I was a part of several shows in several different capacities while in school at Georgia College & State Universities. All shows affected me in some way, but I don’t know that any left quite the impression that Shirly Lauro’s A PIECE OF MY HEART did. I think this is largely because, while the Vietnam War story has been told before, it has not been told nearly as often as it should. And I don’t think it has ever been told from this perspective.
A PIECE OF MY HEART is a powerful, true drama of six women who went to Vietnam:
Martha, Whitney, Sissy, and Leeann are young and ready to serve their country in whatever ways needed. They intend to nurse the ailing boys in the war effort back to health, but the horrors are greater than they ever could’ve imagined.
Steele is an officer who is underappreciated, undervalued, and underprepared for the daunting tasks at hand.
MaryJo uses her voice and her country-western guitar to entertain the troops; the troops use MaryJo to entertain themselves.
The play portrays each young woman before, during, and after her tour in the war-torn nation and ends as each leaves a personal token at the memorial wall in Washington.
This production tells the story of these six women who gave themselves over to their country and how it affected them for years to come.
Along with these six, our production has dozens of other characters, portrayed by six different actors. Any one actor might portray a Sergeant, a hippie, a Vietnamese soldier, and a retired war vet, along with five or six additional parts.
I’ve had several people ask me if this play is “Anti-war.” The answer is… I don’t know. I personally wish wars did not have to be fought. Ever. But I also think you have to fight for your personal beliefs, freedom, and civil liberties. You certainly have to do whatever it takes to protect yourself, your friends and your family. Therefore, I do think the act of war is sometimes justified.
I applaud those who are willing to enlist to ensure our safety. This is something that is not in me. It takes a very special person to make this sacrifice. I think those who are told by their government they must join in a war effort who rise to the occasion should enjoy special commendations.
My Assistant Director, the incredible April Walden, and I have done hours and hours and hours of research leading up to this production. We’ve taken that research and Lauro’s script and done our best to represent a fair portrayal of these women’s experiences.
One last note, we have made artistic choices in order to portray this show on our stage which we realize may not be “realistic”. If you want realism, go watch some of the incredible documentaries or read some of the very thorough reference books which are out there. To many in our audience, this is their very first exposure to the Vietnam War. We are trying to tell a story which will not only inform, but also entertain, and hopefully serve as a jumping-off point into their own exploration of this incredibly interesting chapter in world history.
Thanks so much for reading and enjoy the show.
Addison Walden
Proud Director of A PIECE OF MY HEART
