The REP to Premiere Tammy Ryan's SOLDIER'S HEART, 9/26-10/13

The REP, Point Park University's professional theatre company, presents the world premiere of Soldier's Heart, Pittsburgh playwright Tammy Ryan's gripping new play that shines a light on the struggles facing women in the military.

Directed by John Amplas, Soldier's Heart previews on Thursday, Sept. 26, and runs Sept. 27-Oct. 13, in the Studio Theatre at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, 222 Craft Ave. Performances are 8 p.m., Thursday - Saturday, and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Soldier's Heart tells the story of Casey Johnson, who heads off to Iraq after making sure her young son's life is neatly organized while she is away. She returns home to western Pennsylvania months later forever changed, with deep psychological scars from her wartime experiences.

The REP's production of Soldier's Heart stars Marie Elena O'Brien as Casey Johnson, Jenna Cole as Margie, Joshua Elijah Reese as Kevin, Sundiata Rice as Sean, Justin Lonesome as Staff Sergeant Williams, Jaime Slavinsky as Lance Corporal Hernandez and Michael Fuller as Captain Christopher Baines. Scenic design is by Gianni Downs, costume design by Cathleen Crocker Perry, lighting design by Andrew David Ostrowski, and sound design by Kristopher Buggey. Caitlin Roper is the stage manager.

Tickets range from $24 to $27; preview tickets are $15. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Pittsburgh Playhouse box office at 412.392.8000, or online atwww.pittsburghplayhouse.com. Patrons can take advantage of the "Pay what you will" performance at 2 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 28, subject to availability. New in 2013-2014, The REP's Talkback series, where the audience is invited to stay after the performance and discuss the show, has been moved to the matinee performance on the second Saturday of every show. For Soldier's Heart, the Talkback session will be held after the 2 p.m. performance on Saturday, Oct. 5.

A professor with the Conservatory of Performing Arts, John Amplas has been teaching all levels of acting and directing at Point Park since 1982. He has served as both an actor and director in countless Pittsburgh Playhouse productions dating back to 1972. He is one of the founding members of The Playhouse Repertory Company and has served as associate artistic director since 1999.

Tammy Ryan's award winning plays have been produced across the US and internationally. She won the 2012 Francesca Primus Prize awarded by the American Theater Critics Association for her play Lost Boy Found in Whole Foods, which was developed by the New Harmony Project, and received its world premiere in a co-production at Premiere Stages and Playwrights Theater of New Jersey. Her work has been commissioned, produced and developed at The Alliance Theater Company, Dorset Theater Festival, Florida Stage, Marin Theater Company, The REP at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, City Theater, Bricolage, and the Lark Play Development Lab among others, and has been featured at NNPN's National Showcase of New Plays. In addition her plays for young audiences have twice received the National Playwriting for Youth Bonderman Award, Her play The Music Lesson also received the American Alliance of Theatre in Education's Distinguished Play Award. Ryan has received the Heinz Endowments Creative Heights Grant, The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Creative Achievement Award and fellowships from the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Sewanee Writers Conference and Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.