From the HEART: Bringing the three McGrath sisters to the stage

For Beth Henley's Crimes of the Heart to be successful it's vital that you cast three actresses who can convincingly and effectively play the roles of the three McGrath sisters of Hazelhurst, Mississippi. Director Pat Street probably heaved a huge sigh of relief when she saw Melodie Madden Adams, Evelyn Brush and Laura Thomas Sonn walk into auditions, knowing those three were more than equal to the task - but Sondra Morton would be well-advised to watch her back (you'll find out why later). Street's cast for the show, now onstage at Franklin's Boiler Room Theatre, features those three exceptional actresses tackling the three roles - Adams is Lenny, Brush is Meg and Sonn is Babe - and each of the women brings her own perspective to the work, which has been a favorite of theater audiences the world over since the late 1970s.

That Crimes of the Heart remains so popular with theater companies and with audiences in 2011 is testament to Henley's exquisitely crafted play, an affectionate look at three flawed, but ultimately strong and resiliant, women and the dysfunction that has cursed their family in the intervening years since their mother's suicide (and don't forget mama's old yellow cat) some 16 years before the play's action takes place in late October 1974.

During the run-up to the show's opening - Hell Week be damned! - Adams, Brush and Sonn somehow found time to ponder our queries and give us an idea of the process each went through to become their characters and to develop the palpable sense of sisterhood that permeates the lovely - and lovingly mounted - production (that continues through April 23).

So how's this rehearsal process gone for you?

 

Melodie Madden Adams: This rehearsal process has been such an encouraging and supportive process.

Laura Thomas Sonn: The rehearsal process...well, walking into it, I knew that we had a lot of work to do and immense ground to cover in a very short amount of time, but Pat had the rehearsal calendar planned so meticulously that never once did I find myself feeling like my time was being wasted. The turn around on this show was pretty quick, and it's a somewhat heavy technical show in terms of props, etc., so there was a lot of room for distraction. This show is about the relationship and intricacies between these three women, however different they may be. Immediately I felt a sense of ease and camaraderie with both Evelyn and Melodie. I have worked with Melodie before and have always thought of her as the big sister I never had, and I quickly found myself very fond of working with and being around Evelyn, as well. There is a sense of trust and understanding among the three of us, which makes acting with both of them so much more authentic. The script lends itself to getting lost in the dialogue and moments, and I have to say that I continue to find myself lost in moments with both of these women. They are extraordinary, both as actors and people.

Evelyn Brush: The rehearsal process was really fun. The time absolutely flew by, which I attribute to good material and good people. I think we'd all agree that the three of us could not be more fond of each other. I respect Melodie and Laura both as people and as performers. Mel and I have known each other for years, but this is our first show together. Such a thrill to finally get to work with her. Laura and I had never met before we started rehearsals, but we connected immediately - one of those instant-friends things.

Do you have sisters in real life? If so, how do the other two compare to your siblings?

Melodie: I don't have sisters, just a brother, but these girls are the best fake sisters any gal could hope for! I do have two sisters, Anna and Emily, both younger than me, so immediately I find myself in a different role in the show than the one I play in real life. In the show, I play Babe, the youngest of the three sisters. In real life, I am the oldest of five and, therefore, the "responsible" one. My family jokes that I am the "mini mom" because I have never been without another sibling since I was 11 months old, so I tend to have more of Lenny's (Melodie's character) qualities - the nurturer, if you will. Meg (Evelyn's character) is much like my middle sister, Anna...carefree and spirited and strong willed. She is her own person and makes no apologies for it. And Emily has many Babe qualities to her...the social butterfly, sweet and pleasant, with the biggest heart of anyone you'll ever meet. But she holds a lot of her emotions in, sometimes for her sake and sometimes for the sake of those around her. To say that I can relate to each of these women is an understatement, because I have grown up with them.

