April 26, 2024

GCCC College Players Presenting “Crimes of the Heart” April 4-7

(Courtesy of GCCC)

GARDEN CITY, Kan. — The College Players at Garden City Community College are pleased to present the last show of the 2018-2019 school year, Crimes of the Heart, by Beth Henley. 

If you ever thought your family was dysfunctional, you haven’t seen the Magrath sisters in this Pulitzer Prize winning comedy.  City Community College Players will be performing this heartfelt comedy April 4-7.  Ticket prices are $10.00 for general admission and $8.00 for Seniors and those 17 and younger.  As always, Gold Pass holders are granted free admission to the play. Tickets can be purchased from 8:00AM to 3:00PM in the Fine Arts Office at GCCC or by calling or emailing Mark Scheopner at 620-276-9540 or mark.scheopner@gcccks.edu

“The show is a tragic comedy filled with laughter and tears,” said Darlene Bennett, a sophomore actor in the play.  “As my last show here as a student, I found this play to be a nice ending. My role has definitely pushed me a little out of my comfort zone, but still has been a joy to create and experience. “

The play is set in Hazlehurst, Mississippi in 1974.  “I think one of the real issues we had with the play is that I remember 1974 and how pivotal that year was, whereas for my students, it’s all history.  Trying to get them to understand some of the issues of the time was both a joy and a challenge, and it allowed them to get all of their old age jokes out on me . . . You’re only as old as you feel,” says director, Phil Hoke.

The three sisters– Lenny, Meg, and Babe– deal with a variety of issues.  Babe has just shot her husband; Meg, an up and coming singer, has just lost her voice; and Lenny, the family peacemaker, is trying to keep everyone together despite gossip, snoopy and overbearing relatives, romantic intrigues, and a critically ill Grandfather. 

“This is my third performance at GCCC, and I’ve really enjoyed developing this role which is unlike most characters I’ve played in the past,” states Monica Hernandez, freshman student from Sublette.

“The neat thing about this play is that it takes on some really deep issues, but still manages to find the humanity and comedy in the events,” Rheann Rodenbur from Ingalls says.

The three sisters deal with the problems in their lives and then come together to raise each other up as they arrive at heart-felt insights over the bond of family, love, and tradition. 

Garden City Community College exists to produce positive contributors to the economic and social well-being of society.