Pulitzer Prize

• The awarding of the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for drama to Tracey Letts' "August: Osage County" is no surprise, and it shouldn't prove controversial. A robust, sprawling family drama of the laugh-till-you-cry (or cry-till-you-laugh?) variety, it had perhaps the strongest reviews even in a year when a surprising number of plays made it past all the pitfalls to Broadway.

Of course the Pulitzer Board doesn't have to stick to Broadway, and on a couple of occasions, when properly advised by the drama juries, they haven't. But they prefer Broadway: even if they are going to rubberstamp the jury's recommendations, the winner's being a Broadway success provides a comfortable endorsement. That's what made Letts' play the Pulitzer favorite, since it combines critical approval with popular success. In this case, you'd have to say that the former had something to do with the latter, which isn't at all inevitable: It can't hurt a play for the New York Times critic (in this case, the no. 2, Charles Isherwood, and don't you suppose Ben Brantley wishes he'd reviewed it himself?) to call it "sensationally entertaining" and then throw critical caution to the winds with this:

A fraught, densely plotted saga of an Oklahoma clan in a state of near-apocalyptic meltdown, "August" is probably the most exciting new American play Broadway has seen in years. Oh, forget probably: It is, flat-out, no asterisks and without qualifications, the most exciting new American play Broadway has seen in years. Fiercely funny and bitingly sad, this turbo-charged tragicomedy -- which spans three acts and more than three blissful hours -- doesn't just jump-start the fall theater season, recently stalled when the stagehands went on strike. "August" throws it instantaneously into high gear.

Wow! "Flat-out . . . the most exciting new American play Broadway has seen in years" -- is that a press agent's dream, or what?!

I saw "August" this winter, and for a variety of reasons, mainly over-work and lack of time, haven't yet written a proper review. It's a great night in the theater, no doubt about it, and that has a lot to do with its ensemble feel, which comes honestly, because it's a Steppenwolf Theatre production which arrived intact from Chicago -- a reminder that if America does have a national theater, it's our 70-100 big regional theaters. The oddity of the American economic/arts model is that it takes a commercial transfer to bring its products to wide attention.

I wouldn't say the play is quite up to Isherwood's high praise, but it's certainly a good one, and I love the production.

Remember just two years ago? That's when the Pulitzer board withheld the drama prize, even though a well-credentialed drama jury had recommended Adam Rapp's "Red Light in Winter," Christopher Durang's "Miss Witherspoon" and Rolin Jones' "The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow." That was an insult to the drama jury as well as the theater.

• Last year, the Pulitzer went to David Lindsay Abaire's "Rabbit Hole," which won Cynthia Nixon a Tony Award. This is of interest because the Pittsburgh Public Theater soon opens "Rabbit Hole." Of it, Public artistic director Ted Pappas says: "Every few years Broadway comes up with a powerful play about real people -- people like you and me -- which touches us in a very direct way."

"Rabbit Hole" ran only 77 performances on Broadway, but I recall that August Wilson's "Gem of the Ocean" ran only 72, so that's no shame. Face it, Broadway is rarely a comfortable home for a serious play. But right now, "August: Osage County" is a hit.

I wonder how long a play with a big cast like this can continue to run, even with the Pulitzer for advertising? Dakin Matthews, who plays King Lear starting this weekend for PICT, just taught me something I didn't know: that out-of-town actors very rarely even get considered for Broadway shows, now, since they'd have to be paid living expenses on top of salary. He's had personal experience of that informal black list. But in Steppenwolf's case, "August: Osage County" was a package deal.

August Wilson Center celebrates its namesake

• For its second annual August Wilson Birthday Celebration, the August Wilson Center for African American Culture has a package of events. On April 26 at the Byham Theater, there's "An Evening with Alfre Woodard," moderated by Lynne Hayes-Freeland of KDKA-TV. Tickets ($15-$60) are at 412-456-6666, www.pgharts.org or the Box Office at Theater Square. Woodard's connection with Wilson is her very fine performance in his only movie, "The Piano Lesson," filmed here in Pittsburgh. Her subject will be her career, predominantly on TV and film, in what's billed as "an up close and personal conversation." Also, the winners of the August Wilson Poetry and Spoken Word Contest will read their poems.

