OIL LAMP THEATER PRESENTS “CRIMES OF THE HEART” BY BETH HENLEY

OIL LAMP THEATER PRESENTS “CRIMES OF THE HEART” BY BETH HENLEY

Beth Henley’s 1981 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Crimes of the Heart is the next offering at the Oil Lamp Theater in Glenview. This quirky and touching dark comedy will be directed by Elizabeth Lovelady and will open on September 6th.  Elizabeth is excited to be returning to Oil Lamp where she previously directed The Dining Room by A.R. Gurney.  

Set in Hazlehurst, Mississippi in 1974, Crimes of the Heart tells the story of the Magrath sisters, three wounded siblings, who have gathered to await news of their hospitalized grandfather and family patriarch. Lenny McGrath (Laura Coleman), the eldest sister, is unmarried and facing diminishing marital prospects. She has taken on the role of mother to her sisters after the untimely death of their mother. Meg McGrath, (Cristiana Barbatelli), the middle sister, has just returned from the West Coast after a failed attempt to launch a singing career. Babe (C. Jaye Miller), the youngest, has just been bailed out of jail after shooting her husband in the stomach. Chick (Jaclyn Hotzman) their priggish and insufferable cousin, seems only too pleased to stir up gossip and rehash old family scandals.

Into this disturbing but hilarious world of dysfunction comes Barnette (Sam Hicks), an awkward young lawyer who hopes to rescue Babe from her legal predicament -- while also finding himself helpless not to fall in love with her. Rounding out the group is Doc Porter (Evan Johnson), Meg’s former flame whom she ditched after a brief tryst five years earlier during Hurricane Camille.

Glenview’s Oil Lamp Theater often presents shows that explore relationships, and Crimes of the Heart is certainly one of them… but with a difference! This piercing comedy conjures up the Southern gothic atmosphere of Eudora Welty and Carson McCullers, but at the same time, the Magrath sisters  provide a loopy effervescence that lets us find both delight and hope in this odd, dysfunctional family.

The New York Post said of this show, “It has heart, and a surprisingly zany passion that must carry all before it…  It would certainly be a crime for anyone interested in the theater not to see this play”  and New York Magazine said, “From time to time a play comes along that restores one’s faith in our theater…”

Crimes of the Heart will preview in Glenview on September 5th, 2013. Performances run from September 6th through October 6th, Fridays through Sundays. Doors open for evening performances at 7:30 and shows begin at 8:00 pm. For Sunday matinees, doors open at 2:30 and the show begins at 3:00 pm. Oil Lamp Theater is a BYOB establishment. Tickets are $30 and are available through brownpapertickets.com or at the Oil Lamp Theater box office on Mondays and Thursdays from Noon to 5pm. Group rates are available.

ABOUT OIL LAMP

The Oil Lamp Theater was founded in 2005 and moved to its Glenview location in July, 2012. In Oil Lamp’s unique environment, the theater space is just as much a part of the artistic canvas as the carefully selected theatrical productions. The Oil Lamp experience begins with a warm greeting that welcomes guests into a home-like environment. It includes candlelight and complimentary fresh-baked cookies. The performances take audiences on an intimate journey to explore the human condition through the lens of relationships and love. Oil Lamp Theater is located at 1723 Glenview Road, just west of the intersection of Waukegan and Glenview Roads.

For more information visit oillamptheater.org or email at oillamptheater@yahoo.com or call our box office at (847) 834-0738.