About the Play:

A Piece of My Heart has long been a favourite of acting teachers for Female Monologues.

A Piece of My Heart is a full-length drama by Shirley Lauro. This is a powerful, true drama of six women who went to Vietnam: five nurses and a country western singer booked by an unscrupulous agent to entertain the troops. The play portrays each young woman before, during, and after her tour in the war-torn nation and ends as each leaves a personal token at the memorial wall in Washington.

A Piece of My Heart is the true story of six courageous American women sent to Vietnam and their struggle to make sense of a war that irrevocably changed them. Based on the author's interviews with real-life veterans, including those profiled in a book of the same name by Keith Walker, the play pinpoints significant moments in each woman's journey. After the war, the women return to civilian life and must reconcile their need to serve humanity with the horrors they experienced during war. It is a piece about transcendence that deals with the themes of service, heroism, life, death, trauma, forgiveness, sacrifice, despair, depression, rejection, friendship and rebirth. A Piece of My Heart is a celebration of the women who served and sacrificed in Vietnam, the unsung heroes often overlooked in history.

A Piece of My Heart premiered in 1991 at Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) in New York City. With over 2,000 productions around the world, it was named by Vietnam Vets of America, Inc. as "The most enduring play in the nation on Vietnam."

Cast: 6 female, 1 male

What people say:

"There have been a number of plays dealing with Viet Nam, but none with the direct, emotional impact of Ms. Lauro's work." — The New York Times

"Brought [the audience] to tears [...] and a standing ovation." — Variety

"A riveting, rending dramatic experience." — The Courier-Journal

Shirley Lauro is an American author, playwright and screenwriter. She came to national attention with her Broadway play, Open Admissions. Her play A Piece Of My Heart has enjoyed over 2,000 productions around the world. She has received major fellowships from the Guggenheim, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the New York Foundation for the Arts.