Beowulf Alley Theatre Presents an Extra Presentation!
A Piece of My Heart by Shirley Lauro
As a follow up to our April production of Last of the Boys, this Memorial Day, Beowulf Alley Theatre will continue its recognition of our American soldiers’ families for their shared sacrifice. Join us for a three-week run of A Piece of My Heart by Shirley Lauro, adapted from the Keith Walker book of the same name. Whitney Morton will direct this poignant chronicle of the women of the Vietnam War. The cast includes Janet Bruce, Samantha Cormier, Catherine Killough, T Loving,, Steve McKee, Jennifer Roberts and Maria Rallings. Recommended for ages 13 and older.
More than 15,000 American women volunteered to serve in Vietnam. Many were wounded and eight were killed. Ms. Lauro’s play memorializes these brave women as it bring to life true stories of six courageous women who volunteered to serve their country, the men who were part of their lives and the struggle to make sense of the war that irrevocably changed them and the nation that shunned them, their every limit tested. A Piece of My Heart portrays their strengths, weaknesses and sheer endurance, embracing the music, confusion, heroism, and idealism of the late 60s, portraying both the women’s sorrows and their intense joys, looking beyond politics to reflect on the incredible human experience of living and working in the midst of violence and chaos – and surviving. This tale of women in a conflict that forever changed America’s relationship to war is searingly relevant today. It is important to educate our young people about the sacrifices and bravery of these young women, then in their late teens and early 20s, who are now the mothers and grandmothers of a new generation faced with a new kind of war.
A Piece of My Heart has earned The Susan Blackburn Prize (Finalist) as Best English Language Play by a Woman, The Barbara Deming Prize for Women Playwrights, and The Kittredge Foundation Award. The Vietnam Vets of America, Inc. has cited the work as "the most enduring play in the nation on Vietnam." Lauro has written over twenty plays and one-acts.
"Shirley Lauro's cathartic...rousing...skillfully dramatized...creating an exhilarating sense of reconciliation and triumph. Ms. Lauro was able to take disparate characters and create a complete narrative from their stories, no small task."
-Christian Science Monitor
Performances are as follows:
Friday, May 28, 7:30 p.m. - Preview Performance
Saturday, May 29, 7:30 p.m. - Opening Night with Reception
Sunday, May 30, 2010 1:30 p.m. - Dialogues with…, following the performance
Thursdays-Saturdays, June 3 – 5, June 10 – 12, 7:30 p.m.
Sundays, June 6, June 13, 1:30 p.m.
Approximate run time: 2 hours, 20 minutes with one 15 minute intermission
Ticket prices:
Preview only: $10
Military families with ID; $15 advance, $12 military rush (cash only, 15 minutes prior to curtain, pending seating availability)
2009-2010 Season Subscribers: $10-$16, depending on subscription type
General Price: $20 with online only discount at www.beowulfalley.org
The theatre is located at 11 South 6th Avenue, 85701 in Downtown Tucson between Broadway and Congress. For more information consult our website at www.beowulfalley.org or call (520) 882-0555.
