The Heart Play

by Matthew Stoffel

April Hagen doesn’t qualify for the life-saving heart transplant she needs. While she’s accepted that, her three sons haven’t. In fact, they’ve set out on a plan to steal her a new heart and perform a DIY transplant in the living room of their childhood home.

April Hagen doesn’t qualify for the life-saving heart transplant she needs. While she’s accepted that, her three sons haven’t. In fact, they’ve set out on a plan to steal her a new heart and perform a DIY transplant in the living room of their childhood home.

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The Heart Play

Recommended by

  • Kitchen Dog Theater: The Heart Play

    We are pleased to support this play! It was a Finalist for the 2019 New Works Festival at Kitchen Dog Theater in Dallas, Texas.

    We are pleased to support this play! It was a Finalist for the 2019 New Works Festival at Kitchen Dog Theater in Dallas, Texas.

Character Information

This play was written with a white, Irish American family originally in mind. But I'm happy to work together on variations that fit your casting hopes. For example, I've had conversations with directors about tweaking the name Hagen and mentions of Ireland to make the piece work for a predominantly Mexican or Latinx cast.
  • Samuel Hagen
    The youngest Hagen brother. Soft-spoken, physically daunting.
    Character Age
    Mid-late twenties, early thirties
  • April Hagen
    Mother of the three Hagen men. Suffering from a failing and broken heart.
    Character Age
    late fifties, sixties
    Character Gender Identity
    Presents Female
  • Drake Hagen
    Written male, but easily flipped to female or non-binary.
    The oldest Hagen brother. Mean, driven, manipulative.
    Character Age
    Early-mid thirties
    Character Gender Identity
    Any
  • Joel
    A worker indignant at his abduction. Serves as narrator in addition to captive.
    Character Age
    Early twenties
    Character Gender Identity
    Presents Male
  • Father Kramer
    Character must present as male given Catholic church's practice, but actor need not be.
    A loose-lipped priest with a drinking problem.
    Character Age
    Sixties
    Character Gender Identity
    Male
  • Ben Hagen
    The middle Hagen brother. Compassionate, cowardly.
    Character Age
    Late twenties, early thirties

Development History

  • Type Reading, Organization Monstrous Little Theatre Company, Year 2018