The Piedmont University Theatre Department will be performing “A Piece of My Heart” from Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 15-17 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m.
The show is directed by Kathy Blandin, and she has worked with the cast and crew to fully portray a true story of women who served in the Vietnam War. “The show explores the bleak realities that these women faced during the Vietnam War, the lives these women impacted during their service, and the experience of post-Vietnam America for returning veterans,” Blandin said.
The department chooses its productions for each semester well in advance, and Blandin said she was looking forward to directing this one.
“Of the 58,000 names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, only eight of them are women,” Blandin said. “From these numbers, it would be natural to assume that women did not play a significant part in the Vietnam War. However, 11,000 women willingly served in Vietnam as nurses, Army officers, Red Cross volunteers, and USO entertainers. As we approach the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, we must tell the stories of everyone who served their country by going to Vietnam.”
The story is truly noble and there are high expectations for how it’s told through the performance of the cast, including Sof Delgado, Ava Kerpics and Tucker Cochran. In addition to the on-stage performers, the amazing crew is working diligently to make this performance memorable, Blandin said.
The cast has worked “since October, researching, planning, and rehearsing. Since this show deals with the trauma of war they have had to dig deep within themselves and revisit their own past traumas so that they can draw upon the emotions of personal experience,” Blandin said. “This is not always comfortable work and yet this cast has faced it fearlessly.”
Tickets are available at https://www.showpass.com/a-piece-of-my-heart/ or by calling the box office at 706-778-8500 x1355. Admision for Piedmont students, staff and faculty are free, but tickets are still necessary.
Warning
This production contains flashing lights that may not be safe for those with epilepsy or light sensitivity. This play also contains strong language, implied rape, drug use and descriptions of violence that could be triggering to some audience members.
