Read August: Osage County Online
Authors: Tracy Letts
(Lights up on the entire house: Bill exits to the porch, gathers himself.Karen and Steve reenter, run into Barbara in the sitting room.Mattie Fae descends the stairs to the living room where Jean, Charlie and Little Charles watch TV.Violet and Ivy reenter the second-floor landing.)
| STEVE: I told you, smoke a cigarette and the food comes— | MATTIE FAE: Well, look who decided to show up. I’m sorry we woke you, sweetheart. | IVY: I’m serious, if you say anything— |
| KAREN (To Barbara) : When’s the last time someone mowed the yard around here? | LITTLE CHARLES: Mom, I’m so sorry— | VIOLET: You didn’t say I couldn’t tell people— |
| IVY: I’m telling you now. | ||
| BARBARA: Hm? | MATTIE FAE: I’m sure you are— | VIOLET: Why are you so worked up? You’re seeing someone, I think that’s great— |
| KAREN: I just showed Steve our old fort, have you been out there? | CHARLIE: He’s here now and that’s all that matters. | |
| BARBARA: No, I haven’t— | MATTIE FAE: It’s really not all that matters— | IVY: Don’t you dare— |
| STEVE: Barb, would you consider me uncouth if I removed my suit jacket? | LITTLE CHARLES: The electricity must have gone out, I woke up and the clock— | VIOLET: You’d think you might be happy to tell your family some good news, on a day like today?— |
| KAREN: Are you okay? | MATTIE FAE: Don’t go through it all, Little Charles. There’s no need to go through all— | |
| BARBARA: Yeah, I’m fine. | IVY: It’s nobody’s business. | |
| STEVE: Barbara, can I . . . ? | VIOLET: Folks only want what’s best for you. | |
| BARBARA: Yeah, sure. | CHARLIE: Honey, the boy’s trying to tell you he’s sorry— | IVY: It’s nobody’s business! |
| KAREN: Poor thing, you’ve had a long few days, haven’t you? | MATTIE FAE: Stop making excuses for him, he’s thirty-seven years old— | VIOLET: Why should I do you any favors? |
| STEVE: Sure she has. | CHARLIE: Please let’s not have this argument now. | IVY: Why not? Why wouldn’t you? |
| KAREN: I know how I get during these times, I think, “I couldn’t eat a bite,” but then you put a plate of hot food in front of me and suddenly I’m starving. | VIOLET: You wouldn’t even try on my dress— | |
| MATTIE FAE: I’m not arguing. | IVY: I’m not bargaining with you! | |
| LITTLE CHARLES: I know I let you down, Mom— | VIOLET: You’re so melodramatic— | |
| (A pause, as Barbara seems to take them in for the first time.) | MATTIE FAE: What else is new? | IVY: I’m going downstairs to eat now because you are impossible. |
| CHARLIE: You behave yourself, there’s more important things— | ||
| BARBARA: You’re right. Let’s eat. | VIOLET (Sarcastic) : I’m sorry to be so impossible, it’s been kind of a tough day— | |
| STEVE: Let’s eat! | MATTIE FAE: I’m not talking about this anymore, I’m ready to eat. Did you bring my casserole in from—? | |
| (They cross from the kitchen into the dining room.) | IVY: Tough on everybody, Mom. | |
| CHARLIE: No, I’ll get it now. | ||
| MATTIE FAE: You let my casserole sit for an hour inside a hot car?— | ||
| CHARLIE: I’ll get it, I’ll get it— | ||
| LITTLE CHARLES: I’ll get it. | ||
| (Little Charles exits the house.) |
(Ivy heads downstairs, enters the living room as Mattie Fae and Charlie join Barbara, Karen, Steve and Johnna in the dining room. They gradually take their seats. Bill reenters from the porch, crosses into the living room.)
| KAREN: This just looks lovely. (To Johnna) Did you do all this? | MATTIE FAE: What a pretty table! | BILL: Jean. Time to eat. |
| JEAN: I don’t suppose it would be okay if I ate out here. | ||
| BILL: You suppose right. | ||
| IVY: Did I hear Little Charles? | ||
| JOHNNA: Mm-hm. | BARBARA: She does it all, this one. | BILL: Yeah, I think so— |
| STEVE: The chicken looks tasty, doesn’t it?— | JEAN: You’re just gonna stick me at the kid’s table anyway. | |
| BILL: I’m not in the mood for this right now, okay? | ||
| MATTIE FAE: Do we have enough seats? | IVY: Is he—do you know where he is? | |
| BILL: I think he went outside for something— | ||
| BARBARA: I think so . . . | CHARLIE: Where do you want to sit? | (Ivy exits to the front porch. Jean stomps toward the dining room. Bill stops her.) |
| MATTIE FAE: This’ll be fine, right here— | Why are you giving me all this attitude? | |
| KAREN: Sit by me, honey. | ||
| STEVE: Okie-doke. | JEAN: I’m not. | |
| BARBARA: Who gets stuck with Jean at the kid’s table? | BILL: You do realize your mother needs you at your best right now. | |
| MATTIE FAE: We’ll put Mr. Little Charles there. | JEAN: Mom’s not the one crawling up my ass. | |
| BILL: Never mind. Wash up for dinner. | ||
| CHARLIE: Are you serious? | KAREN: Nooo, now— | JEAN: “Wash up”? I’m not performing surgery. |
| MATTIE FAE: Who else is going to sit there? Do you want to sit there? | (Jean and Bill enter the dining room.) |
| CHARLIE: He’s going to know you’re trying to punish him—JOHNNA: I can sit there, it’s okay. | |
| MATTIE FAE: After you went to all the trouble of cooking this fabulous meal—? | |
| JOHNNA: I don’t mind. |
(As the family continues to settle in for the meal, lights shift again: up on the front porch. Ivy greets Little Charles as he returns with Mattie Fae’s casserole.)
(She embraces him, kisses him . . .)
(He stares at her.)What?(He stares, smiles.)Charles . . .
(Lights crossfade to the dining room. Seated around the table: Barbara, Bill, Mattie Fae, Charlie, Karen and Steve. Jean and Johnna sit at the kid’s table. The men have all removed their suit coats.)
| KAREN: Yes, please. | STEVE: Sure, I’ll have some— |
(Little Charles enters with Mattie Fae’s casserole.)
(Ad-lib greetings, hugs, handshakes, Karen’s introduction of Steve, etc. Ivy slips in and takes her seat.Little Charles drops Mattie Fae’s casserole. It lands with a sickening “splat” on the dining room floor.)
| LITTLE CHARLES: Oh Jesus!— | BILL: Whoops. |
| MATTIE FAE: Goddamn it!— | BARBARA: That’s too bad— |
| LITTLE CHARLES: Oh Jesus no!— | STEVE: O-pah! |
| MATTIE FAE: You goofball ! | KAREN: Can it be saved? |
(Johnna goes to the kitchen for paper towels, a wet rag, etc.)
| LITTLE CHARLES: Mom, I’m so sorry— | CHARLIE: All right, all right, nobody’s hurt. |
(Little Charles helps Johnna clean up the mess.)
| BARBARA: No, she won’t— | JEAN: I don’t eat meat. |
(Violet enters with the framed photograph of her and Beverly.)
(Barbara takes the photograph, places it on the sideboard.)