Auditions: Crimes of the Heart

Calling Cast and Crew for Bandon Playhouse Production “Crimes of the Heart”

Come play with Bandon Playhouse! Cast and crew are invited to audition for the award-winning play, “Crimes of the Heart,” written by Beth Henley and directed by Sandra Heinzmann with assistant director Corrie Gant. Auditions will be held at the Sprague Community Theater, 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 13, and at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14. Roles are available for performers age 18 and older.

Actors auditioning for performance roles are invited to prepare a brief reading or monologue from any source, (approximately one minute), and read from the play. Sections from the play will be provided. Those interested in crew roles may also stop by. Rehearsals for “Crimes of the Heart” are scheduled for January and February 2025 with performances two weekends at the Sprague Community Theater on February 14 – 16 and 21 – 23, 2025.

Warm-hearted and imaginative, the dramatic comedy “Crimes of the Heart” won a 1981 Pulitzer Prize and New York Drama Critics Circle Award, along with a Tony Award nomination, and established playwright Beth Henley as a major voice in American theater.

The play opens as three sisters gather in rural Mississippi following news that their grandfather may soon pass away. Lenny, the eldest, is grappling with waning hopes for romantic prospects. Meg is back home following a fizzled attempt to launch a singing career on the West Coast. The youngest sister, Babe, is on bail and facing criminal charges. Rounding out the cast are cousin Chick, Babe’s attorney Barnette, and family friend Doc. 

As the impromptu family reunion progresses, the sisters squabble over past resentments and find solace in each other’s company as they confront their own imperfections and crimes of the heart.

“I love this play because it’s beautifully written. It focuses on women with deep, intimate relationships, and it’s very human. The characters are quirky, but they’re believable,” said director Sandra Heinzmann.

Heinzmann earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in acting from the University of California, Davis. For more than 30 years, she worked as a professor of theater, also acting in and directing plays throughout the United States and internationally. She is especially drawn to contemporary and experimental work, female voices in literature, multimedia performance, and (of course), Shakespeare.

Heinzmann moved to Bandon in 2021 with her husband Peter. Since then, she has joined the Art by the Sea Gallery and Studio where she showcases clay pieces and pottery. She served as a board member for Bandon Playhouse in 2023 – 2024.

“One of the elements I appreciate most about directing is watching actors bring stories to life,” said Heinzmann, adding, “I enjoy setting up situations that bring out the best in the actor and the character– and the camaraderie you experience working on a project together.”

Bandon Playhouse has provided the best in community theater, from classic musicals to premiere works by new playwrights, since 1976. Bandon Playhouse volunteers are proud to keep the performing arts alive and accessible on the Southern Oregon Coast. 

There is no cost to audition. Those who join the cast and crew are asked to join Bandon Playhouse. Annual membership is $5 for individuals. For more information, including audition materials, visit BandonPlayhouse.org, or call 541-290-8046.