Laura: I do have two sisters, Anna and Emily, both younger than me, so immediately I find myself in a different role in the show than the one I play in real life. In the show, I play Babe, the youngest of the three sisters. In real life, I am the oldest of five and, therefore, the "responsible" one. My family jokes that I am the "mini mom" because I have never been without another sibling since I was 11 months old, so I tend to have more of Lenny's (Melodie's character) qualities - the nurturer, if you will. Meg (Evelyn's character) is much like my middle sister, Anna...carefree and spirited and strong willed. She is her own person and makes no apologies for it. And Emily has many Babe qualities to her...the social butterfly, sweet and pleasant, with the biggest heart of anyone you'll ever meet. But she holds a lot of her emotions in, sometimes for her sake and sometimes for the sake of those around her. To say that I can relate to each of these women is an understatement, because I have grown up with them.

Evelyn: No sisters! I'm blessed with one crazy older brother. (But I think I'm going to adopt Laura and Melodie as my pretend sisters.)

This play has been around a while, why should audiences come see it?

 

 

Evelyn: There's a reason Beth Henley won a Pulitzer for this show. Crimes of the Heart may be set in 1974, but the family relationships, life struggles, and personal milestones it explores are not exclusive to any particular time period. We've all experienced loss, heartache, conflict, and the desire to know our true selves - to know who we really are, and that we are loved, no matter what. I think this play captures those things beautifully. Plus, it's got a lot of good laughs.

 

 

Melodie: I have fallen in love with this play a little more each day and just love the heart of it. I think the audience will fall in love with these characters.Well, for one, Sondra Morton's character Chick alone is worth the price of admission. I think audiences will find that this show is relatable. The script itself is so beautifully written and full of memorable characters, important moments and special relationships. It' moments of zany ridiculousness are immediately met with scenes of heartbreaking reality. And there is some nice work being done by everyone in the cast. Chris Basso's Barnette Lloyd is perfectly charming, and Dave Shetler as Doc is totally endearing.

Laura: Well, for one, Sondra Morton's character Chick alone is worth the price of admission. I think audiences will find that this show is relatable. The script itself is so beautifully written and full of memorable characters, important moments and special relationships. It' moments of zany ridiculousness are immediately met with scenes of heartbreaking reality. And there is some nice work being done by everyone in the cast. Chris Basso's Barnette Lloyd is perfectly charming, and Dave Shetler as Doc is totally endearing.

What part (or plot point, if you will) has had the biggest emotional impact on you?

 

Laura: Hmm, the biggest emotional impact...you know, I think the thing that has struck me the most during this process is the humanity of each of these women just trying to get through "a real bad day", and the coping mechanisms that each of them develop to do so. My show specifically centers around the unraveling of Babe, her detachment from the real world, and how she deals with facing reality both in terms of the choices she's made as well as the consequences of her actions and how they affect those around her. Her detriment to herself and to others does not come from a malicious place, but comes from a place of denial, where she refuses to face the reality of situations she has created or that have been created for her. It has forced me to examine my own situations, and what coping mechanisms I have developed to deal with the messy parts of my life.

Evelyn: Meg's relationship with Doc was the thing that's had the biggest emotional impact on me. They only have one scene together in the show, but the other characters discuss their relationship at length several times, so it's important for all that background and history to be fully fleshed out. Doc is the one man who has loved Meg for exactly who she is, and she ditched him. It's tragic and complicated! I've loved exploring their history, and her reasons for doing what she did.

Melodie: My character Lenny feels alone and left out a lot and I think we can all relate to feeling like that at some point in our life. For me that evokes emotion from my childhood days where I wasn't the cool kid.

If you weren't cast in the role that you're playing, who would you want to play?

 

Laura: Gosh, I think Chick would be such a fun character to play. I would love to get to play the snarky second cousin who is always getting into everyone's business and says the most hateful things with a "bless her heart" tied onto the end of it. Love it.

 

Evelyn: For sheer pleasure value, I would have to say Chick. C'mon, it's great fun being a mean, self-involved busy-body!

 

 

 

Melodie: I was always drawn to Lenny, and I feel like I really know her, but Chick would be fun. Who doesn't love being the bitch?

 

 

- Crimes of the Heart. By Beth Henley. Directed by Pat Street. Presented by Boiler Room Theatre, Franklin. Through April 23. For details, go to the website at www.boilerroomtheatre.com. For reservations, call (615) 794-7744.

photos (from top) of Melodie Madden Adams, Evelyn Brush and Laura Thomas Sonn in Boiler Room Theatre's production of Beth Henley's Crimes of the Heart/photos by Rick Malkin

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