By Alexander Aguiluz
“Crimes of the Heart” is a Pulitzer Prize winning tragicomedy by Beth Henley, and was directed by Stephanie Stroud for The Collective’s 2016-2017 season. It follows the Magrath sisters in 1974 Mississippi who get together over the course of two days after the youngest sister is revealed to have shot her husband.
Acting as a ‘slice of life’ story, the strong female leads convey a powerful tale of disconnected sisters who reconcile through dramatic revelations of their personal lives.
Alison Nichols plays Lenny, the eldest sister. Portrayed as a timid individual, Lenny is revealed to have moved back to her grandfather’s house after he suffers a stroke. Lenny is often teased throughout the play for her inability to be forward, often cowering in the shadows of her younger sister and her cousin Chick. Despite being an introverted character, Nichols’ ability to allow Lenny to stand out as an important character is notable. Her quirkiness is relatable to a degree, from her humorous moment of blowing out her candle alone, to how she talks and acts when the handsome Doc Porter is around, Nichols is able to play the typical shy girl that is familiar in today’s society.
Merrick McWherter plays Meg, the middle sister. Meg is the most outgoing and rebellious of the bunch. We learn that she moved out to Hollywood to pursue a singing career, and has been disconnected from her sisters and her old life for several years. Meg’s introduction as an extroverted character is a stark contrast to Lenny. She is regularly seen showing no regard to Lenny’s wellbeing, instead taking on a big-sister role to the youngest sister Babe. McWherter portrayal of Meg is a contrast to her performances in recent memory, which is admirable. Compared to more recent roles, Meg is a much more out right character, and memorable at that. The moment Meg walked into the scene, a comparison to Jackie from That 70’s Show was hard to avoid. Typical 70’s getup, appropriately loud and dominating of attention, McWherter is arguable a scene stealer at a nice touch to the story.
Maddy Beezie plays Babe, the youngest sister. Babe is introduced as having shot her husband because she “didn’t like his face.” The very line opens up the personality of the character to the audience. Being the only sister to have been married, her responsible side comes through often. Being the youngest also attests to her ability to be wild and act jokingly towards other characters. Beezie’s performance in the role is exemplary, able to switch between a series and comedic persona in a split second. One can’t help but relate to the pain and stress unfolding in the character’s head and heart, and Beezie’s portrayal really hits the drama home.
Secondary characters include Doc Porter, an old friend and flame of Meg, Chick Boyle, a cousin to the Magrath sisters, and Barnette Lloyd, Babe’s lawyer.
Eamon Gonzales plays Doc Porter. While a small role, he introduces a unique dynamic to Lenny and Meg’s relationship, and the development of Meg’s character.
Chick Boyle is played by Morgan Schussler-Williams in her 15th and final show with The Collective. Chick is introduced as being frank, with some sympathy towards her cousins out of common courtesy. Morgan’s portrayal includes frequent yelling of “Lennnnnnyyy!” which breaks the tension throughout the play.
Barnette Lloyd is played by Juan Ortega. Lloyd is a lawyer with a personal vendetta against Babe’s husband that drives his willingness to help Babe. His character develops a romantic interested with Babe, and Juan’s young hot-shot attitude mixed with professionalism is a beautiful.
Being set in 1974 Mississippi, the play takes place in the kitchen of the Magrath’s family home. Adorned with small trinkets, novelty glassware, a stove and fridge akin to that time, and even tacky pink wallpaper all combine for a quaint setting and allows a suspension of disbelief.
The choice of costumes easily completes the setting of the era. From Doc’s full-denim outfit to Babe’s pastels, each character has their own personality shine through their outfits.
“Crimes of the Heart” is a very powerful performance about sisterhood, adulthood, and reconciliation. Every moment of the narrative had a reason; every pause built tension, every gesture told stories, and every facial expression brought empathy.
“Crimes of the Heart” closes out Sunday February 26th at 2:00PM. You can see it on February 24th and 25th at the Madison Street Theatre in Oak Park. Tickets can be purchased at the box office, or at www.CUCCrimes.brownpapertickets.com
