In “A Piece of My Heart,” Chula Vista’s Onstage Playhouse recounts the stories of women who served in the Vietnam War, a group that is largely unacknowledged. The play exposes a serious and important piece of history.
Many in the audience visibly and audibly responded to the memories awakened by the time period 1960-1982.
Shirley Lauro based her play on a book of interviews of various women who had been involved in the Vietnam War, exposing their truths and relationships. Nurses, an entertainer, and a service member reveal their reactions to the horrors of war.
After the war many suffered PTSD and other after-effects that often follow participants in a war. America spent years before honoring the efforts of the war members.
Both in history and in the play, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall served as a point of healing, uniting the country and honoring those who lost their lives.
The show is dynamic, powerful and emotional.
The team of actors work seamlessly together, each portraying authenticity and a wide range of emotion.
Four of the women are nurses who react strongly to the horrors of the war, but manage to cope and aid the dying and wounded. An American-Asian nurse, skillfully played by Emilee Zuniga, shows her growing anger at being placed in a war instead of Hawaii.
The other nurses (Carla Navarro, Allison MacDonald and Emily Candia) show strength despite the trauma.
A Women’s Army Corp member (Ray-Anna Ranae) is treated poorly by her superiors since she is a woman. A band member (Sarah LeClair) comes to Vietnam to entertain, but faces ordeals. All male roles are adeptly played by Devin Wade.
James P. Darvas, the director, displays the women’s stories both in the tour of duty in Vietnam and after returning home. Dealing with six major characters is complex, but Darvas is successful in the pacing and interweaving of the different tales.
The set design and lighting (Hector Cisneros) and lighting (M. Keala Milles Jr.) aid in clarifying the various stories told in myriad settings.
The show runs through Saturday, Oct.14. Tickets range from $20 to $22. Curtain times are Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m.
OnStage Playhouse is located on Third Avenue in downtown Chula Vista. Visit www.onstageplayhouse.org for more information. Nearby parking is available.
