few weeks, the acclaimed production -- which premiered here last July and moved to Broadway in November -- picked up Outer Critics, Drama Desk and New York Drama Critics Circle awards.

So Tuesday's announcement of "August's" seven nominations for playwright Letts, director Anna D. Shapiro, actors Deanna Dunagan, Amy Morton and Rondi Reed, set designer Todd Rosenthal and lighting designer Ann G. Wrightson, may not have come as a big surprise.

More Coverage Video 'August: Osage County' at Steppenwolf Watch the announcement Stories Steppenwolf's Letts wins Pulitizer for 'August' [4/7/08] Chicago Shakespeare Theater wins regional Tony [5/13/08] 'In the Heights' heads list of 2008 Tony nominees [5/13/08]Daily Herald review: Brilliant 'Osage County' uncomfortably real [07/13/07]

The folks at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, however, had no inkling the announcement would include a Regional Theatre Award for them.

"We heard a rumor, but this one was too tiny to take seriously," said CST executive director Criss Henderson. "To be included with Chicago's other regional Tony recipients (Goodman, Steppenwolf and Victory Gardens) and mentioned with Steppenwolf today demonstrates that Chicago is the 'Toniest' city in America. With four regional awards (the most of any city in the country), it's clear that we're not a region, we're the national center."

As such, Chicago theater will figure prominently next month when the 62nd annual Tony Awards ceremony is broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall at 7 p.m. June 15 on WBBM Channel 2.

"I feel more relieved than anything," said Shapiro Tuesday within an hour of hearing the news. "The play was considered such a favorite, it adds another stress level when people have that expectation."

Shapiro, who once compared her cast to the 16-0 New England Patriots, calls directing her fellow ensemble members "a dream job."

"That's not just the party line," she said. "I felt lucky. I felt like I coached more than directed."

"We're lucky and we're blessed," said Reed, "and that it came from Chicago is integral."

From the beginning, the stars seemed to align for "August," which weathered the stagehands' strike and opened to raves. It also survived the loss of original cast member Dennis Letts, Tracy's father. The senior Letts, who succumbed to cancer earlier this year, had always insisted the play was a winner.

But Reed, who was appearing in Chicago's "Wicked" when Letts approached her about the role, had to be talked into doing it.

"I turned it down four times," said Reed, who shares her featured actress nomination with Steppenwolf colleagues Laurie Metcalf ("November") and Martha Plimpton ("Top Girls"). "Been there, done that."

But Letts convinced her.

"I accused him of doing voodoo over my headshot," she said. "He doesn't deny it."

Whatever the magic, it worked. A month from now, we'll see how well.