The third show of the festival, Crimes of the Heart, by Beth Henley, performed by Iowa City High School, was another phenomenal one. Crimes of the Heart stars three women as three high-strung sisters. Lenny, Meg, and Babe gathered at Lenny's deep-South home for her birthday. Lenny, the oldest, can't seem to sustain a relationship with a man. Meg is an aspiring actress who hasn't progressed beyond commercial voice overs. And Babe is released on bond from jail after shooting her senator husband. Add to this information the fact that the girls' mother killed herself in Lenny's house, and that when Meg offhandedly expresses the wish that grouchy grandfather would slip into a coma, he does, where the sisters, despite every effort to treat the situation with properly, burst into helpless laughter over her "psychic" powers.
This show once again deserved the standing ovation it received after the end of the show. This was another start cast. Miriam Thoe, senior, is a face that we should all look for in the future. She played the role of Lenny McGrath, the teddy bear of the sisters, and the oldest. She did a phenomenal job, starting out the play with this sweet, yet funny personality. Her quirkiness did nothing, but add to the love the audience developed for her. Sage Behr, senior, did a commendable job as well. She played the role of Rebecca “Babe” Mcgrath, the rebel of the family, who married young and is having an affair with a much younger black boy. Behr played this tomboy character perfectly. She held nothing back and performed admirably.
The Crimes set was another eye pleasing one. Equipped with running water, a working refrigerator, and a ceiling fan, it was a phenomenal set. City High is lucky to have the production and construction crew that they have. As I watched the show, I forgot that I was watching a high school performance. I am always amazed and appreciative of schools that push the envelop and perform shows that have the content that this show did. I love that and thank City High for the much needed exposure of this literature to the festival.
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