The show is scheduled for November 21-24, 2024, in the Black Box Theatre.
“Hearts Like Fists” dispenses a humorous dose of empathy on the subjects of love, heartache, and the sting of rejection. In comic book fashion, the superhero drama involves a scorned villain, nurses turned crimefighters, a lovelorn heart surgeon, and a serial heartbreaker.
The Wayne State College Theatre Program presents “Hearts Like Fists” by Adam Szymkowicz on Nov. 21-24 in the Black Box Theatre, located in the Lied Performing Arts Annex of the Peterson Fine Arts Building. Curtain times are 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday; and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $5 per person, with free admission for Wayne State students, faculty, and staff. Tickets are available at the door with no reserved seats, but seating is limited. The show runs about 90 minutes, and “Hearts Like Fists” is produced by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Services, Inc.
When rejected, Dr. X decides to destroy love by injecting sleeping lovers with poison, the elite Crimefighters, nurses by day, come to the rescue. BAM! SMASH! KAPOW! Serial heartbreaker Lisa joins the fight, searching for her true purpose in life. Meanwhile, Dr. Peter, a heart surgeon, vows to create an artificial heart immune from heartache’s trauma. Will the Crimefighters succeed before Dr. X destroys love forever? Will Dr. Peter and Lisa find love? “Hearts Like Fists” is fun, farcical, and far too familiar.
Cast members include:
- Missouri Valley, Iowa – Mariah Pleskac
- Ainsworth – Victor Carranza Juarez
- Ashton – Ethan Frangenberg
- Broken Bow – Christopher Osmond
- Columbus – Riley Gausman, Ayanna Barragan Morales
- David City – Tate Hain
- Geneva – Reilly Vrbka
- La Vista – Ava Jane Albracht
- Minden – Sadie Holmes
- Murray – Ella Lewis
- Omaha – Victoria Harrington
- O’Neill – Reggie Roessler
- Stuart – Mary Belle Hamilton
- Wayne – Ethan Knight, Rowan Knight
- Wakefield – Stephanie Palma
Mollie Young, adjunct professor of theatre at Wayne State, is the director with Ashly Gunderson of Ida Grove, Iowa, serving as stage manager, and Maria Sellers of Omaha, Neb., as assistant stage manager. Young also serves as intimacy coordinator. Brian Begley, associate professor of theatre at Wayne State, is the technical director, scenic designer, lighting designer, and fight choreographer, with choreography assistance by fight captain Anna Mayes of Beemer, Neb.
Maddie Fairman of Papillion, Neb., is the concept artist. Costume designer is Anna Bjorklund of Wayne, Neb., with Astria Smith of Omaha, Neb., Anna Wells of Ceresco, Neb., Claire Jensen of Winside, Neb., Katie Stodieck of Schuyler, Neb., and Mariah Pleskac serving as costume assistants.
The props master is Kyle Hubbell of Le Mars, Iowa. The building, lighting, electrics, set, and props crews include Hailey Anderson Bennett of Sioux City, Iowa; Sophia Cadotte of Raymond, Neb.; Angel Carias of David City, Neb.; Rover Flynn of Blair, Neb.; Victoria Harrington and Maria Sellers of Omaha, Neb.; Hannah Kleinschmit of Wausa, Neb.; Ethan Plog of Alliance, Neb.; Madison Reisner, Zarke Yates, Ethan Knight, and Rowan Knight of Wayne, Neb.; Sebastian Rodriguez, York; Mary Hamilton of Stuart, Neb.; Kaitlyn Nelson of Castana, Iowa; Katie Stodieck, Reilly Vrbka, Maddie Fairman, Kyle Hubbell, Stephanie Palma, and Ayanna Barragan Morales.
For more information, contact Mollie Young at [email protected].