A Piece Of My Heart
at Woodbridge

Reviewed on October 26, 2017

Andrew Senkowski
Santa Margarita Catholic
Submitted for publication to Orange County Register

Compassion Courses Through Woodbridge High's "A Piece Of My Heart"
written by Andrew Senkowski, a senior at Santa Margarita Catholic High School

Convulsing bodies enveloped in bloody green khaki strew the floor, screaming gasps of agony as terrified nurses rush with trembling hands to their aid. Years later, the same nurses scream gasps of agony as they wrestle with the same disturbing memories. Painful memory pervades Woodbridge High's production of "A Piece of My Heart," which follows the lives of five nurses and a country singer as they struggle with discrimination, violence, and mental trauma during the Vietnam War and domestic life in the 1960s. Through poignant acting and moving story-telling, the cast is able to evoke the anguish that was embroidered in the fabric of America during the Vietnam War.

Sky Cato as Martha develops from stoic and detached with a permanent scowl and stiff posture when spitting a retort at her lieutenant to sensitive and troubled by collapsing on her knees, slamming her hands on the ground and furiously shaking her head as she weeps through tightly pinched eyes.

Cato's insecure and apprehensive character is countered by the Head Nurse, played by Rowan Biggs, who commands the stage when she pulls Martha by her collar and barks unapologetically demeaning insults inches in front of Martha's fearful face. Her constant standing at attention and sharp marches establish her as a formidable and antagonistic consistency in the chaos that Martha and the other women inhabit.

Karina Osbourne as Steele conveys her frustration over her race preventing her from advancing in her military career through powerfully spiteful monologues, often coupled with sturdy composure and glaring eyes that scan her surroundings. She is an opposite of Sissy, played by Juanita Lopez, who exudes compassion. When a soldier is killed by a landmine, Lopez is held back as she reaches out desperately with both arms and wild eyes before crumpling into sobs.

Lopez's misery is distinctly illustrated by her teary eyes and frantic looks of pain, but Mary Jo's torment (Abby Frazier) is subtle. Frazier begins carefree and naïve, manifested through her youthful and rich singing tone. However, after the turmoil of her experiences, she loses her wide smile and glimmer in her eyes. She trudges with lowered shoulders and eyes that constantly stare at the floor, dream-filled.

Woodbridge High delivers a standout show that commemorates the loss of life during the Vietnam War, whether with casualties or the vitality of those affected.

Alexander Theologides-Rodriguez
University
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook

Woodbridge's ‘A Piece of My Heart' Paints a Picture of Strength and Suffering
written by Alexander Theologides-Rodriguez, a senior at University High School

Bodies are piled onstage in a labyrinthine mass of green military fatigues. It's impossible to tell where one corpse ends and another begins. Around the the bodies are six women. They are silent, their eyes cold and emotionless, but their sorrow is betrayed by their quivering lips and shaking hands. This is war.

Woodbridge High School's production of "A Piece of My Heart" tells the story of six young women before, during, and after the Vietnam War, exploring how each of them cope with trauma and tragedy.

Sky Cato embodies the stoic nurse Martha with a firm stance and a strong, loud voice. However, as the war takes its toll on Martha, Cato's physicality changes; her back hunches over in defeat, her once-steady forward gaze drifts downward, and her eyes widen to show loss and pain. As Martha suffers, Cato's powerful voice begins to weaken and waver, becoming quiet and defeated.

Abby Frazier's rich, dulcet voice and southern accent as country singer Mary Jo seem at first to provide respite for the soldiers and nurses. Accompanied by Tony Maquiling as the Guitar Player, Frazier sits off to the side of the stage early on in the play and sings Vietnam War era music. Then, when Mary Jo is forced to see the harsher realities of war, Frazier's once-warm tone turns cold and harsh, revealing her character's disillusionment.

Throughout all the chaos of war, the Head Nurse, played by Rowan Biggs, remains calm and collected. Biggs maintains a level gaze and a wide, militaristic stance as she barks orders to the other nurses.

Juanita Lopez plays Sissy, an optimistic young nurse dealing with the harsh realities of war. Sissy finally breaks down when she meets Jimmy, played by Josh Gaon, a soldier who has had half his face blasted off. Jimmy's makeup, done by Quinn Ismeril and Chris Ray, is absolutely chilling, with a realistic prosthetic attached to his face, showing singed skin, blood, and the uneven texture of a real wound. When Sissy watches Jimmy die, her face freezes, eyes wide with shock and disbelief. Lopez shows the immediate effect this has on Sissy by staggering, almost falling, as if burdened by the weight of her guilt.

Woodbridge's "A Piece of My Heart" uses profound performances and raw emotions to tell the story of women at war.

Katie Wagner
University
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook

Woodbridge Stole ‘A Piece of my heart'
written by Katie Wagner, a junior at University High School

Amidst a chaotic clamor of desperate moans, soft whimpers, and frantically barked orders, brand new nurses understandably struggle to gain their footing. Gory, appalling wounds terrify and confuse them. Suddenly afflicted with wide eyes and unsteady hands, these previously confident nurses are broken down by the shocking horrors of war.

Set both in the United States and in wartime Vietnam, "A Piece of My Heart" at Woodbridge High School realistically portrays the bitter, emotional realities of war. Graced with a riveting ensemble cast and clever technicians, this production delivers poignant messages of feminism and unity.

Abby Frazier plays Mary Jo, a beautiful country singer entertaining the troops in Vietnam. Her smooth, rich voice hauntingly washes over the stage, it's honey tones melancholy. She sits eerily still, her wide, sorrowful eyes focused on some indeterminate spot in the distance. Frazier's performance is chilling, a hushed reminder of the isolation that accompanies war.

As Steele, Karina Osbourne adopts a firm, assertive stance. Shoulders straight and arms held smartly at her sides, she strides confidently, the picture of military discipline. When her strong demeanor cracks, and gives way to desperate emotion, she tightly balls her fists, eyes flashing frantically. Osbourne's scarce use of intense emotion provides a clear contrast to Steele's initial military rigidity, adeptly showcasing the innate humanity present even in military officials.

Though there is an unceasing string of wounded cycling through the hospital, one in particular stands out. A half of his face is injured beyond repair, the flesh is torn, inflamed, bloody, and almost yellowing at the edges. This revolting, festering wound, intricately created by Quinn Ismeril and Chris Ray, is clearly deadly. After watching him die, powerless, the new nurses become somewhat jaded. After this, no other soldier wears heavy makeup.

In a heartbreaking ensemble scene, six women tightly clasp each other's hands. Shaking, traumatized, each expresses the difficulty they find fitting in with society post-war. One lets loose primal yells of frustration, another cries softly. These women each cope with pain differently, but their genuine support of each other accurately demonstrates the quiet sisterhood they forged in war.

"A Piece of My Heart" at Woodbridge High school blends a talented ensemble and capable technicians to realistically celebrate the unsung American women of the Vietnam war.