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 by Matthew Stoffel
    “

    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.
  • April Hagen
    Mother of the three Hagen men. Suffering from a failing and broken heart.
    late fifties, sixties
    Presents Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary
  • Drake Hagen
    Written male, but easily flipped to female or non-binary.
    The oldest Hagen brother. Mean, driven, manipulative.
    Early-mid thirties
    Any
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s
  • Joel
    A worker indignant at his abduction. Serves as narrator in addition to captive.
    Early twenties
    Presents Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male,
      Non-binary
  • 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.
    Sixties
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male,
      Non-binary
  • Ben Hagen
    The middle Hagen brother. Compassionate, cowardly.
    Late twenties, early thirties
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male,
      Non-binary
  • Samuel Hagen
    The youngest Hagen brother. Soft-spoken, physically daunting.
    Mid-late twenties, early thirties
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male,
      Non-binary

Development History

  • Reading, Monstrous Little Theatre Company, 2018