Huntington , Cabell County , West Virginia

Set in the Deep South town of Hazelhurst, Miss., "Crimes of the Heart" tells the story of three sisters who are reunited by tragedy.

The theater production comes to the local stage at the Renaissance Art Center, 900 Eighth St., in Huntington at 8 p.m. Aug. 17, 18, 24 and 25, and 2 p.m. Aug. 19 and Aug. 26. It is being presented by Art Resources for the Tri-State.

As the story line goes, the trio comes together at their old granddaddy’s home. He's hospitalized and not expected to make it, but that is far from their only concern.

Each sibling is dealing with failure and disappointment, ranging from loneliness to career troubles to a shocking act of violence.

“It's a play by Beth Henley. She's pretty famous for .. . in fact, this is her most famous,” Bill Neal, the director of the play, said. “She creates strong southern women and then dumps a lot of bad stuff on them to prove and to make them even stronger. It's a play about resilience. It's a play about family.”

As their feelings of rejection and loneliness bubble to the surface, the sisters come to realize that they each must face the consequences of the choices they have made.

Amy Carlson, who plays the role of Meg Magrath, said the youngest sister “has just shot her husband, and they're all home to try to help her out. In the meantime, they have a grandfather who is ill, and he is kind of in his last days. And it's about them coming together and sort of overcoming each individual hardship and really sort of trying to get over the little crimes of the heart that they commit against themselves.”

While the play deals with serious and adult themes, it's peppered with laughter. The lighter moments come courtesy of the cast of characters who surrounds the sisters.

Terry Tagmeyer plays the role of Chick Boyle. “Chick has only one agenda, and it's all about herself and what she wants and she doesn't care a lick about anybody else. And she does it ever so sweetly.”

In addition to the 1981 Pulitzer, the play also captured the 1981 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best American Play and the 1982 Theatre World Award.

Tickets for performances are $10. Dinner also is available by reservation. For reservations and more information, call 304-733-ARTS. You can obtain information by email at arts@733arts.org.

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