Cast Announced for CRIMES OF THE HEART at American Stage

This January, American Stage will present Crimes of the Heart, a dark and disturbingly funny comedy that tells the story of the McGrath family as three sisters come together in a time of need, and remember their unshakeable bond. It doesn't matter if "Babe" shot her husband, they're family.

American Stage is bringing on a team of talented actors to tackle this Pulitzer Prize-winning production.

The six actors, [Gina Cielo, A.J. Baldwin, Rita Cole, Shelby Ronea, Henian Boone, and Xavier Mikal] will star in the 2023 production, alongside Chicago-based director Elizabeth Margolius. The cast, supported by two swings [Troy Brooks and Jada Griffin] are a mix of both local returning actors and fresh faces.

The scene? A Mississippi home in the 1970's, where the three McGrath sisters are regrouping after Babe McGraft shot her husband.

At the top of the cast list, Gina Cielo will star as "Babe", the McGrath sister who shot her unsuspecting husband. She's surrounded by sisters Meg (AJ Baldwin), Lenny (Rita Cole), and her cousin, Chick (Shelby Ronea).

This is Cielo's first American Stage debut, and will serve as her first on-stage performance after a COVID-19-forced hiatus. Her last appearance was as a church singer in the 2020 film, "Son of the South". Previously, Cielo has mainly worked as a singer/songwriter, and Crimes of the Heart is a new avenue for the Clearwater-based performer.

"I'm ready to sink my teeth into a layered character like "Babe", and the dark comedy behind this play," Cielo said. "There are layers to her, she never grew into loving herself."

Cielo's co-stars and sister in the show, Cole, Baldwin, and Ronea, are more familiar with traditional theatrical acting, Cole, most recently appeared in 2022's Intimate Apparel (Palm Beach Dramaworks).

"I'm looking forward to the cast and the director bringing the "old granddaddy's in a comma laughing scene" to life," Cole said. "It's one of the most interesting scenes of the play. There's something visceral and multidimensional about it. It's real heavy, yet comical."

Fans of American Stage may recognize Ronea from "Zonia" in Joe Turner's Come and Gone, 2017. She also worked as a wig designer on the theatre company's recent production of The Colored Museum.

One of the only two male figures in the play, the San Diego-based Henian Boone is making his American Stage debut as Doc Porter, a southern gentleman and Meg's former flame.

"I hope audiences can see themselves in this story, or recognize someone that resembles their own family," Boone said. "It is exciting to see more companies lean into the BIPOC experience and point of view. It is my belief that audiences have long been ready to see themselves depicted on stage and screen."

The last time American Stage produced this production, the year was 1987. 36 years later, the St. Pete theatre company is ready to give it another shot. Director Margolius says audiences can expect more movement and dancing in this version of the show.

"We plan to approach Crimes of the Heart as a re-envisioning and re-examination of a 'period piece' - meaning, we will not attempt to modernize or hide the setting of the play, but we will address the obvious challenges of this piece by opening up the conversation and addressing what was happening in the larger world at the time," Margolius said.

A big difference audiences will notice, unlike most productions of this play, the cast is not all white.

The American Stage casting team didn't originally set out to reimagine the characters with a completely BIPOC cast, but instead put little restriction on physical descriptions. Ultimately, it was the cast of six's talent that got them a spot in the play.

"With black and brown actors giving voice to the characters in this story, we are reminded again of the common connection of the human experience and the unique perspective of people of color in the deep south of Mississippi," said Patrick Arthur Jackson, associate artistic producer.

Crimes of the Heart is American Stage's fourth show of the 2022/23 season. See it January 11-Feb. 5 on the Mainstage.

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