JONESBOROUGH REPERTORY THEATRE

Jonesborough Repertory Theatre presented a FREE readers theatre performance of Beth Henley’s, Crimes of the Heart. Joy and dispute abound in this rip-roaring southern comedy. Many are familiar with the great 1986 film starring Diane Keaton, Jessica Lange, Sissy Spacek, and Sam Shepard. You know… the story where the three sisters reunite after the youngest has just shot her husband..... Not ringing a bell? It’s the one where the oldest sister, Lenny (the "old" maid) stays home to take care of Old Grandaddy; the middle sister, Meg (the one with a "loose reputation") has come home after running off to become a famous singer/actor, finding only men, men and more men; and then there’s baby sister, Babe, who has shot her husband after he ran off her younger lover.

From left to right: Nancy Hope Major, Janette Gaines and Holly Bible
rehearse a scene from Crimes of the Heart.

What is readers theatre? It’s theatre performed "on book". Scripts are used and actors read in full character of the role they are playing. Readers theatre is a great opportunity to see new and old scripts performed in a less formal, but highly professional atmosphere.

"JRT Readers Theatre has been formed by a group of talented actors who just want to ‘play’ around by breathing life into wonderful scripts that have gone unread or are collecting dust on our bookshelves,"　 says Kathleen Buttolph, JRT Artistic Director. Readers theatre gives a chance for actors and audiences to be introduced to new characters and see shows that go unnoticed or just need to brought back to life."

From left to right: Nancy Hope Major(Meg) and Cindy Frazier (Babe).
Babe is confessing to Meg that "yes" she really did shoot her husband!

This readers theatre cast stars Holly Bible as Lenny MaGrath, Cindy Frazier as Babe MaGrath, Janette Gaines as Chick "the stick" Boyle, Mike Lilly as Doc Porter and Barnette Lloyd, and Nancy Hope Major as Meg MaGrath.

One critic states about, Crimes of the Heart, "We all have crimes of the heart.....sad, true, and blissful....at times... Taking place in the south, we follow the story of a family's relationship and how they are dealing with their sister shooting her husband. With the strong female cast we can't help but to feel their pain through their emotions, relationship with each other, and how they deal with life... There are many lessons to learn and one of the most important is you can't turn your back on your family, even when you run away they will be there for you…..the honesty is great... A true classic!! When family gathers....everything comes out."

For more information volunteering or finding out about what’s going on at JRT, call us at 423-791-4440.

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