Like the perfect glass of lemonade, Trinity Western University鈥檚 latest School of Arts, Media + Culture (SAMC) Theatre production is sweet, tart, and refreshing.
, a sassy Southern comedy about second chances, runs Nov. 19-30.
This Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Beth Henley takes place in 1972, when the 鈥渕eanest man in Mississippi鈥� has just been shot and the whole town is saying it was Babe, his sweet little wife. Luckily for everyone, Babe has terrible aim.
With her husband in the hospital and her lawyer blinded by a vendetta of his own, it鈥檚 up to Babe and her sisters to set things right.
鈥淭he story, funny and disastrous as it is, resonates with the hope and desperation we鈥檝e all experienced at one time or another,鈥� says director Becky MacDormand, an accomplished TWU alumna who has worked on Vancouver stages such as The Cultch and Pacific Theatre. 鈥淚s there still hope when everything blows up in your face? Is your family worth supporting, even when they let you down?鈥�
The antics of the Magrath girls serve as a comical reminder that you can鈥檛 choose your family.
While Babe is known as a 鈥減retty, perfect sugarplum,鈥� she doesn鈥檛 have all the lights on upstairs.
Meg, the wild middle child, can鈥檛 help toying with the heart of her childhood beau鈥攁nd giving the town gossip plenty to talk about.
Lenny, the eldest, has the worst luck imaginable, from a shrunken ovary to a beloved horse getting struck by lightning. But, as these Southern belles prove, sometimes the most eccentric and dysfunctional family can actually be the most lovable.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a comedy, but it鈥檚 not an escape,鈥� says MacDormand. 鈥淎s you follow the irreverent adventures of these quirky, small-town characters, you can鈥檛 help but look at the ups and downs of your own relationships鈥攎aybe with fresh eyes. Sometimes that鈥檚 the best gift theatre can offer.鈥�
Crimes of the Heart stars Brandon Bate, Charlotte Elgersma, James Faley, Jenessa Galbraith, Liz Squires, and Rachel Zmak. The set designer is Carolyn Rapanos, costume designer is Jay Havens, and lighting designer is Alia Stephen. The show is stage managed by Sharra Ganzeveld, Veronica Hargrave, and Jane Townsend.
Playing Nov. 19 to 30 at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, with 2 p.m. Saturday matinees. Special pricing on the first Tuesday. For tickets and information, visit www.twu.ca/theatre or call 604-513-2121 extension 3872.
