Crimes of the Heart
Encyclopedia
Crimes of the Heart is a play by Beth Henley
.
after Babe shoots her abusive husband. The trio was raised in a dysfunctional family
with a penchant for ugly predicaments and each has endured her share of hardship and misery. Past resentments bubble to the surface as they're forced to deal with assorted relatives and past relationships while coping with the latest incident that has disrupted their lives. Each sister is forced to face the consequences of the "crimes of the heart" she has committed.
s without success. Unknown to her, a friend entered it in the Great American Play Contest at the Actors Theatre of Louisville
, and it was named co-winner and performed in February 1979 at the company's annual festival of New American Plays. The production was extremely well received, and the play was selected by numerous regional theatres for their 1979-80 season. The show starred Lee Anne Fahey, Kathy Bates
, and Susan Kingsley.
At the end of 1980, the Manhattan Theatre Club
staged the play's New York City
premiere for a limited, sold-out engagement of thirty-two performances. After thirteen previews, the Broadway production, directed by Melvin Bernhardt
, set design by John Lee Beatty
, costumes by Patricia McGourty, and lighting by Dennis Parichy
, opened on November 4, 1981 at the John Golden Theatre
, where it ran for 535 performances. The opening night cast included Mia Dillon
, Mary Beth Hurt
, Lizbeth MacKay
, Raymond Baker
, Sharon Ullrick, and Peter MacNicol
. The play's success spawned productions in London
's West End
, Chicago
, Washington, DC, Atlanta, Los Angeles
, Dallas, and Houston, and it continues to be a popular choice for community theatre
and summer stock
productions.
A production at Off-Broadway
's Second Stage Theatre
ran from April 16, 2001 to May 14, 2001. It was directed by Garry Hynes
, and featured Julia Murney
(Chick), Enid Graham (Lenny), and Mary Catherine Garrison (Babe). The play was nominated for the Lucille Lortel
Award for Best Revival of the season.
A Roundabout Theatre Company
Off-Broadway production, based on a 2007 Williamstown Theatre Festival
production, was directed by Kathleen Turner
. It ran February 14, 2008 to April 20 and featured Lily Rabe
(Babe), Jennifer Dundas (Lenny), Sarah Paulson
(Meg) and Jessica Stone (Chick).
and garnered three Academy Award nominations, including one for Henley for Best Adapted Screenplay
.
Nominations
Beth Henley
Elizabeth Becker "Beth" Henley is an American dramatist and actress. She writes primarily about women's issues and family in the Southern United States. She is also a screenwriter who has written many film adaptations of her plays...
.
Synopsis
At the core of the tragic comedy are the three Magrath sisters, Meg, Babe, and Lenny, who reunite at Old Granddaddy's home in Hazlehurst, MississippiHazlehurst, Mississippi
Hazlehurst is a city in and the county seat of Copiah County, Mississippi, United States, located about 30 miles south of the state capital Jackson along Interstate 55. The population was 4,400 at the 2000 census...
after Babe shoots her abusive husband. The trio was raised in a dysfunctional family
Dysfunctional family
A dysfunctional family is a family in which conflict, misbehavior, and often abuse on the part of individual members occur continually and regularly, leading other members to accommodate such actions. Children sometimes grow up in such families with the understanding that such an arrangement is...
with a penchant for ugly predicaments and each has endured her share of hardship and misery. Past resentments bubble to the surface as they're forced to deal with assorted relatives and past relationships while coping with the latest incident that has disrupted their lives. Each sister is forced to face the consequences of the "crimes of the heart" she has committed.
Productions
Henley completed her play in 1978 and submitted it to several regional theatreRegional theatre in the United States
Regional theaters, or resident theaters, in the United States are professional or semi-professional, theater companies that produce their own seasons. The term regional theatre most often refers to professional theatres outside of New York City...
s without success. Unknown to her, a friend entered it in the Great American Play Contest at the Actors Theatre of Louisville
Actors Theatre of Louisville
Actors Theatre of Louisville is a performing arts theater located in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. It was founded in 1964 by Louisville native Ewel Cornett, local producer Richard Block and actor Ken Jenkins of Scrubs fame, and was designated the "State Theater of Kentucky" in 1974. It is run as a...
