Steel Beam revives ‘Crimes’

There was one thing Ann Keen had to have when she and her husband moved from Chicago to St. Charles in 2009.

“I need to have theater in my life,” said the actress, director and co-founder of Chicago’s Polarity Ensemble Theatre.

Fortunately for her, several ensembles call the Western suburbs home, including Fox Valley Repertory and Steel Beam Theatre both of which are located in her new hometown.

After some of the Keens’ friends suggested she check out Steel Beam, she called founder and artistic director Donna Steele to introduce herself.

“Donna said, ‘you have a great voice,’” recalled Keen who works as a voice-over artist.

Keen took Steele up on her invitation to audition for the company’s 2010 production of “Rabbit Hole” and won the part of Izzy. The following year she co-starred in “Later Life.” But Keen — who had helmed several productions for Polarity and for Timeline Theater — really wanted to direct.

She gets her wish this week with Steel Beam’s “Crimes of the Heart,” Beth Henley’s Pulitzer Prize-winning dramedy about three sisters reuniting and reconciling their dysfunctional upbringing. The show opens Friday, March 30, and proved a perfect fit for Keen.

“Everyone has a sibling or a cousin or a family member like this,” said Keen who admits an affinity for “comedies that have a dark underbelly.” “These are people you know. It’s a story about people who (approach life) from different angles, and because you love them, you fight through that.”

The success of this frequently revived play hinges on the connection between the actresses who play the sisters, said Keen.

“We got real specific on how their bodies move and how they deal with people,” she said. “We determined that Meg (Maura Clement) is a close talker, touchy-feely. Whereas Lenny (Abigail Trabue) wants to take a step back.”

“When these characters are real, when the sisters have a relationship, it’s something you can watch over and over,” Keen said.

To that end, Keen makes sure to establish a working environment where the actors uncover connections with and between the characters on their own, without her spelling it out for them.

“If you get up there and do it yourself (the role) will never be theirs and it won’t ring true,” she said.

Keen’s affection for actors was obvious, said Bartlett resident Kathryn Meiners, who plays the sisters’ overbearing cousin, Chick.

“Working with Ann is fantastic because she loves actors. She’s passionate about acting and communicating with the audience,” said Meiners, a Steel Beam newcomer whose role in “Crimes” marks her second production with the company.

Meiners describes her character as providing comic counterpart to the adultery, domestic abuse and loneliness that underscore the play.

“She’s the sugar that helps the medicine go down,” Meiners said.

Ultimately, the play is a testament to the importance of love and laughter even in the midst of the most dire situations, Keen said.

“These sisters are going through the worst circumstances and yet they can take a breath and laugh,” said Keen. “As long as love is present you can always smile, even under the worst circumstances.”

“Crimes of the Heart”

Location: Steel Beam Theatre, 111 W. Main St., St. Charles, (630) 587-8521 or <a href="http://www.steelbeam.com">www.steelbeam.com</a>

Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday through April 22

Tickets: $22, $25