Next Act’s ‘Tin Woman’ Demonstrates a Great Deal of Heart

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Photo by Troy Freund

David Cecsarini, Jordan Watson and Deborah Clifton in Next Act Theatre's 'The Tin Woman'

David Cecsarini, Jordan Watson and Deborah Clifton in Next Act Theatre's 'The Tin Woman'

In its 30-plus years, Next Act Theatre has never shied away from controversial subject matter. But it has made a particularly daring move by offering a play that differs dramatically from feel-good holiday fare. The Tin Woman, which opened last weekend, carries a powerful message that may last much longer than Wisconsin’s eternal winters.

In this production, Next Act turns its attentions to the dark side of the holiday season. That is, it realizes that not everyone is feeling the upbeat “holiday spirit.” For many families in Milwaukee and elsewhere, a sudden loss has turned their world upside down. They must deal with a greater range of deadlier situations than in the past, such as those caused by COVID-19, the increase in mass shootings, neighborhood violence and drug overdoses, to name a few.

The Tin Woman focuses on how a person’s death can bring opportunities to help someone else through organ donation. Playwright Sean Grennan based his play on a true story, in which the recipient of a young man’s heart reaches out to the donor family. The family is still grieving the loss of their loved one, but they agree to meet. Their connection leads to unexpected consequences for all of them.

Grief and Humor Mix in Unusual Ways

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Photo by Troy Freund

David Cecsarini, Deborah Clifton, Jordan Watson and Nadja Simmonds in Next Act Theatre's 'The Tin Woman'

David Cecsarini, Deborah Clifton, Jordan Watson and Nadja Simmonds in Next Act Theatre's 'The Tin Woman'

The play combines elements of humor and loss to get its message across. More specifically, it explores the different ways that grief is expressed when a son unexpectedly dies in a car accident.

Although it’s never stated in the play, one may assume that the play’s title is based on the woodsman character in Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz. The woodsman, made from tin, longed for a heart. When he received one (sort of), he was overjoyed.

In The Tin Woman, a woman named Joy, in her mid-30s, has a heart that isn’t functioning very well. Her future looked grim. Doctors tell her that a heart transplant is her only option.

We learn this much at the outset of the play, which shows the ironically named Joy in her hospital bed after surgery. Her recovery has been long and painful, and she faces a lifetime of taking anti-rejection medications. Plus, the drugs don’t allow one to drink alcohol. So it’s no surprise that Joy is having mixed feelings. She trades verbal barbs with a sassy nurse on the day she is being released from the hospital.

Once back in her apartment, Joy barely gets by. She has broken up with her live-in boyfriend, and so now lives alone. She refuses to see anyone, although a pesky female friend won’t take no for an answer. She has been estranged from her parents for years. She is more than a little depressed.

Mostly, Joy wrestles with the unexpected new life that lies before her. She tells her girlfriend that for many months, she basically had accepted the fact that she was going to die. Then she was offered a heart transplant.

Joy says she hesitated at first. She wasn’t sure whether she deserved another chance at life. After all, she is just a freelance graphic artist, working on advertising projects that she considers pointless. “It’s not like I was going to cure cancer,” she says.

Joy wonders about the person whose heart is now beating in her chest. She knows it came from a man, but that is all the hospital staff would reveal. However, the nurse gave her the donor agency’s address. She said the agency might forward a letter from her to the donor family—if they felt the content was appropriate.

One Letter Leads to Another

After a few weeks, the donor family receives the letter from Joy. Hank, the father, is facing retirement as the head of a small building supply company. He refuses to discuss anything about Jack, his deceased son. It has been eight months since Jack’s death. Hank is cranky and irritable around the house and is drinking more than he should.

Hank dresses quite formally, and it is clear he favors the past over the present. He knows a lot about building supplies, but extraordinarily little about the Internet. He fails to see why his adult daughter, Sammy, insists on writing about her life in a blog.

Hank’s wife, Alice, is the backbone of this family. She holds things together, especially when generational differences arise between Hank and their children, which includes Sammy and the 36-year-old Jack.

Eventually, Alice writes back to Joy and invites her to their home. Sammy is overjoyed. To her, this new person is like getting a sister – something she always wanted. Hank tries to nix the whole plan and, when he fails, he is absent until Alice drives her car to the local pub. She is sure that’s where Hank is hiding.

Under the able direction of Edward Morgan, the actors are tasked with making their flawed characters sympathetic to the audience. As Joy, the play’s centerpiece, Jordan Watson does an excellent job of bringing a realistic, clear-eyed perspective to her role. For most of the play, she behaves in a manner that is far from likeable. But she does have some redeeming qualities. The play’s final scene has a touching moment in which Joy comforts the aggrieved donor family.

Producing Artistic Director David Cecsarini gives a masterful performance as the rigid, unemotional Hank. Although Alice clearly loves him, the audience is unlikely to share that feeling.  Hank struggles with guilt from his angry confrontation with Jack. Eventually, Jack storms off. Too proud to call his son and make amends, Hank is shattered when he and Alice learn about their son’s car accident a week later.

Actor Deborah Clifton does a remarkable job as Alice, the wife and mother. She tempers her almost too-good-to-be-true character with her satirical comments to Hank. When she has had enough of Hank’s bad behavior, she lets him know.

As Sammy, actor Alexandra Bonesho expands her somewhat underwritten role. When Sammy meets Joy, she runs through her living room and nearly tackles a bewildered Joy. Her over-the-top enthusiasm and passion add a great deal to the family dynamics.

Joy’s best (and perhaps only) friend is Darla, played by Nadja Simmonds (who also plays the nurse in the opening sequence). In these dual roles, Simmonds demonstrates her acting finesse by morphing between two very different characters. It would not be surprising if some audience members fail to recognize that these two roles are filled by the same actor.

Jack Appears as a Shadowy Presence

Throughout the play, the character of Jack is skillfully played by Zach Thomas Woods. Jack is an unseen presence in almost every scene. When other characters describe Jack, Woods seems to take a keen interest in the conversation. He leans in a bit closer. Woods also appears in several flashback sequences, so the audience can make its own observations about Jack.

The Tin Woman’s stage is multi-layered (set design by Rick Rasmussen), so actors can move easily from one location to another. Also setting the tone is an understated lighting design by Aaron Sherkow. He bathes the first scene in a tapestry of dappled autumn hues. As the seasons change (quite literally, by watching a tree on the backdrop), one senses the movement of time.

Hank’s conservative attire (costumes by Amy Horst) is contrasted by more casual, fashionable outfits worn by Joy, Darla and Sammy. David Cecsarini also contributed to the production’s sound design.

Thinking back on The Tin Woman, the play expresses a great deal of love, compassion, and respect. The characters are committed to redefining family relationships in the wake of a great loss in their lives. As for Joy, she discovers a sense of purpose that bodes positively for the life ahead. 

The Tin Woman runs for one hour, 50 minutes, with one intermission. In connection with this production, Next Act is collaborating with Versiti, donor families and recipients to promote awareness of organ donation. There will be Versiti volunteers in the lobby to answer questions; they also will talk to audiences following certain performances.

The Tin Woman continues through December 18 at Next Act Theatre. Masks are required. For tickets, visit www.nextact.org, call 414-278-0765, or visit the box office at 255 S. Water St.