• In addition, there's an August Wilson Family Weekend at the Center's Gallery 209/9 called "family friendly, free and open to the public." "Remembering August" (April 25, 6:30-8 p.m.) will be a discussion featuring Kimberly Ellis, Rita Gregory, Sala Udin and Chawley P. Williams sharing their memories. April 26 (12-4 p.m.) will be family day at Gallery 209/9 (that's at 209 Ninth, duh), celebrating through art activities, including art-making for children and families, storytelling by Temujin the Storyteller and free cake.

Lots going on this weekend:

Caravan returns

• The Caravan Theatre make a good start with its inaugural production of John Patrick Shanley's "Savage in Limbo." Now it's back with George F. Walker's dark comedy, "Risk Everything," directed by artistic director John Gresh. The actors are Dana Hardy, Tony Bingham, Sharon Brady and Mark Conway Thompson. Walker is a major Canadian playwright (no, that's not an oxymoron), too little known in the U.S. It's at Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre, 542 Penn Ave.; April 11-13, 19-20, 25-27; Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 6 p.m.; donation only; 412-523-3986.

National Theatre of the Deaf

• The critically acclaimed company will perform "Beware the Brindlebeast and Other Stories," originally written and illustrated by Anita Riggio, Sunday at 6:30 p.m. at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf in Oakland. A recent NTD production, it's described as "a warm-hearted tale where children hang on every suspenseful turn, and adults detect an underlying message." I can add that NTD is a national treasure, combining ASL and spoken English to appeal to haring and non-hearing audiences of all ages.

"It's Business"

• Billed as "a fun and authentic look at small town Jewish life during World War II," Pittsburgher Beverly King Pollock's "It's Business" makes its debut this weekend with a reading by professional actors at the JCC in Squirrel Hill (Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 4 p.m.; donation $5 at the door). The producer is Debra Gordon. There'll be a talk back after each reading with director Marci Woodruff, the actors and playwright Pollock, 84.

"I've been living 'It's Business' as long as I can remember," says Pollock. "It's about the mom and pop small town store and the people there who remind us of our parents and grandparents. . . . Is it a true story? My long-time playwriting professor Kathleen George at Pitt taught me that a play is not necessarily a true story but it often reflects many universal truths." Pollock is a retired director of communications for the United Jewish Federation, a founder of Jews with AIDS in the Family and a local and national columnist with previous plays to her credit.

Racy 'Villains'

• Opening this weekend is "Villains," 13 monologues by "famous rogues (real and fictional)," staged by The Rage of the Stage Players and written by local playwrights Fred Betzner, F. J. Hartland, Alyssa Herron, Robert Isenberg, Randy Kirk, Joanna Lowe, Joseph Lyons, Jeffrey J. Prebeg, Jr., Corey Rieger, Joseph A. Roots, James Robert Shaw, Allison M. Weakland and Rage of Stage artistic director James Michael Shoberg. This "racy little production set in an infernal cabaret [with] a through-story featuring six demons and a devilish M.C." will be at the Brew House, South Side, 8 p.m., April 11-12, 17-19 (tickets $13 at 412-851-0922 or rageofthestage@yahoo.com). Note the strong themes and language, violence and sexual content -- "not for young or sensitive viewers."

Surprise! (not really)

• "Late Nite Catechism" at City Theatre has been extended again, through May 11. "Sister" Kim Richards continues to work her magic.

Break a leg

• Best wishes to Carl Kurlander and company, premiering his Pittsburgh movie, "My Tale of Two Cities," at the Sonoma Film Festival this Friday and Saturday. They're going to throw a big party, too: "trying to gather Pittsburghers Rawson style," Carl wrote, referring to those big group photos of expatriate show biz folks I've staged. "Getting folks to come to wine country for Iron City -- we have eight cases."

Hear that? If you know folks in the San Francisco Bay area, send them to www.mytaleoftwocities.com for news about the Pittsburgh party and screening info and clips.

• Erica Highberg writes that Steve Tolin, the special effects whiz for PICT's "The Lt. Of Inishmore," is currently in Lima, Peru doing the same at Teatro La Plaza ISIL. She says, "he's there for 3 weeks, and will be back home in Pittsburgh at the end of April. I wish I could be there to see the show (in Spanish no less!)."

The Bottom Line

Paid admissions at city's pro theaters for the week ending April 6:

Fiddler/PMT at Byham (75%) . . . 3,746
Flight/City (53%) . . . . . . . . 929
Late Nite Catechism/City (86%) . . 584
Big Bang/CLO (34%) . . . . . . . . 430
Lydie Breeze/Open Stage . . . . . N.A.