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Streep toasted as ‘a magician’ at O’Neill Theater tribute

Meryl Streep is good, but she’s not that good.

Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Tracy Letts dispelled a rumor that Streep showed up to rehearsals for “August: Osage County” knowing every one of her lines before her castmates, including Julia Roberts.

“When people are discussing Meryl … they try to imbue her with mystical qualities,” Letts said at a Eugene O’Neill Theater tribute to Streep at Edison Ballroom. “She is a magician, she is a witch, she’s god-given.”

He added, learning lines doesn’t make someone a good actor: “She’s a good actress because she works really, really hard … simply consider all of the terrible performances you’ve seen in your life where the actor knew all of their lines.”

Tony Kushner, John Patrick Shanley, actor Joe Grifasi and Judith Light also gave speeches toasting the two-time Oscar winner. Streep cracked in front of guests including Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, “I feel like I’m at my funeral … usually, you don’t get to be there.”