, and it was named co-winner and performed in February 1979 at the company's annual festival of New American Plays. The production was extremely well received, and the play was selected by numerous regional theatres for their 1979-80 season. The show starred Lee Anne Fahey, Kathy Bates
Kathy Bates
Kathleen Doyle "Kathy" Bates is an American actress and director.After several small roles in film and television, Bates rose to prominence with her performance in Misery , for which she won both the Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe...
, and Susan Kingsley.
At the end of 1980, the Manhattan Theatre Club
Manhattan Theatre Club
Manhattan Theatre Club is a theater company located in New York City. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, Manhattan Theatre Club has grown since its founding in 1970 from an Off-Off Broadway showcase into one of the country’s most acclaimed...
staged the play's New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
premiere for a limited, sold-out engagement of thirty-two performances. After thirteen previews, the Broadway production, directed by Melvin Bernhardt
Melvin Bernhardt
Melvin Bernhardt is an American stage and television director. He was born and raised in Buffalo, New York, and much of his work has been in the New York City area. He is known for his productions of The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, Da, and Crimes of the Heart...
, set design by John Lee Beatty
John Lee Beatty
John Lee Beatty is an American scenic designer. He was born in Palo Alto, California and grew up in Claremont. His father was dean of students at Pomona College and his mother had also work in academia. While he was English major at Brown University, he also directed, wrote, acted and drew posters...
, costumes by Patricia McGourty, and lighting by Dennis Parichy
Dennis Parichy
Dennis Parichy is an award-winning American lighting designer. Parichy has designed lights for more than 15 Broadway productions since 1976, including: The Price, The Tenth Man, Coastal Disturbances, Penn & Teller, Burn This, The Nerd, As Is, Angels Fall, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Duet...
, opened on November 4, 1981 at the John Golden Theatre
John Golden Theatre
The John Golden Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 252 West 45th Street in midtown-Manhattan. Designed in a Moorish style along with the adjacent Royale Theatre by architect Herbert J. Krapp for Irwin Chanin, it opened as the Theatre Masque on February 24 1927 with the play Puppets of Passion...
, where it ran for 535 performances. The opening night cast included Mia Dillon
Mia Dillon
Mia Dillon is an American actress.Born in Colorado, Dillon graduated from Marple-Newtown Senior High School in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. She made her Broadway debut in Hugh Leonard's Da in 1978...
, Mary Beth Hurt
Mary Beth Hurt
Mary Beth Hurt is an American actress of stage and screen.-Personal life:Hurt was born Mary Supinger in 1946 in Marshalltown, Iowa, the daughter of Delores Lenore and Forrest Clayton Supinger. Her childhood babysitter was actress Jean Seberg, also a Marshalltown native...
, Lizbeth MacKay
Lizbeth MacKay
Lizbeth Mackay is an American actress. She works primarily in the theatre and television.-Biography:Mackay was born in Buffalo, New York. She is the daughter of Robert J. Mackay, a salesman, and Alice , a dancer. She has two children, Caitlin and John...
, Raymond Baker
Ray Baker (actor)
Ray Baker is an American theater, television and film actor. He is a long time character actor with over 100 credits on television and film alone. Baker is credited either as Ray or Raymond.-Selected filmography:...
, Sharon Ullrick, and Peter MacNicol
Peter MacNicol
Peter MacNicol is an American actor. He may be best known in films for his roles of Janosz Poha in Ghostbusters II, Stingo in Sophie's Choice, Thomas Renfield in Dracula: Dead and Loving It and David Langley in Bean...
. The play's success spawned productions in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Washington, DC, Atlanta, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, Dallas, and Houston, and it continues to be a popular choice for community theatre
Community theatre
Community theatre refers to theatrical performance made in relation to particular communities—its usage includes theatre made by, with, and for a community...
and summer stock
Summer Stock
For the article about the theatre genre, see Summer stock theatre.Summer Stock is a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical made in 1950. The film was directed by Charles Walters and stars Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Eddie Bracken, Gloria DeHaven, Marjorie Main, and Phil Silvers...
productions.
