The Pulitzer Prize winning play 'Crimes of the Heart,' offers a window into the lives of three sisters. Fate and their history offer a combination of unusual situations they each deal with in very different ways.
The production runs April 19-21st at Glenville State College with show times each evening at 8 p.m. in the President's Auditorium in the administration building. GSC students get in free, and admission for everybody else is just $3.
Within minutes after the curtain opens, the audience will find it is the eldest sister Lenny's birthday. Lenny is played by Robyn Hathaway of Elizabeth, West Virginia. A cousin stops by to report the bad news that her younger sister, Babe, made all the papers. Turning 30 has made "Lenny" feel particularly old with a full plate of family issues to deal with. Nikki Spangler, of Buckhannon, makes her Glenville State College stage debut in the role of youngest sister, Babe. "She's just in a different realm," Spangler says of her character. Babe is in jail when the play opens.
Veteran performer Ashley Wolfe, of Philippi, is middle sister, Meg, who has been in California for several years. Wolfe says Meg is the most fun of the trio. For Wolfe, the play represents the endurance of family. Despite acting in four previous GSC plays, Wolfe said no matter how much she rehearses, she's never confident on opening night but says somehow everything always works out. "Even if you drop lines, you can cover it up and go on," Wolfe said. "In the end the only one that know there was a mistake would be you." Wolfe scratched her head, as if on stage attempting to remember a line. "They (the audience) could be thinking, 'Oh this is meaningful.' So as long as a character doesn't have too many meaningful pauses, it typically goes unnoticed."
Robyn Hathaway's role (Lenny) has made her more aware of her age. A recent graduate, she's now substitute teaching in a three-county area and is the oldest member of the cast. Hathaway has been accepted into West Virginia University's Masters program in secondary education. After that, she's going for her doctorate and hinted it would be perfect if one of Glenville's current professors would retire at the same time she finished because she'd love to return and work here.
Ashley Wolfe (Meg) is a senior with two majors, business management and criminal justice. She plans to enter the administrative side of the penial system upon graduation.
Nikki Spangler (a sophomore) is the top female golfer at GSC and a math major. After graduation, she plans on pursuing a master's degree at Marshall University and continuing for a doctorate.
Supporting cast members are: Desi Jones, in the role of Chick Boyle, Douglas A. Sockman, plays 'Doc' Porter, Michael Wyers, in the role of Barnette Lloyd. The play is directed by GSC Communications Professor, Dennis Wemm, now in his twentieth year as a member of the GSC faculty. Student, Paul Nagy, is the stage and lighting manager. Cassandra A. Davis is property manager. Sound is being handled by Aaron Radcliff.
'Crimes of the Heart' was written by Beth Henley. It is being produced by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service. For more information on GSC Theatre, contact Wemm at dennis.wemm@glenville.edu or at (304) 462-7361 x7323.
"Meg" (played by Ashley Wolfe) trys to comfort older sister "Lenny (played by Robyn Hathoway) in Glenville State College Theatre's production of 'Crimes of the Heart.'
It's "Lenny's" birthday, but bad news keeps piling up. Recent GSC graduate Robyn Hathoway plays "Lenny" in GSC Theatre's production of 'Crimes of the Heart.'
Desi Jones, left, plays cousin "Chick Boyle" who spreads more cheer on "Lenny's" birthday during a quick visit in GSC Theatre's production of 'Crimes of the Heart.' "Lenny" is played by GSC graduate Robyn Hathaway. Jones is a Gilmer County High School student.
