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.
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The Heart Play

Recommended by

  • Kitchen Dog Theater:
    27 May. 2019
    “ 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.

  • April Hagen
    late fifties, sixties,
    Presents Female
    Mother of the three Hagen men. Suffering from a failing and broken heart.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      50s, 60s, 70s+
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female, Non-binary
  • Drake Hagen
    Early-mid thirties,
    Any
    Written male, but easily flipped to female or non-binary.
    The oldest Hagen brother. Mean, driven, manipulative.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Any gender
  • Samuel Hagen
    Mid-late twenties, early thirties
    The youngest Hagen brother. Soft-spoken, physically daunting.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male, Non-binary
  • Ben Hagen
    Late twenties, early thirties
    The middle Hagen brother. Compassionate, cowardly.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male, Non-binary
  • Joel
    Early twenties,
    Presents Male
    A worker indignant at his abduction. Serves as narrator in addition to captive.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens, 20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male, Non-binary
  • Father Kramer
    Sixties,
    Male
    Character must present as male given Catholic church's practice, but actor need not be.
    A loose-lipped priest with a drinking problem.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      50s, 60s, 70s+
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male, Non-binary

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    Monstrous Little Theatre Company
    ,
    2018