A production at Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
's Second Stage Theatre
Second Stage Theatre
Second Stage Theatre is an award-winning contemporary Off-Broadway theater company.-Mission:The theatre's mission is to give new life to contemporary American plays and to produce the world premiers of new plays by both established and emerging playwrights...
ran from April 16, 2001 to May 14, 2001. It was directed by Garry Hynes
Garry Hynes
Garry Hynes is an Irish theatre director. She holds the distinction of being the first female to win the prestigious Tony Award for direction of a play.Hynes was born in Ballaghadereen, Roscommon County and educated at St...
, and featured Julia Murney
Julia Murney
Julia Kathleen Murney is an American actress, singer and theatre performer, primarily featured in theatre and television commercial voice-overs. Until 2005, she was commonly known as the Broadway actress who had technically never appeared on Broadway...
(Chick), Enid Graham (Lenny), and Mary Catherine Garrison (Babe). The play was nominated for the Lucille Lortel
Lucille Lortel
Lucille Lortel was an American actress and theater producer who is remembered as the namesake of an off-Broadway playhouse and theatrical award....
Award for Best Revival of the season.
A Roundabout Theatre Company
Roundabout Theatre Company
The Roundabout Theatre Company is a leading non-profit theatre company based in New York City.-History:The company was founded in 1965 by Gene Feist and Elizabeth Owens and now operates five theatres, all in Manhattan: the American Airlines Theatre ; Studio 54 ; the Stephen Sondheim Theatre The...
Off-Broadway production, based on a 2007 Williamstown Theatre Festival
Williamstown Theatre Festival
The Williamstown Theatre Festival is a regional summer stock theatre on the campus of Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, founded in 1954 by Williams College news director, Ralph Renzi, and drama program chairman, David C. Bryant. The theatre was conceived as a way to use the Adams...
production, was directed by Kathleen Turner
Kathleen Turner
Mary Kathleen Turner is an American actress. She came to fame during the 1980s, after roles in the Hollywood films Body Heat, Peggy Sue Got Married, Romancing the Stone, The War of the Roses, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Prizzi's Honor...
. It ran February 14, 2008 to April 20 and featured Lily Rabe
Lily Rabe
Lily Rabe is an American actress. She is the daughter of the late actress Jill Clayburgh and playwright David Rabe and attended Northwestern University and the Hotchkiss School....
(Babe), Jennifer Dundas (Lenny), Sarah Paulson
Sarah Paulson
-Career:She was a series regular on the cult television show American Gothic and the WB series Jack & Jill , playing the character "Elisa Cronkite"...
(Meg) and Jessica Stone (Chick).
Adaptation
The 1986 film adaptation was directed by Bruce BeresfordBruce Beresford
Bruce Beresford is an Australian film director who has made more than 30 feature films over a 40-year career.-Early life:...
and garnered three Academy Award nominations, including one for Henley for Best Adapted Screenplay
Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay
The Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay is one of the Academy Awards, the most prominent film awards in the United States. It is awarded each year to the writer of a screenplay adapted from another source...
.
Awards and nominations
Awards- 1981 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best American Play
- 1981 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
- 1982 Theatre World AwardTheatre World AwardThe Theatre World Award, first awarded for the 1945-46 season, is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or off-Broadway.-History:...
- Lizbeth MacKay
- Peter MacNicol
Nominations
- 1982 Tony AwardTony AwardThe Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
for Best Play - 1982 Tony Award, Best Featured Actress in a Play
- Mia Dillon
- Mary Beth Hurt
- 1982 Tony Award, Best Direction of a Play (Melvin Bernhardt)
- 1981 Drama Desk AwardDrama Desk AwardThe Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other in the same category...
for Outstanding New Play - 1981 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actress in a Play (Mary Beth Hurt)
- 1981 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Director of a Play