Written by Beth Henley
Directed by Geoff Brittain
“Crimes of the Heart” is a play by American playwright Beth Henley. It is set in Hazlehurst, Mississippi in the 1970’s. The play won the 1981 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play. The ‘tragicomedy’ relates the story of the three Magrath sisters, Meg, Babe, and Lenny, who reunite at Old Granddaddy’s home in Hazlehurst, Mississippi, after Babe shoots her abusive husband. The sisters were raised in a dysfunctional family with a penchant for ugly predicaments. Each has endured her share of hardship and misery.
Lenny Magrath, 35-45, the oldest sister
Unmarried and facing diminishing marital prospects.
She is frustrated after years of carrying heavy burdens of responsibility. She loves her sisters but feels they received preferential treatment during their upbringing. She fears rejection from the opposite sex and is withdrawn as a result.
Meg Magrath, 30-40, the middle sister
Quickly outgrew her hometown and is back after a failed singing career on the West Coast. After her career stalled she had a nervous breakdown and ended up in the psychiatric ward.
Her sisters feel that Meg acts irresponsibly.
As a child, Meg discovered the body of their mother following her suicide
Babe Botrelle, 25-30, the youngest sister
She is innocent, naive and quirky. Perfectly genteel if false in her most controlled moments and hauntingly lucid in her moments of insanity.
She has shot her husband, Zackery, a powerful and wealthy senator/lawyer, but there are more dark secrets in her life.
Chick Boyle, 25-35, the sister’s first cousin
The sisters’ first cousin, her character is a very demanding relative, extremely concerned about the community’s opinion of her.
She is critical of all aspects of the Magrath’s family and is always bringing up past tragedies such as the mother’s suicide. She is especially hard on Meg, whom she finds undisciplined and calls a “low-class tramp,” and on Babe, who “doesn’t understand how serious the situation is” after shooting Zackery. Chick is closest to Lenny.
Doc Porter, 30-40, Meg’s old boyfriend
Doc is Meg’s old boyfriend and they planned to marry. His plans for a medical career stalled and eventually died after he was severely injured in Hurricane Camille. Although Meg abandoned him when she left for California, Doc remains fond of her.
He now has his own wife and children, but remains close to the Magrath family.
Barnette Lloyd, 30, is Babe’s lawyer.
An ambitious, talented attorney, Barnette views Babe’s case as a chance to enhance his career. He seems to have a strong attraction to Babe, whom he remembers distinctly from a chance meeting at a Christmas bazaar. He hopes that his efforts on her behalf will be rewarded in the end.
Season 23rd April – 2nd May 2020
Auditions at The ARTS Theatre, 53 Angas Street, Adelaide
Saturday 20th July
To book a time contact the Production Manager, Alda Ward at aldawardtheatre@gmail.com or phone 0407 080 385