Playhouse 38 to present Pulitzer Prize-winning 'Crimes of the Heart'
For two weekends only, Oct. 4-6 and Oct. 10-12, "Crimes of the Heart," written by Beth Henley, will hit the stage at Playhouse 38.
This play is directed by Frank Del Giudice, with assistant director and stage manager Nickolena Sellen.
Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 4 and 5; 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6; 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Oct; 10, 11 and 12; at 321 Stevens St., Suite P, Geneva. Tickets cost $15 each in advance or $20 each at the door. Purchase tickets in advance online, or at Stephen Persinger Recreation Center or Sunset Community Center.
The scene is Hazlehurst, Mississippi, where the three Magrath sisters have gathered to await news of the family patriarch, their grandfather, who is living out his last hours in the hospital.
Their troubles, grave and yet somehow hilarious, are highlighted by their priggish cousin, Chick, and by the awkward young lawyer who tries to keep Babe out of jail while helpless not to fall in love with her.
In the end, the play is the story of how its young characters escape the past to seize the future - but the telling is so true and touching and consistently hilarious that it will linger in the mind long after the curtain has descended.
The cast is composed of four women and two men: Lenny, played by Brooke McGehee, from Geneva; Chick, Beth Quigley, from Bartlett; Doc, Josh Durham, from Dundee; Meg, Nicole Urso, from Streamwood; Babe, Jess Smith, from Elgin; and Barnette, Hermez Abraham, from Skokie.
"The journey that the Magrath girls take is eye-opening and very revealing as they rediscover family," said Del Giudice. This "tragic comedy" won the 1981 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play.
"This show is a serious drama, but offers a great deal of comedy, which makes casting and directing it a lot of fun," said Del Giudice. This show deals with mature material and is not recommended for children.
Playhouse 38 is the cultural arts facility of the Geneva Park District. For information on Playhouse 38, call (630) 232-4542 or visit genevaparks.org.