Crimes of The Heart

Crimes of the Heart is the winner of both the 1981 Pulitzer Prize and the Drama Critics Circle Award.  Written by Beth Henley, it is a comedy that examines the eccentricities and Southern Gothic humor of the three McGrath sisters of Hazlehurst, Mississippi. The youngest sister shoots her bigwig politico husband in the stomach because she “didn’t like his looks.” The eldest sister is celebrating her 30th birthday, well aware of her lack of romantic prospects. The middle sister has just returned to Hazlehurst after her failure to launch a singing career in Los Angeles. As they tease and provoke each other the audience members are treated to “a play rich with wisdom about the way people respond to life" (Pulitzer Prize Committee).