A Piece of My Heart
by Shirley Lauro
“The most enduring play on Vietnam in the nation.” The Vietnam Vets Association
September 14, 15, 20, 21, 22 @ 8 p.m. | September 16 @ 2 PM
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Directed by Vickie Trickett
Donnelle Bohnke, Stage Manager Tom Milne, Costume Coordinator Marcus Lewis, Videographer Isaac Covey, Paul Martin, Musicians SPONSORED BY
Pineview Dental Care Old Colony Realty HFS Realty Renew Liposuction and Cosmetic Center Town Hill Tavern Puglioni's Pizza and Pasta Select Decks |
A powerful, true drama of six women who went to Vietnam: three nurses, a Red Cross volunteer, an intelligence officer and a USO country-western singer. Follow each young woman’s story before, during, and after her tour in the war-torn nation.
CAST
Martha -- ALICIA JADE MARTIN Mary Jo -- KAICI LORE Sissy -- ERINN EXLINE CASAZZA Whitney -- JOY CARR FURBEE Leeann -- SCHYLER LAYMAN-PUDSELL Steele -- TRACY EVANS The American Men ADAM MESSENGER The Ensemble DENISE MYERS, AMANDA ALGEE |
ALICIA JADE MARTIN
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Alicia Jade and Martha are both military brats. Alicia Jade moved 8 times as a kid, but her Mom always made sure she found a theatre group at every single base since she was in 3rd grade. Later, Alicia Jade earned a B.A. in Theatre Arts at Texas Tech University. There, she enjoyed roles like Olympia in Big Love and The Country Wife in The Country Wife. Alicia Jade would like to thank Bruce Hermann for teaching her that acting is, "living truthfully in an imaginary circumstance,” Dr. Sarah Parry Myers for teaching her everything she knows about the Vietnam War and being a badass feminist history professor, her Mom, Maureen, for her selfless service of 20 years as a strong military spouse, and her husband, Paul, who served 5 years in the Marine Corps and is still the most gentle, giving being she knows.
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ERINN EXLINE CASAZZA
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Making her M. T. Pockets debut in 2017, Erinn's acting experience included a Western-themed show in fourth grade and a Shakespeare workshop in college. She enjoyed bringing Shelby in Steel Magnolias and Annie in High Spirits to the stage last year and finds herself identifying with A Piece of My Heart's Sissy's desire to save the world. Erinn enjoys her work as a founding member of Nerd Herd Running, baking cupcakes, traveling and planning trips, parties, etc. with a Clark Griswold-esque enthusiasm. She is a Disney nerd, an aspiring banjoist, loves pop music and wishes she had been old enough to be Whitesnake’s video vixen back in the day. A born and bred West Virginian, she proudly cheers on her WVU Mountaineers and sings “Country Roads” at any given opportunity.
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KAICI LORE
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Kaici is a West Virginia native, born and bred in the Eastern Panhandle. Alongside her work at M.T. Pockets, she is a member of VTC’s Rustic Mechanicals troupe. She’s been acting since 2001 and has tried her hand at screenwriting, film, and photography. When not involved in theatre, Kaici is studying interior design and developing her own design firm. She loves spending her free time creating art and spending time with her fur babies Salem, Taron, and Justin. She would like to thank M.T. Pockets and Vickie Trickett for always giving her opportunities to develop her skills and always being a home away from home.
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JOY CARR
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Joy is a West Virginia transplant from Kentucky. She believes with all her heart that live theater is vital to helping people gain access to different points of view, feelings and an understanding what it means to be a human being. She also likes cats.
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TRACY EVANS
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Tracy is a sales manager/trainer for HFS Realty in Fairmont, West Virginia. (Licensed 28 years). She is a native of Los Angeles, California and Colorado State University graduate. Tracy moved to West Virginia from Atlanta, Georgia in 2010 so her son could be closer to his West Virginia family. She is the proud mom of 2 -- 12 year- old son Brazz IV and 28 year-old daughter Mercedes Lewis, who just graduated with her Masters from the University of Roehampton in London, UK -2018 and was a graduate of WVU in 2013. Tracy has previously appeared as Calpurnia in To Kill a Mockingbird and as Professor Lewis in Rewind, Revisit and Remember at Fairmont State University. New to acting , having just started acting in 2016, she sends special thanks to Troy Synder and Francene Kirk (FSU), Kaici Lore and Amber Walker. This is her third play and her debut at M. T. Pockets Theatre. "I love the entire theater family." Special thanks to Vickie Trickett and Nicki Davis for the opportunity to learn and grow in community theatre. To everyone whom is a Veteran, or currently serving in the Armed Services, THANK YOU for your service and all your sacrifices!!!
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SCHYLER LAYMAN-PUDSELL
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Schyler is a native of Morgantown, West Virginia. She graduated in 2015 from Morgantown High School as an International Honors Thespian. Her work at M. T. Pockets began in 2013 as stage crew and she has since directed in several One Act Festivals and performed in Neverwhere, String of Pearls and The Rented Christmas. She would like to thank her M. T. Pockets family and Kaleb Dobbs for supporting her return to the M. T. Pockets stage. She’d also like to dedicate her performances the next two weekends to her Grandfather, Carl Morgan, who passed away in January due to complications of Agent Orange Disease. To the veterans in the audience, thank you and if you are struggling, you are not alone.
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Adam Messenger is a resident of Morgantown, WV, and received a BFA Degree in Acting from the West Virginia University School of Theatre and Dance. He has been seen previously as Ty Williamson in Sordid Lives, and Dromio of Ephesus in The Comedy of Errors. During the school year, he works as a substitute teacher, and with the WVU Community Children's Theatre.
DENISE MYERS
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An RN for 45 years, Denise is a proud mom to 4 sons and grandma to 10 grandchildren! She has enjoyed being a part of theatre since 2003. She has acted previously with M. T. Pockets Theatre in And Then There Were None and The Sunshine Boys. She has also performed with the WV Public Theatre and Preston Community Arts Center. She would like to say it has been a privilege to pay homage to the Vietnam Vets in doing this show, and she dedicates this performance to the memory of her father and father-in-law who were World War II vets and in honor of her son Michael, who served in the Navy for 6 years.
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AMANDA ALGEE is a graduate student at WVU pursuing her second master’s degree in social work. She has been involved with community theatre as an actress and backstage for over 15 years. She started with Buckhannon Community Theatre working in musicals Annie, The Wizard of Oz, South Pacific, Camelot, and The Sound of Music. Her last role with Buckhannon Community Theatre was Mickey in the female version of The Odd Couple. Since joining M. T. Pockets in 2016, she has appeared in Neverwhere, Comedy of Errors, The Sunshine Boys, Distracted and several One Acts Festivals. In May, Amanda traveled to beautiful Vietnam for a class. To all men and women who are a veterans of the armed forces or currently serving in the armed forces - whether you are a soldier, a sailor, a pilot, a nurse, a doctor, a cook, a mechanic or whatever your job is that I haven’t mentioned- thank you for your service and sacrifice.
