CMC student Yan Pu '06 will star in the upcoming Claremont Colleges production of Shirley Lauro's powerful Vietnam drama, A Piece of My Heart. Performances are in Allen Theatre, located in the Seaver Theater Complex, at 8 p.m. February 27 through March 1, and at 2 p.m. March 1 and 2.
A Piece of My Heart, which interweaves the stories of six women in the war zone of Vietnam, is directed by Pomona professor Betty Bernhard. Focusing on an aspect of Vietnam largely neglected in material written about the war, the play concentrates on the true stories of women who served in Vietnam.
Playing a Red Cross volunteer who goes to Vietnam anticipating a thriving metropolitan culture, but instead finds herself in the midst of a horrifying war zone, Yan Pu says that the production presents a challenge to performers and audiences alike. "The transition from today to coming out of a war is difficult to perform," she says, and the queries the play poses for audiences members are powerful in light of today's developing international conflicts, she said. The play questions what was being fought for in Vietnam, and whether any motives can justify the atrocities of war. "The title shouldn't be taken lightly," she says, "it is a very raw, rare play, and everything gets laid out in front of you."
Tickets are $5 for faculty, staff, seniors, and students, and $10 for general admission. Call the Seaver Theatre box office (909) 621-8525 for tickets and information; box office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Presented by the Pomona College Department of Theater and Dance.