(HILLSBOROUGH, NJ) -- Somerset Valley Players presents Crimes of the Heart weekends from June 5-21, 2026. Warmhearted, irreverent, zany and brilliantly imaginative, Beth Henley's Pulitzer Prize-winning play examines the plight of three young Mississippi sisters betrayed by their passions.
In Hazlehurst, Mississippi, the three Magrath sisters gather to await news of their grandfather, who is living out his last hours in the local hospital. Lenny, the oldest sister, is unmarried at 30 and facing diminishing marital prospects; Meg, the middle sister, who quickly outgrew Hazlehurst, is back after a failed singing career on the West Coast, and Babe, the youngest, is out on bail after having shot her husband in the stomach. Their troubles, grave yet somehow hilarious, are highlighted by their priggish cousin, Chick, and by Babe’s awkward young lawyer, who has clearly fallen in love with her. Honest, touching and consistently hilarious, Beth Henley’s play teems with humanity and humor.
The cast includes Stephanie DiPilla (Lenny), Alyssa L. Scott (Chick), Lindsay Perr (Babe), Kevin Albanese (Barnette), Quinn Michaels (Meg), andTim Russo (Doc).
The production team includes Director: Richard Butler; Producer: Roberta Steve; Stage Manager: Shannen Rivers; Lighting & Sound Designer: Mateo Morales; Set Designer: Brendan McCunney; Set Decorator: Roberta Steve; Properties: Joanne Guerriero; and Costumes: Sam Tonn.
Performances take place Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00pm; Sunday matinees at 2:00pm. Tickets are available for purchase online. The theater is located at 689 Amwell Road (Rte 514) in Hillsborough, New Jersey.
Crimes of the Heart was first performed in February 1979 at the Actors Theatre Louisville in Kentucky. On December 9, 1980, after numerous productions throughout the US, the play premiered off-Broadway at Stage 73. Crimes of the Heart made its Broadway premiere at the John Golden Theatre on November 4, 1981. Directed by Melvin Bernhardt, the Broadway production featured Mia Dillon, Mary Beth Hurt, Lizbeth MacKay, Peter MacNicol, Raymond Baker and Sharon Ullrick.
Other plays by Beth Henley include The Lucky Spot, The Miss Firecracker Contest, and The Wake of Jamey Fost.
