Crimes of the Heart opens at CCCT 4/8

The Magrath sisters have had their share of hardship. Reuniting in their ailing Granddaddy's house in Mississippi, resentment and frustration are inevitable. Lenny, turning 30, is trying desperately to come to terms with her simple, lonely life. The wild and unreliable Meg has been away for years chasing a seemingly unattainable singing career. And Babe, the youngest, has just been released from jail on bail after sending her husband to the hospital by shooting him in the stomach!

Desperate and dysfunctional, the sisters struggle to find common ground and resolution of past resentments. Unexpected hilarity ensues in this heartwarming, tragic and yet comic Pulitzer Prize winning show by Beth Henley.

Director Susan Hovey says, "I love the characters in this play. They are so raw, flawed and vulnerable (with some added Southern charm) that you cannot help but enjoy them, laugh with (or at) them, and most importantly, root for them. Though they have been growing in different directions, they are always connected. This connection helps inspire them and, in the end, grow for the better. I find this to be the true essence of family and the core message of this show."

The set for CCCT's Crimes of the Heart is designed by Dave Lam and built by Henry Perkins. Lighting design is by Travis Rexroat and sound is by Aaron Benn assisted by Adam Fry. Anida Weyl is the costume designer and props are by Matt Decker.

Crimes of the Heart premiered in New York in 1980 at The Manhattan Theatre Club. It opened on Broadway in 1981, winning the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best American Play and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It was adapted to film in 1986 garnering three Academy Award nominations.

Starring CCCT seasoned veterans: Theresa Adams as Meg, Matthew Davis as Doc, Chris Geritz as Barnette, Claire Nail as Chick, Jennifer Stark as Lenny and Ginny Wehrmeister as Babe.

Crimes of the Heart plays Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm, opening April 18th and closing May 1st. Tickets are $18, $11 for 16 and under and may be purchased online at www.ccct.org or by phone at 510-524-9132. Contra Costa Civic Theatre is located at 951 Pomona Avenue (at Moeser), with free parking in an adjoining lot.