Heartbreaker's article in The New London Day was picked up by the California Chronicle. Looking good for a NYC and Boston run!
"Heartbreaker" -- which was a semi-finalist for the O'Neill's National Playwrights Conference -- drew the interest of Sarah Coleman, who is directing the piece and is Hygienic Theaterwerks' artistic director. She first worked with McGuire on the Hygienic's 24-hour play project last year, and then staged his "Bad Boys" at the Golden Street Gallery.
While Coleman is an actress -- she worked as one in L.A. from 2000 to 2008 -- she studied directing [at George Mason University and for over 6 years] with her mentor, Oscar-nominated actress Lindsay Crouse. The 24-hour [New London Theater Festival Jan. 2009 inspired her to pursue directing full time].
She has pulled together a cast primarily from New York City (one actress lives both locally and in New York) that she knew could handle the challenging material.
They include Sharina Martin, Leonard Dozier, Sarah Gold, and George Katt, who won the "Best Breakthrough Actor Award" at the New York International Independent Film Festival for his starring role in "Valley of Angels."
Coming to southeastern Connecticut (her parents live in Groton Long Point) has proven a happy experience for Coleman.
"I've never lived anywhere that had this kind of community support that not only has everybody showing up and participating and encouraging one another, but everybody also has their own artistic things going on and are highly intellectual about it. There just isn't a better community for getting things up and on their feet. So I'm sort of addicted to the area. I just spent eight years in Los Angeles. I was with the Los Angeles Shakespeare Company, and it was like pulling teeth to get people to come see an amazing production of 'Othello,'" she says.
As a history major at Florida State University, she says, she has always been fascinated with the overwhelming need for human beings to be right and with the nature of hatred -- both issues that "Heartbreaker" explores.
Even after this production is done, Coleman says, "I'm not letting go of this play. This is an incredibly professional and well put-together run-through in preparation for, hopefully, a longer run. ... It really deserves an extensive amount of time and focus."
