Event Article

Shirley Lauro's "A Piece of My Heart," is an engaging time capsule that provides . shocking insight to thos~ who. were · all but forgotten after their ·service, American Red Cross nurses. The play also features a female musician, serving American troops in the late '60s and early '70s war-tom Vietnam. The FC Theatre Department's upcoming production of the show uses a fusion of artistic elements to convey the play's moving tale, the characters trials and tribulations on . the front lines of Vietnam and their post-war adjustment. following.

"I took on this show and asked, . 'What can we do?' 'Can we have a band?' 'Do we have actors who want to be on stage for two hours without speaking?' 'Can we have shadow puppets?' 'What can we do and let's do it,'" explained William Mittler, the show's director. "Most importantly, we needed to find the best way to tell the story, and adding all of the different elements is the · only way to do ·it," continued Mittler

The show includes a live band which plays both before the show and during the performance. The group is comprised of FC Theatre students who are musicians as well, including . Eric Larson on keyboards, Victor Amaya and Michael Ornelas on guitars as well as Arthur Castro on bass and trumpet.

"The addition of music definitely accentuates the dramatic moments of the play and establishes the setting. It puts the au4ience in the moment, back in the '70s once again, or for the first . time," said Larson. Indeed, the group ruil,s through a variety· of classic rock staples including hits from The Beatles, Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin and The Guess Who. the band also doubles as The .sugar Candies, the female musician Mary Jo's backing band.

Mary Jo is played by Tamalyn Keene, who also takes on the role a small child. Indeed, the majority of the cast takes on numerous roles in the Theatre Department's multifaceted undertaking.

"The real challenge with multiple roles is that you don't get to take the journey with the characters, you have to take a journey them within the scene, whoever or wherever they may be. It makes for quick pacing and engages the audience," explained Connor Keane, who takes on all of the male roles in the show.

Mittler also manages to incorporate his vision of shadow puppets within the show. "They were essential to the symbolism of the piece and I am fortunate to have actors dedicated enough to take on the challenge," said Mittler.

Whizzing bullets, thunderous explosions, booming helicopter landings and rumbling seats also make an appearance within the production.

''We promise action, tears and art," said Mittler. "We· are putting on the best retelling of these stories as we possibly can. It's not about relating to the war today, it's about telling stories and the tragedy of the past and those who were forgotten along the way. We are definitely telling these stories and hopefully our audience will relate."