A Chilliwack theatre company will tell the story of “survivor’s guilt” and what it means to have a second chance at life, in a play about a woman who receives a heart transplant.
The Chilliwack Players Guild presents The Tin Woman May 8-10 at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre.
Inspired by a true story, the play was penned by former actor and playwright Sean Grennan of Pennsylvania.
It’s a story about a woman named Joy who, instead of relishing life after her heart transplant, enters a downward spiral, unsure whether she truly deserves a second chance. Meanwhile, Alice and Hank mourn the loss of their son, Jack, whose heart was used to save Joy. At a friend’s urging, Joy tracks down Jack’s family to find closure.
“I think once you’ve made your peace and you’re ready to go, and suddenly you get a second chance, and then how you feel about that second chance, that’s where things take a turn for Joy,” said director T.J. MacPherson.
She prefers scripts that are more edgy, ones that make the viewer think, which is why she chose The Tin Woman. She calls it a very “real” play with some funny moments, and describes Grennan’s script as “tremendous.”
“I think he wrote it very sincerely. It’s thoughtfully written,” MacPherson said. “There’s nothing about the script that’s frivolous. I like the emotion of it, and (telling) both sides of the story.”
She wanted the cast to understand the firsthand experience of a patient and family who have been through an organ transplant, so she contacted BC Transplant. They connected the guild with teenage ambassador Ian Sewell of Chilliwack, who received a liver donation when he was eight months old, and his mother Amanda.
“The actors got to really understand the emotion behind it. I wanted them to know what a family really is going through, to get that legitimate feeling.”
MacPherson believes meeting the Sewell family helped the cast.
“They just embraced it. They’re doing this play with heart,” MacPherson said.
Elaine Yong of BC Transplant, who helped connect MacPherson with the Sewell family, said using theatre is a “wonderful” way to send a message about the importance of organ donation.
“It’s important for people to understand the power of organ donation and transplantation so they can make a decision about their own wishes. We know more than 90 per cent of British Columbians support organ donation, yet only about one in three people are actually registered,” Yong said. “Finding different ways to engage with the public helps get the message out to more people. Organ donation and transplantation is a beautiful and deeply human story, so art is a wonderful way to tell the story in a relatable way.”
When asked why the play was titled The Tin Woman even though Joy’s new heart is not artificial, playwright Grennan touched on the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz.
“In this case, it’s more a metaphor for the character of Joy. She needs and gets a heart but, unlike the Tin Man, she doesn’t quite know what to do with it, whether she even deserves it,” Grennan wrote in an email to The Chilliwack Progress.
“I interviewed many recipients of hearts and found that there is a range of feelings about it. Some are elated and some are not. For the latter, a sort of ‘survivor’s guilt’ kicks in; Why did I get this? What do I do now? What does it all mean?” Grennan added. “Joy needs to do more than just keep living, she needs to find some meaning for it.”
MacPherson is hoping the audience will feel the “emotional impact” of the story and think about the importance of being an organ donor.
The Tin Woman is “poignant” and has some “very funny moments,” MacPherson said, but in the end she thinks the audience will be crying.
She called them a “stellar” cast of seven actors.
Playing the role of Joy is Krysandra Wilson. Jack is played by Nathan Whims, and his parents Hank and Alice are played by Gerry Thom and Mary Ellen Shimell, respectively.
The show is produced by Debra Archer, and Trisha Knight-Good is the stage manager.
The Chilliwack Players Guild presents The Tin Woman on Friday, May 8 and Saturday, May 9 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, May 10 at 2 p.m. at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre.
Tickets are $30 for general admission and $27.50 for seniors and students. Tickets available at the Centre Box Office, online at chilliwackculturalcentre.ca, or by calling 604-391-SHOW(7469).
The guild will be presenting the play as part of Fraser Valley Zone Theatre Festival in White Rock on May 21. The festival features six plays from throughout the valley and the winning play heads to Theatre BC’s Mainstage Festival in Vernon in July.
Those who want to register to become an organ donor can do so at registeryourdecision.ca.