Jersey City Theater Center to Present CRIMES OF THE HEART

Jersey City Theater Center will present Crimes of the Heart, an electrifying new production of Beth Henley's Pulitzer Prize-winning play. Running from March 21 through March 30, 2025, this deeply moving and darkly comedic drama delves into the lives of the Magrath sisters, set against the shifting cultural landscape of 1970s Mississippi.

Set in 70's Mississippi, a time of great social upheaval—marked by the women's liberation movement, racial tensions, and the scars of war—Crimes of the Heart explores the complicated dynamics of family, love, and personal redemption. The play brings the audience on a journey through the raw emotions, struggles, and triumphs of three sisters finding their way amidst personal and societal turmoil, seeking to find what treasure among these deeply flawed individuals and the beliefs that have led them here, and perhaps have led us to where we are in the present moment as a country.

“Crimes of the Heart is the story of three sisters in the late ‘70s conservative South that reveals many challenges we still struggle with today,” says director Albert Rudnitsky. “I want to invite the audience to join us in the characters' joy and confusion, perhaps reflecting on their own difficult relationships—whether that's with people within their own family or the world at large, our dysfunctional human family.”

JCTC's production features an exciting cast of emerging and seasoned talent, including:

• Rachel Coster (Boy Room) as Chick
• Natalie Austin as Lenny
• Sabina Friedman-Seitz as Meg
• Audrey Rose Arnold as Babe
• Sheldon Donenberg as Barnett
• Ben Peters as Doc
•  

The play follows a successful sold-out workshop performance at the Gene Frankel Theatre in December 2024, and this full production promises to further captivate audiences with its blend of humor, heartache, and resilience.

"In these turbulent times, we ask: What's next? How did we get here? Family is a microcosm of the world, and this play follows young women who love each other yet struggle to navigate life. As their lives take unexpected turns, they search for happiness, stumble, and ultimately realize the world offers no clarity—and no one to guide them. We are producing Crimes of the Heart now because the play highlights some of the questions we pose about our American reality today." says Olga Levina, Executive Producer at JCTC.

Tickets start at just $20 and can be purchased at www.JCTCenter.org.

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